The need for revitalization in the modern American church is well documented. In the Southern Baptist Convention alone, 1,000 churches close their doors every year. Despite an increase in the overall number of churches in the SBC due to church planting, attendance and membership numbers continue to fall. The number of total baptisms is declining at an even greater pace than attendance and membership. These numbers suggest that church revitalization situations are not the exception in the United States; rather, they are the norm. This reality has led to a steady increase in church revitalization writing since the term was first used in a ministry context in 1976. However, much of the literature remains anecdotal and based on case studies. Furthermore, most revitalization literature is focused on methodologies or factors that lead to church revitalization. These studies consistently show that pastoral leadership is one of, if not the most important factor that leads to church revitalization. While some studies have looked at personality characteristics or leadership styles of church revitalizers, no study to date has generated a complete competency model for church revitalization. The purpose of this study was to create a competency model for church revitalization based on the knowledge, skills, and characteristics found in successful practitioners. This study used an exploratory sequential mixed method design consisting of both a set of qualitative interviews with successful church revitalizers as well as an empirical analysis of a Delphi panel of revitalization experts. The interview portion of the study found organizational awareness, team leadership, initiative, missional focus, gospel orientation, and a willingness to confront and exercise church discipline as frequent competencies demonstrated in critical incidents of church revitalization. The Delphic portion of the study yielded 129 distinct competencies that were rated for importance by a panel of experts.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1988. / Includes prospectus. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 187-194).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-148).

Thesis (D.Min.)--Liberty Theological Seminary and Graduate School, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (J.C.L.)--Catholic University of America, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-98).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2009. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (J.C.L.)--Catholic University of America, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-98).

Thesis (M.A.) -- Reformed Theological Seminary, Virtual Campus, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Covenant Theological Seminary, 1986. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [130]-134).

Proponents of a family ministry strategy believe that Christian parents are called to be the primary disciple-makers in their children’s lives and that the church is called to equip parents for that important task. This type of strategy is commonly critiqued as an internally focused strategy that neglects another very important part of Christian discipleship, evangelism. This study empirically addresses that critique by examining baptism ratios in relation to family ministry emphasis within the Southern Baptist Convention. Chapter 1 establishes the need for this study by outlining the critique. The critique is one which finds proponents outside of family ministry strategy, but also has support from within family ministry strategy as family ministry practitioners within various stream of family ministry philosophy offer critiques of other family ministry models. This chapter also outlines the procedure to be followed to accomplish the study. Chapter 2 is an exploration of the precedent literature in the fields of both family ministry and evangelism. An emphasis on both of these fields is important as the two biblical priorities of family ministry and evangelism are meant to function in tandem and not in competition. When juxtaposed with the precedent literature in the field of evangelism in this chapter, the precedent literature in the field of family ministry indicates that family ministry is not only an evangelistic endeavor in itself, but is part of an overall strategy to be evangelistically effective outside of the walls of the church. The third chapter of this study outlines the methodological design of the study. There are two components to the way in which this study was accomplished. First, a survey was built directly from DNA of D6’s Church Health Assessment. Applicable portions of this verified instrument were disseminated electronically throughout the Southern Baptist Church. Responding churches received scores based upon their responses that were used to rate the level of engagement in family ministry within those churches. Demographic information was also gathered from those churches and was used to access the individual Annual Church Profiles for the purpose of ascertaining the ratio of average weekly attenders to baptisms within those congregations. This data was then used to conduct the analysis portion of the study. Chapter 4 contains the analysis of the information gathered through this empirical study. The variables of family ministry engagement and baptism ratio were measured for relationship to determine if there is any correlation between the two variables. This was also done with three individual sections of the Church Health Assessment used in the survey portion of the study. The data was also examined for any other trends that may illuminate a causal relationship. Finally, chapter 5 addressed conclusions that could be drawn from this research. These conclusions are used to respond to the critique that family ministry philosophy is an inwardly focused strategy that is ineffective for reaching those who are far from God outside of the walls of the church. In addition, this chapter provides suggestions for future research in the area of study, as well as the individual disciplines of both family ministry and evangelism.