Ailing churches can be changed, transformer says
By Rachel L. Toalson
Staff Writer
In his decades of experience working with urban churches, the Rev. Robert Linthicum has seen many—more than he
can count—turn drastically around.
Years ago, he began working with a church on the brink of closing. In five years he watched the church triple its income and leave behind its need to do annual fundrais-ing. Leaders simply asked people to give, and they did.
The congregation today boasts 300 people in worship and 200 members—all of them involved in hands-on missions
in some way, Linthicum said.
President of Partners in Urban Transformation, Linthicum is featured speaker during the Sept. 28-30 Holy Boldness Urban Ministry Academy at Travis Park UMC, San Antonio. He is to share his experiences in urban church transformation.
“We’ll basically be asking the question, ‘What causes some urban churches to be successful and other churches not so?’” Linthicum said. “I have discovered in my own research and practice of ministry that it’s not the charisma and leadership of the pastor, nor is it the facilities, nor is it any wealth the church has or the location that decides whether it is to be successful.”
Linthicum, former director for the Office of Urban Advance for World Vision International, said he has studied many congregations of different denominations and economic backgrounds. He has identified 44 throughout the world that “radically turned around during a period of 10 years or less.”
All successful churches had three common factors, he said. He plans to share those factors in September with those who attend the Holy Boldness Urban Academy.
The Office of New Church Development and Transformation is sponsoring the two-year academy.
Sessions are designed to show laity and clergy leaders ways to transform congregational life. Guest speakers and workshops are to address key aspects of urban ministry.
Additional classes are scheduled for Jan. 18-20 and March 28-30 at Travis Park.
Three more events are planned for late 2008 and early 2009.
“Holy Boldness Academy is an attempt to evangelize in the inner city,” said the Rev. Mike Lowry, executive director of new church development and transformation. “It’s critical not to abandon the inner cities. The gospel of Christ is a reach-across-the-racial-barriers gospel and will provide faith and hope to all people.
“This is a concrete attempt to help inner city congregations—those struggling and those flourishing—to embrace the future that God wants for them. It is absolutely crucial that we reach out to the inner city.”
Linthicum said he has worked with leaders of the Holy Boldness movement across The United Methodist Church for the past decade, providing resources for improved urban ministries.
He said he believes it is crucial for urban churches to do self-examination.
“It’s important for them to take a serious look at this because the one thing that is certain is if the church is not being intentional about its mission to the world, it is not going to have a future,” Linthicum said. “Jesus put it well when he said that those who seek to save their lives will lose it and those who lose their lives for his sake will gain it.
“If a church is caught up in trying to save its life and preserve itself as an institution, one thing we can guarantee is that church will eventually close. If, instead, the church is really oriented around mission and giving its life away, it will discover that its life is being magnificently preserved.”
Since 1986, Linthicum has done more than 120 urban ministry consultations.
A former Presbyterian minister, he has served congregations in Detroit, Milwaukee, Chicago and Rockport, Ill., from 1959 to 1985.
Workshop topics for September include:
> Technology in worship for the small church.
> Turning around the urban church.
> Increasing your church’s visibility in the community.
> Prayer as an evangelism activity.
Lowry said any church can participate in the academy, though it is designed for urban congregations.
Training is designed for teams of laypeople and pastors. The academy is not six separate events but one total experience, leaders say.
Included in the academy is on-site observation of urban ministries in action.
Cost for the academy is $90 per person ($30 per session) for Year 1. Congregations have the option to send four or more participants for $300 ($100 per session).
Other sponsors for the academy include the Rio Grande Conference Office of Connectional Ministries, Black Methodists for Church Renewal and the General Board of Global Ministries.
For more information about the academy, visit www.umcswtxprograms.org/ holyboldness, or contact the Office of New Church Development and Transformation, (210) 408-4500.
