While the vast majority of churches in America are either plateaued or declining, Malphurs and Penfold show that hope should not be lost. Re:Vision serves as both a road map and a reminder for denominations, judicatories, networks, associations, and churches alike who are looking to reverse their decline and set out on a journey to revitalization.
-Thom S. Rainer,
president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources
As a coach to pastors, I understand the need for a step-by-step process that churches can use to cooperate with God in reaching their full redemptive potential. That's exactly what Aubrey Malphurs and Gordon Penfold have laid out in Re:Vision. This book is a great addition to the church revitalization conversation, and perfectly complements what I coach pastors around the world to do. I will be recommending Re:Vision to the pastors in all of my coaching networks.
-Nelson Searcy,
lead pastor of The Journey Church
Here are vital tools and perspectives for every leader involved in a church turnaround. Are you exploring whether you're the right person for a turnaround? Leading in the middle of a turnaround? Or coaching turnaround leaders? Don't approach any of those roles unarmed. This practical and biblical guidance will help you assess both the landscape and yourself.
-Warren Bird,
research director at Leadership Network
Re:Vision is a fresh look at what it takes to restore churches from death to life, sickness to health, and decline to growth. Their work is based on the most up-to-date study of the characteristics of turnaround pastors. I believe it is destined to be the go-to resource for years to come on what types of pastors are able to reverse the decline of churches.
-Gary L. McIntosh,
Talbot School of Theology, Biola University
When I think of Aubrey Malphurs, I think Jedi. Aubrey is the Yoda of church leadership and his coauthor Gordon is like Obi-Wan Kenobi. Read this book. Then read it again. Then buy ten more for your pastor friends and become Aubrey's and Gordon's Padawan learners so you too can become a Jedi! Re:Vision is an epic work. You'll be so glad you read it.
-Derwin L. Gray,
lead pastor Transformation Church
What leadership is to healthy and growing churches, vision is to effective leadership. Penfold and Malphurs have rightly targeted and identified the need for weary pastors and waning church leaders to team up around a renewed vision that will direct and align their energies and resources toward a revitalized church. What they present may well be the remedy for the declining direction of the church in America. Read it for yourself. Teach it to your leadership corps. Count on it to revitalize your ministry and Christ's church.
-Rich Frazer,
president, Spiritual Overseers Service International
In this invigorating, timely, and prophetic work, Malphurs and Penfold paint a necessary future picture for the American church. Not content to only describe and lament the decline of the American church, the authors provide marching orders for pastors, congregations, judicatories, and denominations. Substance is added to the picture as the authors provide processes useful to the pastor who desires to bring about the re-envisioning of a local congregation. Particularly encouraging is the call to pastors who may not be inherently temperamentally equipped to turn around a church to pursue personal reflection and development that God might use them to meet this need under the guidance of a coach/mentor. This turnaround pastor, judicatory leader, and denominational leader found himself challenged, encouraged, and further equipped in his roles.
-Matthew Bohling,
pastor for preaching and vision, Living Hope Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Re:Vision acknowledges the state of the church, declining denominations, and what it takes to reverse those trends. Through quantitative and qualitative research, Malphurs and Penfold unpack the significance of pastoral vision and how it directly influences the heart, health, and future of the church. God uniquely wires his leaders, and this book will help leaders regain the momentum they need to revitalize the work God has called them to do.
-Tami Heim,
president and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance
Malphurs and Penfold offer us their marvelous wisdom, creativity, practical analysis, and motivating vision--envisioning--with regard to pastoral leadership in the church. In this present situation in North America, there is much confusion over what could and should be done to lead churches toward health and growth. One thing we do know is that without vision--without envisioning--congregations slowly decline and die. This book is a treasure trove of down-to-earth, immediately usable advice for all of us called to lead the church today.
-Charles Van Engen,
School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary