Remissioning: Bringing Conjugations Back to Life with a Love for God’s Work

In today’s faith landscape, many local congregations are grappling with challenges that hinder their vitality and growth. Issues such as declining membership, aging congregations, and a disconnect from the surrounding community are prevalent. While traditional church revitalization efforts often focus on reworking existing systems or hoping for a miraculous revival, Dr. Chris Backert presents a fresh perspective called “remissioning.” This approach seeks to reignite a church’s passion for God’s mission, moving beyond simple adjustments or waiting for divine intervention. This article explores the core ideas of remissioning, its guiding principles and processes, and the transformative potential it holds for local churches.

Understanding Remissioning

Remissioning, a term introduced by Dr. Chris Backert, is a strategy aimed at revitalizing local congregations by helping them reconnect with their fundamental mission: to serve others and share God’s message. Unlike traditional reengineering, which tweaks a church’s existing operational systems, or revival, which depends on extraordinary divine intervention, remissioning emphasizes realigning the church’s vision and activities with God’s mission. This change in perspective encourages congregations to move past their internal challenges and rediscover their purpose in both the local community and the wider world.

The Principles of Remissioning

1. Missional Identity
2. At the heart of remissioning is the idea of missional identity. This concept focuses on recognizing and embracing the church’s role in God’s mission. Congregations need to shift away from a self-centered perspective and align their identity with the larger goal of spreading the gospel and serving their communities.
3. Community Engagement
4. Remissioning also emphasizes the importance of actively engaging with the local community. Churches are encouraged to identify and respond to the needs of those around them, fostering meaningful relationships and partnerships. This outward orientation helps congregations stay relevant and have a significant impact.
5. Leadership Transformation
6. For remissioning to be effective, transformational leadership is essential. Leaders should embody the missional vision and motivate the congregation to adopt this new direction. Providing training and development for leaders is crucial to equip them with the necessary skills and mindset to guide the church through this transformative process.
7. Holistic Ministry
8. Lastly, remissioning promotes a holistic approach to ministry by integrating worship, discipleship, service, and outreach. By balancing these components, a church can cultivate a vibrant and dynamic community that not only attracts new members but also retains them.

The Process of Remissioning

1. The remissioning process consists of several key steps that help a congregation transition from an inward-looking organization to a vibrant missional community. These steps include:
2. Assessment
3. The journey of remissioning begins with a comprehensive assessment of the congregation’s current state. This involves evaluating membership trends, community involvement, leadership effectiveness, and the overall health of the church. Utilizing tools such as surveys, interviews, and community feedback can provide valuable insights into these areas.
4. Vision Casting
5. After completing the assessment, the next step is to create a clear and compelling vision for the future. This vision should be firmly grounded in the church’s missional identity and outline specific goals and objectives for the remissioning journey. Vision casting requires collaboration among church leaders and members to foster collective ownership and commitment to the vision.
6. Strategic Planning
7. With a defined vision in hand, the church can move forward to develop a strategic plan aimed at achieving its objectives. This plan should detail specific actions, timelines, and the resources needed for each stage of the remissioning process. Additionally, strategic planning includes establishing measurable milestones to monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.
8. Implementation
9. The implementation phase is where the strategic plan comes to life. This involves engaging the congregation, training leaders, launching new initiatives, and enhancing community involvement. Effective communication and collaboration are crucial to ensure that all members are aligned with the missional vision.
10. Evaluation and Adjustment
11. Remissioning is not a one-time effort but an ongoing journey that requires regular evaluation and adjustments. Churches should continuously monitor their progress, celebrate successes, and address any challenges that arise. Gathering feedback from both the congregation and the community is essential for making informed adjustments and ensuring long-term growth.

The Impact of Remissioning

1. The impact of remissioning on local congregations can be significant and transformative. By reigniting a passion for God’s mission, churches can experience revitalized energy, growth, and renewed relevance. Here are some of the key benefits:
2. Increased Membership
3. Congregations that adopt the remissioning approach often witness a rise in membership as they become more inviting and engaging within their communities. People are naturally attracted to churches that are actively involved in serving others and making a positive difference.
4. Enhanced Community Presence
5. Churches that undergo remissioning establish a robust presence in their local areas through various service projects, partnerships, and outreach efforts. This active engagement not only enhances the church’s reputation but also cultivates a sense of belonging and support within the community.
6. Spiritual Growth
7. By centering their focus on God’s mission, members of remissioned congregations often experience significant spiritual growth and a deepening of their faith. Participating in meaningful service and outreach activities allows individuals to live out their faith in tangible ways.
8. Leadership Development
9. Remissioning fosters the growth of transformational leaders who are prepared to guide the church through change and expansion. These leaders serve as role models, inspiring others to take an active part in the church’s mission.

Conclusion

Remissioning presents a hopeful strategy for revitalizing local congregations by helping them reconnect with their passion for God’s mission. By emphasizing missional identity, community engagement, leadership transformation, and a holistic approach to ministry, churches can achieve renewed energy and growth. The remissioning process consists of several stages: assessment, vision casting, strategic planning, implementation, and ongoing evaluation. The potential benefits of this approach include increased membership, a stronger community presence, spiritual growth, and the development of effective leaders. As congregations adopt remissioning, they can evolve into vibrant, dynamic communities that effectively serve and share God’s message within their local contexts.