Healthy Churches Produce Disciples and Leaders
If local churches exist long enough, they will inevitably go through different seasons of vitality. Sometimes the church will be more vital than others. There will be seasons when God’s presence and the fruit of the gospel are very evident. There may also be times of decline when there is concern for the ongoing vitality of the church. These seasons are simply the ebb and flow of life.
Surviving Church
Inward focus • Aging congregation • Program-driven • No clear biblical vision, mission, core values, strategy, or measures • Maintenance ministry • Preservation mindset • Caution • Lack of faith • Leaders afraid to lead
Reviving Church
Outward focus • Kingdom prayer (Lord’s Prayer as model) • Leadership team developing a clear and compelling biblical vision, mission, core values, strategy and measures • Repentance • Faith in what God can do • Moving from program to personal ministry • Leaders lead and take faith risks
Thriving Church
Outwardly focused • Gospel-centered • Dependent on prayer • Vibrant worship and preaching • Passion for unbelievers and our neighbors • Conversions • Personal ministry (not program-driven) • Clear and compelling biblical vision, mission, core • Values, strategy, and measures • Leaders lead by taking faith risks
Encouraging and Equipping Pastors
Contact us today to learn more about upcoming conferences and funding to help send a delegation from your church.
Lampstand Conferences
Lampstand is a teaching and resource ministry that equips churches and their leaders to implement biblical strategies for church vitality. Experienced faculty of pastor-teachers (including ARP Rev. Tom Hawkes) provide insight for developing spiritually healthy churches through Church Planting, Church Revitalization, and Church Acceleration.
God & Hope Conferences
Rev. Brooks Pipher’s church plant meets in a production studio in Burbank, CA. Covenant Church also uses the venue to reach people through God and Hope Conferences.
Training the Saints for Ministry
Evangelism Explosions
Evangelism Explosion is a ministry that trains people how to share their faith in Christ and how to bring people from unbelief to belief. It utilizes a variety of components including prayer, actual on-the-job training where the experienced lead the inexperienced, and the principle of spiritual multiplication.
Christianity Explored is a relaxed and informal way of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. It gives people time and space to think about the big questions of life. Over seven sessions in Mark’s Gospel, guests find out more about the life of the person at the heart of the Christian faith – Jesus Christ.
2025 Session 1
The art of pitching and catching: evangelism as a conversation with Dr. Rod Culbertson.
2025 Session 2
The art of pitching and catching: evangelism as a conversation with Dr. Rod Culbertson.
Hospitality and the Great Commission with Christianity Explored
A key resource to study and discuss the Bible with the unchurched and young Christians is Christianity Explored. As a form of hospitality evangelism, this small group gathering allows friendships to develop over a simple meal and a study of the Book of Mark.
Hospitality and the Great Commission with Pastor Daniel Nealon
Hospitality is more than having friends over for dinner. The lack of churches being hospitable is a significant reason for their decline. Hospitality has always been an effective means of faith sharing (evangelism). Pastor Nealon defines hospitality in the context of the Great Commission by highlighting three key factors in being hospitable: participation, clarity, and desire.
Hospitality and the Great Commission: Question & Answer Session
Dr. Jim Klukow hosts a panel discussion by asking Pastor Daniel Nealon, Mrs. Lorianne Merritt from Christianity Explored US, and the Executive Director of Outreach North America Dr. Alan Avera questions on how to apply hospitality in light of the Great Commission. Each member of the panel offers practical suggestions that have been tested and shown to be helpful.