Show Notes:
In today's podcast, we interview. Dr. George Thomasson, experienced pastor, planter, and revitalizer that understands the process and renewal of church life. We dive into his book, Resuscitate, a book that helps the revitalizer think through a process and methodology of helping a church in their last breath of air.
Questions on the Podcast:
- What motivated you to entitle the book Resusutate?
- Your book is not primarily written from a research point of view but seems to
offer practical help coming from your personal experience. Tell us a little about your experience in RESUSCITATING/REVITALIZING local churches.
- In the book, you say that our traditional ways of diagnosing church health may not be
the best or even biblical. What do you mean, and if could you change the scorecard?
If so, what would it measure?
- Traditional measures: attendance/budget offerings/buildings/baptisms/et.
- Humbly suggest focus – Discipleship (not just making disciples but making lifelong disciple-makers.
- I noticed that you talk about some of the primary causes that result in churches "gasping." Just list a few:
A significant shift in community make-up or diversity.
- Challenges with values and leadership turnover.
- Failure to stay relevant.
- No clear and compelling purpose/mission, values, strategy, measures, and vision.
- Processing through Social shifts.
- In Chapter 4, you talk about "Diagnosing Your Gasping Condition," Which seems to be the book's foundation. Is that true, and if so, would you describe it for us?
Find more about the book here:
About the Book: George Thomasson will show you how, as a church revitalizer, to lead your gasping church toward a better future. There are many limiting factors that cripple the church's ability to advance in every declining or dying church. This book will allow you to identify those limiting factors and help you find and implement solutions. RESUSCITATE is not a book on research but one of practical guidance. It will motivate and instruct you to lead your church from gasping to growing. It is not a one-shot book trying to handle the entire subject of revitalization and renewal. Dr. Thomasson writes from a hundred-foot level and not the usual fifty-thousand-foot level of most catch-all books in church revitalization. You will want to keep it beside your Bible and refer to it as you take your church on the journey to resuscitation.
Contact: George through email here if you would like coaching, consulting, and or a conversation about revitalization and renewal.
Subscribe to the Podcast
Revitalization Today
With Tom Cheyney & Gary Moritz
Where New and Renew Collide
Finally, there is a bi-monthly video podcast with two practicing Church Revitalization Specialists coming together to talk about Church Revitalization and Renewal. In just a few days Revitalization Today the new video podcast launches with Tom Cheyney and Gary Moritz! This podcast is all about where new and renew collide. Two Church Revitalizers talking nothing but Revitalization. Tom & Gary are extremely passionate revitalizing declining churches. They have worked with churches all over North America.
Tom Cheyney
Dr. Tom Cheyney is a nationally recognized conference leader in Church Revitalization, Church Planting, and Church Health.
Gary Moritz
Dr. Gary Moritz is the lead pastor of City United Church, located in Lunenburg, MA. Pastor Gary is a 1st generation Christian who is a “down-to-earth communicator, and visionary.
Dr. Gary Moritz is the lead pastor of City United Church, located in Lunenburg, MA. With a church Replanter mindset, the Lord called him and his family to New England in 2013 to take over a struggling church through a succession situation. Pastor Gary is a 1st generation Christian who is a down-to-earth communicator and visionary. He believes in speaking the Bible without apology in a life-giving and practical way so that people can use it on Monday. His vision is for people to leave church feeling encouraged, engaged, and equipped for the week. Since he did not grow up in church, he can use his past mistakes to reach others in their current situations and speak their cultural language. Gary is married to Jana who is working alongside him in church revitalization and strategy, and they have two amazing teen daughters. You can find more about him at www.Garymoritz.com.
He is a subject matter expert on church revitalization and serves as an Assistant professor in the Rawlings School of Divinity at Liberty University. He is Director of Church Revitalization for the Baptist Convention of New England. His creative talents are in media, art, writing, music, production, church revitalization, church, pastoral succession, church systems, church turnaround, and church planting.
One Interesting Fact: Gary played as a professional, freelanced, and endorsed percussionist in NYC and toured in the USMC band. He loves Jazz and still plays drums today for churches.
One Useless Fact: He used to eat pop tarts on his walk to high school in the ’90s (mullet, Walkman with built-in reverse and all) wearing acid-washed pants with chains and skulls on them. He also wanted to be a professional ninja!
Dr. Tom Cheyney is a nationally recognized conference leader in Church Revitalization, Church Planting, and Church Health. Tom has taught on five continents and is an Oxford University Distinguished Scholars Student from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is married to Cheryl and they have two adult children Ashleigh and Drew. He is the Founder & Directional Leader of the RENOVATE National Church Revitalization Conferences and leader of the RENOVATE Church Revitalization Coaching Network where he mentors pastors, churches, and Directors of Missions in Church Revitalization and Renewal. He serves as the Executive Editor of The Church Revitalizer Magazine, which is the only national publication on Church Revitalization in North America. Dr. Cheyney has written over 5000 print or audio resources, guidebooks, or books for pastors, church planters, and lay leaders. His most recent books include:
The Seven Pillars of Church Revitalization and Renewal (2016), Slaying the Dragons of Church Revitalization: Dealing with the Critical Issues that are Hurting Your Church (2017), The Church Revitalizer as Change Agent (2016), The Nuts and Bolts of Church Revitalization (2015), Preaching Towards Church Revitalization and Renewal (2018), Thirty-Eight Church Revitalization Models for the Twenty First Century (2014), Church Revitalization in Rural America: Revitalizing the Heartlands (2018), Spin-Off Churches: How One Church Plants Another (2008), Life After Death: A Strategy to Bring New Life to a Dead Church (2019).
Tom is a nationally recognized conference speaker and a frequent writer on church revitalization, church planting, new church health, and leadership development. Cheyney serves as an adjunct professor of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City and Anderson University in South Carolina where he teaches at the doctoral level for Church Revitalization seminars.
One Interesting Fact: Tom loves to go kayaking in the Atlantic Ocean fishing a few miles off shore in hopes of catching a shark or other sea creatures he can prepare for dinner. Recently, he had a run in with a shark that would not leave him alone until he dumped his whole bucket of bait shrimp over board.
One Useless Fact: Tom is an early riser daily at a few minutes after four. Yet he is known to be found praying on the sofa recliner each which his wife believes he is napping. The debate continues.