Dear Jonathan,

When I talk about going to Oregon to pastor, a lot of people ask me whether I'm interested in planting or reforming a church.  I kind of laugh and say I really wouldn't know how to plant a church!  I came to Capitol Hill Baptist in 1994 and watched the work of reform start under Mark and then in 2000, I went to Louisville where Bruce and Jennifer Keisling  had begun to attend a small church near the University of Louisville and Deana and I joined them.

Are there disadvantages to church reform?  I can think of one:  It takes time. Being at Capitol Hill from 1994-1999 was such a joy -- listening to excellent preaching, establishing lifelong friendships, growing in the faith, and being called to ministry.  Furthermore, when I left, it seemed like CHBC was only really beginning to explode spiritually.  We are experiencing something similar at Third Avenue in Louisville.  2000-2007 has been some tough years.  It has taken this long for us to adopt a constitution (with a plurality of elders) and revise our statement of faith.  For the last two years we've been without a pastor.  Why has it taken so long?  Because we started with roughly 700 members but only 100 in attendance and those 100 were not like-minded.  Some were warm and loving to visitors, some cold and hostile.  Before we could begin to think about "reforming" the church we had to sort out who, exactly, the church was.  All that took time.  Why bother?

Still, overall the advantages are legion.

• It fosters patience.  Being part of two works now, CHBC and Third, I've come to realize and appreciate that the work of seeing a church grow spiritually takes time.  Paul told the church that love is patient.  Church reform at Third has forced me to exercise patience and it has born such terrific fruit.  There are older couples who have persevered at Third even though a few years ago they really did not like the changes.  Furthermore, their very presence forced the leadership to slow down.  Love is patient.  What a joy it is to have them in the church.
• It provides unusual evangelistic opportunities.  A few weeks ago, Bruce Keisling preached a member's funeral.  Many former members came (including her kids).  Last week, I preached another member's funeral and had a similar opportunity.  The gospel was preached, relationships were made, and many of those in attendance were surprised to know "their" old church was alive and prospering.  What a great opportunity.  Choosing to reform makes events like these possible.
• Growth may be slow, but it is deep.  At least at Third, where we have been without a full-time pastor for a couple years now (our elders share the pulpit), the numerical growth is slow, constant, but slow.  But every week I'm amazed how deep and solid the growth is.  Today, many of the newer members don't know of the work that went before them, the controversies, the long nights spent debating the constitution, etc.  Still, it seems like a week does not go by where someone does not come up to me and note that they are struck not only by the solid teaching but by the seriousness with which we take relationships, the deliberateness with which we pray, and the overall intentionality of the body.  My first response is to be surprised, I think to myself, "What have we done?"  Then I remember, this is the fruit of years of patient toil.  In other words, I'm convinced that all of the hard work we have put in making membership meaningful, reaching agreement on elders, has by God's grace made these conversations possible. 
• It usually assumes a building.  At Third, we have been blessed with a great facility in a great community.  We don't take this for granted and trust that our location is no small part of our identity.  Church planters have so many obstacles to overcome when it comes to location--those are headaches we don't have.  Our headaches are different--the bricks on our 100 year old walls are falling down!

Jonathan, I'm sure I've said enough--though I love this topic and am so thankful to be at a church that is spiritually alive.  Once again, when I'm done with my degree here at SBTS my family and I will be leaving another church that has laid a good foundation.  Then it will be on to church number three and, Lord willing, the last.