We love sharing stories from churches that have gotten unstuck. One of our goals with everything we publish is to encourage pastors. You may feel stuck today, but there is hope! Revitalization can happen.
So, in that spirit, today we’re sharing five questions with Burt Miller, the lead pastor of Solid Ground Church in Lewes, Delaware. We worked with Burt for about a year, and he and his church really began to see results about 6-8 months into the process. We’ll let Burt tell you about it.
5 Questions with Burt Miller, Solid Ground Church
1) How stuck was your church?
BURT: “We were pretty stuck. We had been meeting for about 5 years and couldn’t break 80 people.”
2) What were the first things you did to begin the turnaround process?
BURT: “We worked to clarify our vision and mission. Then we began to communicate identity – giving a concise ‘why’ we do what we do.”
3) Ultimately, what changes made the biggest impact?
BURT: “We moved to a more accessible location. Our old spot was in an inconvenient location that locals hated to drive to during 6 months out of the year because of tourists. We knew reaching our community meant meeting them where they were.”
4) Did more people leave as you were making changes?
BURT: “Yes. On both fronts. Some left because the vision for what our church was going to be simply wasn’t what they wanted. Others left because they’d have to drive instead of walk to church. Bear in mind, the drive was 10 to 15 minutes at the most, but they liked walking.”
5) How would you describe the health of your church today?
BURT: “It’s the best it’s ever been. We’re seeing people come to know the Lord and get baptized, small groups are multiplying, new leaders are being raised up, giving has gone through the roof, and people who haven’t been to church in years are coming and getting plugged in.”
Do you feel stuck? Don’t stay that way. Learn how our church consulting process helps churches clarify their vision, build an action plan, and follow through.
