Replant: How a Dying Church can GROW again, by Mark Devine and Darrin Patrick

Mark DeVine writes a very intriguing account of how a dying Baptist Church in the Kansas City area turned to the Lord for direction in how to keep this 150 year old church alive and start it growing again. Was it to bring in a new pastor? Was it to merge with another church in the area? Or maybe was it time to call it quits and close the doors?

Mark was teaching Theology at a local Seminary when he became the part-time preaching pastor at this church. His first thought was that the church had the viability to continue and to start growing again, but that it would take a God thing to make that happen. So he started to pray.

After a couple of years he approached the church leadership about merging with another church. They agreed and sought out a partner. Four different churches were interested. But after a long process and a vote to merge the other church selected in the process ran aground with some problems of their own and the merger did not happen.

Demoralized the church basically hunkered down again but kept praying for God to bring a good solution. They didn't want the history or ministry of the church to die. That is when Mark started conversations with Darrin Patrick about The Journey in St. Louis taking over a church in Kansas City. With some prayer and direction from God that happened. A small dying church of 80 people within a year had grown into a growing church of 600 people. How does that happen without killing off the old congregation? Well, that is the topic of the book.

Read and see what God can do when a people of God are willing to let go and let God do His thing.