Your can church grow in 2026

Posted on 14 Oct 2025 - By Gradon

                 It’s not easy leading a Kiwi church these days; somehow, with all the busyness, there is very little time to do the forward thinking needed to lead your church into the future. Where do you even begin?  That’s where my organisation, North-South (https://northsouth.nz/), may be able to help through our “Church Revitalisation Journey” (CMJ).

For the last year, I have been an interim pastor of a small church of just over 20 elderly people in attendance each week, with excellent facilities and a beautiful, redundant church, in a country community of 1500. When I took on the responsibility, my friends challenged me to put the learnings from the CRJ into practice. Easy to talk about something to leaders, but it’s harder to make it work in practice. I took up the challenge, and currently, we have 40-50 adults worshipping, plus 5-10 children and we have started a new congregation that had at its best attended service a few weeks ago of 23 adults and four children ( to be honest- it does attract people who worship at other churches who like the 4 pm time and the fact it’s local). (https://otakianglican.nz/). It now has momentum, with new folks checking us out most Sundays, baptisms being arranged, and the leaders looking to employ a new minister in the new year, which is why I will have more time to help churches who want to grow!

The Church Revitalisation Journey (CRJ) involves confronting our current realities and the hindering values that exist. Yet, the CRJ essentially focuses on the possibilities and opportunities people sense are out there, and then we work toward a plan that will move your church to a new place of growth.

It involves a questionnaire sent to the congregation a few weeks before the start date, as well as up to 6 gatherings with leaders and emerging leaders. I have been able to reduce the sessions to four with the last two churches I have worked with, but some larger groups move more slowly. Ideally, the mix would be half emerging leaders and existing leaders. I have found existing leaders are often at capacity, and it’s the emerging leaders who have the energy to drive change.

If this email has piqued your interest, I wrote a booklet that explains in greater depth and is available for free download as a PDF. Click here. I also have hard copies that I can send to you at no cost. If you would like to discuss things by phone, please feel free to give me a call (021 720777). There is a cost that’s not prohibitive, which we can discuss when you enquire.

There is nothing more energising than a team of leaders united around a go-forward plan they helped create. We live in a very needy world of people who, in essence, are waiting to discover the hope that only Jesus offers.

Please feel free to pass the email if you know of a church that might appreciate some encouragement.

May the Lord bless your church as it moves into the future.

Gradon Harvey

National Leader of North-South