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Category: Church Health/Revitalization

QUICK GUIDE – Is My Church A Healthy Church?

A Worksheet For Individual Or Group Use 1. What is a healthy church? Why do we have differing opinions on this? Because it’s a theological (ecclesiological) question.  Your theology of the church determines your definition of a healthy church. Common views from a couple of decades ago: “A healthy church is a church that’s getting…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Disciple Making, Quick Guides, Seriously Troubled Churches

The Church Health Vs. Church Planting Beauty Contest

I hate the word but I’m going to use it anyway.  The word is “sexy” and I’m employing it because it’s the best word I can think of to communicate an important concept: Church planting work is sexy; church health work is not sexy. It’s not that those of us who are passionate about church…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization

Surviving or Thriving: Options for the Declining Church

Here’s the bad news…   65-90% of American Protestant churches are plateaued or declining in attendance. 1% of America’s Protestant congregations close their doors each year. The average congregation of about 75 in Sunday attendance wins less than one adult unbeliever to Christ per year. Most churches believe that they can keep doing the same…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Consulting Help

Church Health Assessments

The Value of a Fresh Perspective   We’ve all had the experience: We’ve walked into a store, a restaurant or a church and were very quickly frustrated. We couldn’t find the Hispanic foods section, or the men’s socks or the rest rooms.  Everything seemed to be designed for the people who are already there.  You weren’t…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Consulting Help

QUICK GUIDE – Church Revitalization

Our awesome God loves to revitalize churches! Some Christian leaders suggest that most churches are so ineffective after thirty years that they should be replaced.  We believe that it is much more glorifying to God when churches are revived, not replaced.  Our observation is that Jesus will remove a “lampstand” when He has to, but…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Leadership, Quick Guides, Seriously Troubled Churches

Can Ordinary Pastors Become Revitalization Pastors?

The short answer is a happy “Yes!” I should define my terms.  “Traditional” pastors preach sermons, teach classes, pray, give pastoral care and do administrative tasks. Those are all important. The revitalization pastor does all of those things and is also able to provide the visionary and strategic leadership which can take a willing (key…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Healthy Pastors, Leadership

The Everlasting Gossip Stopper Can Change Your Church’s Culture

Every human organization has a problem with gossip. It follows the association of people with people as night follows day. I’m not talking about the innocuous version of gossip which is simply talking about people. “In Bible times, women met at the village well to exchange the latest gossip.” I’m talking about the harmful kind…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Seriously Troubled Churches

The Surprising Secret To Church Growth OR The Sign On The Roof

     The church classroom in which the afternoon workshop session was being held was filled to capacity and beyond: the front row seats were unexpectedly taken and the back wall was lined with conference attendees who were willing to stand for fifty minutes to get in on this session.  Many in the room had…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Seriously Troubled Churches

Gaining Restoration Authority

Where do strategic (or “restoration” or “redevelopment”) interim pastors get the authority to change so much so fast in the churches they lead? A church-health expert once told me that “all an interim pastor can do is to give a church a good slap in the face.” As one who has been doing interim pastoring…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Interim Pastoring, Leadership, Seriously Troubled Churches

Prepping Your Church For The Next Pandemic

Something strange is happening in our basements.  The world has become so weird and scary that a lot of people who hate buying groceries – and formerly laughed at the crazy doomsday peppers – are beginning to squirrel away food in their basements. It goes without saying that the COVID pandemic and all that it…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Disciple Making

Prepping Your Church For The Next Pandemic, Part Two

Our disasters are not without their value if they help us to get ready for the next “go round.”  I didn’t have flight insurance.  They canceled my flight because they didn’t have enough passengers.  I lost my money and had to drive to a more distant airport.  Next time, I’ll be ready. Last week I…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Disciple Making

Your Church Can Be Irresistible

“What the world needs now, is love, sweet love. That’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.” What the World Needs Now Is Love, Hal David and Burt Bacharach, 1965 America is stressed to the max.  You don’t need me to flesh this out for you; you’re seeing it and experiencing it every…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Disciple Making

Your Church Can Be Irresistible, Part Two

“I have yet to meet the church member who didn’t think that their church was the friendliest congregation in town.” Howard Hendricks  “People today are not looking for friendly churches, they’re looking for FRIENDS in churches.” Anonymous Last week I wrote about how church members can make their congregations irresistible by offering their fellow attendees the…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Disciple Making

Even Larger Churches Can Offer The Welcome Of God

(Your Church Can Be Irresistible, Part Three) “People today are not looking for friendly churches, they’re looking for FRIENDS in churches.” Anonymous I’ve been writing about how church members can make their congregations irresistible – very attractive – by offering the welcome of God. Click here for Your Church Can Be Irresistible and Your Church Can…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Disciple Making

The Case For “Face To Face”

“…media means middle; it’s from the Latin for middle.  When you put a device in the middle, between people, you distance us from one another, and this is actually the power of media.  The more I can control the mediating channel, the less you really know about me.”   Andy Crouch, Partner for Theology and Culture…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Leadership

Negativity Bias And YOUR Organization

“I plan to live an unhealthy lifestyle and pass away in my cubicle, preferably on a Monday.”  Dilbert “There was a wicked messenger, from Eli he did come, With a mind that multiplied the smallest matter. When questioned who had sent for him, he answered with his thumb, For his tongue it could not speak…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Healthy Pastors, Leadership

Countering Negativity Bias In Your Organization

In “Negativity Bias And YOUR Organization” I wrote about the unfortunate effects of the human bent toward negativity in human organizations. It was a pretty negative post (of course!) but I promised I would share some hints for countering this pernicious problem.  Here’s how I defined negativity bias: Human beings are “bent” toward negativity.  Negative…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Leadership, Seriously Troubled Churches

How To Keep A Good Pastor, Part One

Last week I wrote about seven reasons why pastors are leaving their ministries: The pastoral “call” isn’t what it used to be. The home church isn’t what it used to be. Pastors are rethinking the pastor paradigm [the full-time superhero trying to excel at every task that God assigned to elders]. A hard-to-live-with performance value…

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Filed Under: Church Boards And Staffs, Church Health/Revitalization, Healthy Pastors, Leadership

How To Keep A Good Pastor, Part Two

Recently, I wrote about why good pastors are leaving their ministries (Seven Reasons Why Pastors Are Dropping Out): The pastoral “call” isn’t what it used to be. The home church isn’t what it used to be. Pastors are rethinking the current pastor paradigm [the full-time superhero trying to excel at every task that God assigned…

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Filed Under: Church Boards And Staffs, Church Health/Revitalization, Healthy Pastors, Leadership

How To Keep A Good Pastor, Part Three

I keep hearing these disturbing stories: good pastors who have been greatly used in their churches to bring about significant, God-honoring change, burning out and ending up in other occupations.  I’ve seen more of this disturbing trend since writing Seven Reasons Why Pastors Are Dropping Out, just a few weeks ago. Why is this happening?…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Healthy Pastors

The Small Church, Post-Pandemic, Survival Guide

Everybody knows that churches were hit hard by the COVID pandemic shutdowns: Theologically liberal churches lost large percentages of their attendees who don’t seem to be returning. Many of these congregations are closing their doors.  May these buildings be re-occupied by gospel proclaiming “re-start” churches soon, for the glory of God! Larger evangelical churches lost…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Consulting Help, Seriously Troubled Churches

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Testimonials

Elder Jim I wanted to let you know that we have really made some huge changes in the last few months.  We are seeing new people every week and we had a leadership meeting with 23 in attendance. Pastor ______ is doing well and God is doing amazing things.  Thanks for your support, prayers and love for the church!
Elder Jim
A New Church-Goer ...thank you for your messages at [our church] over the past weeks.  I just started going to _____________ while you were there and hadn't been to church in decades.  Your messages kept me coming back...  Thank you for helping me find my way back to God.
A New Church-Goer
Pastor Trey Turner "Brian is an experienced and insightful investigator of church systems.  He has real skill in looking at and diagnosing some areas needing attention.  I benefited greatly from his insight.  As a result, our church is benefiting greatly.  The process Brian took us through gave it the encouragement it needed to begin coming out of the 2020 difficulties.  We will work on the insights Brian provided as a roadmap back to better health."
Pastor Trey Turner
Pastor Greg Lund I've appreciated so much Brian's very practical coaching as he's guided me and the leadership of our church as we've sought to become more effective for God's kingdom. His extensive experience in assisting churches navigate a variety of issues makes him highly qualified to help lead churches through congregational change.
Pastor Greg Lund
Pastor Bruce Jahnke
"Our church is extremely grateful for the insight, adaptability and wisdom Brian so graciously contributed to our needs as we transitioned.  Our pastor transition was from Father to Son, which is by definition, difficult.  Yet Brian was able to foresee issues, feelings and responses with high accuracy.  Brian is personable, yet can direct when he needs to help us be reasonable and vision-oriented."

Pastor Bruce Jahnke
Andy Shanholtz I had the privilege of co leading a pastor’s training group with Brian. Brian’s wealth of knowledge and practical experience was an asset to all of us. The interaction with the group and the relationships built was a great value. I highly recommend having Brian facilitate a group to provide invaluable resources and practical knowledge.
Andy Shanholtz
Pastor Jed Manders
Leadership development within cohorts and peer groups has become increasingly popular, and rightfully so. Being involved in Brian’s leadership training group allowed me the opportunity to work through challenges, develop strengths and learn from both reading and peer development.


Pastor Jed Manders
Pastor Mark Pitroff "I have been so privileged and encouraged to be ministered to by Brian Thorstad as I have served as an Interim Pastor here in central Wisconsin.  He has been such a help and encouragement to me and especially, to this church I have served - Faith Community Church of Waupaca.  His leadership in helping us develop the “Journey Wall” enabled us to look back on the church’s history, the high points as well as the difficulties faced, especially in recent years.   Brian has helped FCC recover from a very difficult time…  Brian was such an encouragement to us, especially in the early months of recovery and preparation."
Pastor Mark Pitroff
Pastor Dan Norman “I enjoyed getting to know the guys in the group [and] I appreciated the thought, mind and spiritual challenges presented… I found many things that I was able to immediately apply, and I am still developing next steps that much of the discussion and training of this class helped to build a foundation for. [The handouts on strategic planning] will continue to be helpful in trying to guide our church to being more intentional. This [was] exactly what I was looking for at exactly the time I needed it.”
Pastor Dan Norman
Pastor Steven Boyd  "This course showed me that I, as a solo pastor, have to do things that don’t come naturally to me and has given me some tools to do the hard things.”
Pastor Steven Boyd 
Pastor Brian Schley “I found value in our meetings and am grateful you invited me to be part of it as a ‘future senior pastor.’ I enjoyed being able to be part of the conversations and glean from those beyond me. Thanks for your leadership with the group and your heart for pastors!”
Pastor Brian Schley
Pastor Todd Sauve "It was a privilege to have been a part of a pastors group led by Brian Thorstad. It's always great to learn from other pastors, and someone needs to provide leadership to make that happen. I'm thankful that Brian was willing to do that, and to share from both his successes and failures in ministry. He's honest, humble, and cares about people."
Pastor Todd Sauve

Brian A. Thorstad

Call: 651-319-1953

Email: churchwhisperer@gmail.com

1931 Cook Avenue
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494

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