2. “The Back Story”

3. What is the most distinguishing mark of the early church?
The Remnant?
What is the most distinguishing mark of the early church?
Growth!

4. The Difficult Question
Can we still call ourselves the Remnant
if we are not experiencing growth?
My Conclusion
In order to be in the will of God
we must find a way to grow His kingdom

5. Adventist Fellowship
Growing frustration led to church planting opportunity
Why Plant? (empty seats and lack of finances)
One Purpose – Grow God’s kingdom…
Reach the lost
Reach other Christians
Evangelism would be our SOLE purpose

6. Adventist Fellowship
Our belief was there were hundreds and even thousands who would believe if we just shared the truth from the Bible
Our Strategy would truly be a culture of evangelism
Non stop public evangelism
Every ministry in the church would be evangelistically focused

7. Thank God I was young, dumb and naïve
Adventist Fellowship
Everyone began to tell us why this would not work…
Public Evangelism doesn‘t work anymore
People are too busy
It’s too expensive
The Adventist message is too “distinctive”
It will not reach the post-moderns
Our message only appeals to the lower class
Thank God I was young, dumb and naïve

8. Adventist Fellowship
Considered to be one of the fastest growing churches in NAD
One of the highest NAD large church NCD scores (Avg. 80)
We grew from 17 to 850 members
We have realized over 600 baptisms in 10 years
We reclaimed at least 75 inactive Adventists
We contributed 5 to 10 baptisms per year to other churches
We planted a Spanish and Korean campus.

9. NORTH AMERICAN EPIDEMIC
It has been estimated that 80% or more of our churches in the NAD
are plateaued or declining.
We are facing an absolute crisis and we must commit ourselves to do something before it is too late.

10. NORTH AMERICAN EPIDEMIC
We cannot plant enough new churches to replace the existing declining ones.
We have to find a way to RESTORE thousands of churches in North America
That includes scores of churches
right here in Chesapeake.

11. MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION
It happened with a church plant but….
Could it happen with an existing church?
What about an…
Existing, declining, unhealthy church?

13. BALTIMORE FIRST – A CASE STUDY
Baltimore First is probably not that much different than many other churches.
Loving, caring people who in their hearts wanted their church to grow
Many committed leaders working hard trying to keep things going.
The people were sacrificing and working hard, but not seeing results.
We have to distinguish effort and results.

14. BALTIMORE FIRST – A CASE STUDY
Declining membership over the last several years
Declining attendance over the last several years
Significant number of transfers away to other churches
No baptisms for almost two years
Negative cash flow
Very little meaningful ministry to the community
No real focus on evangelism
Very few families with children
Campus and building in great disrepair
Major conflict between church and school constituencies
Poor spiritual climate due to internal conflicts

15. Baltimore First

16. Baltimore First

17. Baltimore First
Turning a church around is 80% dealing with the things in this box.

18. Ellicott City Church
Attendance

19. Ellicott City Church
Baptisms

20. Ellicott City Church
Tithe

21. Ellicott City – A Church RESTORED
Ellicott City is now a healthy outward-focused missional church
There is new life and an expectant attitude of God’s blessings
We have adopted a culture of evangelism
We have committed to two evangelistic meetings per year
We have “evangelized” the ministries of the church
We have committed to making disciples and not just members
We have restructured all systems and processes in the church
We have launched a wealth of new ministries
We have remodeled the entire church and campus
Major repairs to parking lot and roof
Ellicott City Church now “looks” like a healthy church.
We have outgrown our existing facility

22. Ellicott City – A Church RESTORED We will answer that this afternoon.
How did we get there?
We will answer that this afternoon.
Turning a church around is easier than you think
We will share the one decision that will begin to move your church in the right direction
We will also share the about the few core ministries that you cannot afford to neglect.

23. Ellicott City – A Church RESTORED
11:00a Worship Service Sanctuary
11:20a Kingdom KIDZ Gym
12:30p Fellowship Lunch Gym
1:30p The Not So Secret Sauce Sanctuary
Kids leave for Nature Center
2:15p Break Out Session 01 KIDZ Wing
Welcome Ministry
Children’s Ministry
Worship Ministry
3:00p Break Out Session 02 KIDZ Wing
Seminars Repeat
3:45p Q & A Session and Closing Gym

24. QUESTIONS?