KBC’s Congregational Vitality program
helps churches on road to recovery

By Ken Walker
Kentucky Baptist Convention

Louisville—Brent Edwards* had only been at the church a few weeks when he realized there were deep-seated divisions among the people.

Recalling spending time at another church that had never resolved its difficulties, the pastor told members they had to decide whether or not they wanted to heal.

“Some churches are so used to conflict that it’s become the norm,” Edwards said. “I called five key leaders together and said, ‘I need to find out what the church’s heart is. To a person everyone said, ‘We need some help to address this to bring it to a state of better health.’”

At that point, they contacted Karl Babb of the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s leadership development team to ask about its Congregational Vitality program.

The initiative was developed two decades ago by current KBC consultant Guy Futral. A four-month-long process, it is designed to help troubled churches get better.

With Edwards’ congregation, it helped them resolve some long-standing disputes over finances, worship styles and the passing of leadership roles to younger church members.

“I think the church appreciated them,” Edwards said. “They were wise, helpful and compassionate. You could tell they were trustworthy. Even though our folks didn’t know them, they trusted them and got involved early on.”

Over the past two decades, more than 80 congregations have been through the program. While only consulting with a small number of churches annually, Babb said the effort helps counteract potentially far-reaching, negative consequences.

“You’ve got three or four churches a year that are healthier and able to move forward,” he noted. “If not, they can spiral downward and get into a cycle that impacts ministers, churches and communities. We have seen the value of helping churches.”

Though often he is called in after a pastor has resigned or been forced out, Babb said that isn’t the only reason churches ask for help with conflict.

Among other sources of disunity are disputes over a church’s identity, values, priorities, methods and perspectives.

Because of such problems, churches “become paralyzed, frozen and retreat into themselves,” Babb pointed out. “Conflict can have a devastating impact on a church and its ministries. It becomes contradictory of a gospel of love, faith, healing and acceptance.”

The program starts with church leaders meeting with KBC consultants. After approving the idea, the church names a task force to facilitate the process and schedules a “listening weekend” where members can air grievances.

The consultants then write a feedback report and schedule a teaching/training weekend to help develop goals for the future. The KBC monitors progress and maintains communication to offer additional feedback.

Most churches will spend about $1,000 for travel expenses, food for the church training lunch and for the copying and mailing of materials in implementing the process, Babb said.

Several years have passed since Edwards’ church completed the program. He said he sees considerable progress. Not only have many members shed an “us vs. them” outlook, they have set up clearer procedures and installed some key leaders who’ve helped resolve tensions.

“We’re not a perfect church but we’re much healthier because of the chance to share with somebody objective from outside the church,” the pastor said. “I think the people realized that if the church was going to be healthy, it was going to be the responsibility of every member.”

Edwards heartily recommended Congregational Vitality to other Kentucky Baptists, but warned that it will not benefit a church that is satisfied with living in conflict.

Nor can the program fix a dysfunctional church. However, the KBC staff can help churches identify problems and provide some guidance for overcoming them, he explained.

“It’s a poor testimony when we say that Jesus loves us and we’re not willing to love each other,” Edwards said. “If that’s the reputation of the church, we ought to hang our heads in shame.”

Babb said one of the program’s primary goals is to help members grasp that God’s plan for His church is relational, not organizational.

“I have a strong conviction the quality of the relationships we live out are important to God,” he noted. “It has such an impact on our lives and on our witness to the world. I would hope more churches would be sensitive to that reality. We can be more effective in ministry when our relationships are healthy and dynamic.”

*Pastor’s name changed to protect the church’s identity

Western Recorder issue date: July 27, 2010