4 Conversations to Get Back on Mission
As a coach, I have a front-row seat to what’s happening in churches across the country. My conversations with pastors often begin like this:
Me: “How are things going at the church?”
Pastor: “Amazing!”
Me: “Wow! Are you seeing people getting saved and baptized? Where is that happening?”
Pastor: “Oh, I don’t mean like that. I mean that things are good.”
That simple exchange reveals something deeper. When a pastor says things are “good,” what they often mean is:
The bills are paid.
There’s no major conflict.
Preaching each week still feels energizing.
And while those things are good, they’re not the mission.
We need to ask different questions:
Where in your church are people coming to faith in Christ?
When is your next baptism service?
What is the church’s reputation in the community?
How many visitors are showing up on Sundays?
When they come, do they come back?
Are people plugging in—or quietly leaving after a few months?
Here’s the good news: these aren’t mysterious or unsolvable questions. They’re symptoms of systems, vision, and culture; all of them can change. Your church can go from “things are good” to “daily the Lord added to their number those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). And yes, that can happen in Canada in 2025.
But it requires honest reflection and courageous action. If your heart is stirred to see your church come alive with mission again, here are four key questions to wrestle with:
1. Do We Stay the Same or Do We Change?
Change is hard. Most churches have been operating under the same model for decades, tweaking here and there, but rarely reimagining the core of their mission and methods. The reality? What worked in the past may not be working today. Culture has shifted. People are asking different questions. And while the gospel remains unchanged, the way we present and live it must be contextually relevant and intentionally missional.
Revitalization isn’t cosmetic, it’s foundational. It’s not just a new logo or better coffee. It’s a fresh surrender to the call of God and a willingness to let go of comfort to pursue fruitfulness. That kind of change is hard, but it’s worth it.
2. Who Is the Church For?
This is the heart-check question.
Too many churches unintentionally become insider-focused. The congregation is comfortable. The programming is tailored for long-time attendees. And Sunday becomes a classroom for Christians rather than a launching pad for mission.
But the early church wasn’t built like that. It wasn’t a “Sunday school” for saints – it was a transformational organism that met people where they were, introduced them to Jesus, and discipled them in real life. It didn’t pull people out of their culture to train them before sending them back. It trained them as they lived missionally.
The church must rediscover its missional identity. We are called to be light in dark places, salt in bland culture, and ambassadors of hope to the hopeless. The church is not a members-only club. It is a lighthouse for the lost and a training ground for disciple-makers.
3. Is This a One-Person Show, or Are We All In?
Far too many pastors carry the burden of ministry alone. Whether out of expectation, tradition, or personal pressure, the result is the same –burnout and bottlenecks.
But churches don’t grow because of one super-leader. They grow when the entire body realizes it is called, equipped, and sent. You don’t need to be a pastor to make disciples. You just need to be obedient.
Every believer is part of the “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5). And when the whole church is mobilized – when everyone owns the mission – everything changes. Ministries expand. Evangelism multiplies. Community is strengthened. And the church becomes an unstoppable force for good.
4. If Not Us, Then Who?
Your church is not in its location by accident. God has placed you exactly where you are “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). That means you are the ones called to reach your neighbours, your city, your nation.
If you don’t share the hope of Jesus with your community, who will?
In Canada today, more than 86% of the population identifies as non-Christian. That means your neighbours are walking through life without the abundant life Jesus offers (John 10:10), and they are facing eternity without hope.
The church must rise to meet this moment. The Great Commission wasn’t a suggestion – it’s a mandate. Your church has been given vision, resources, and the Holy Spirit. The only question left is: What are you going to do with it?
Let’s Get Back on Mission
If you’re a pastor or church leader reading this, let this be your wake-up call. Don’t settle for “things are good” when God has called you to great. Not great by the world’s standards, but by heaven’s.
Lives transformed.
People baptized.
Communities changed.
Hope restored.
Jesus made known.
Let’s have the conversations that matter. Let’s ask the hard questions. Let’s challenge the status quo. And let’s get back to what we were made for:
Making disciples.
Loving people.
Changing the world.
The mission hasn’t changed. Maybe it’s time we did.
Is your church ready for a fresh season of growth and impact?
Join us for the Church Vitalization Summit on August 27-28, 2025, two days designed to equip and inspire pastors and leaders for the journey of renewal. You'll hear from experienced coaches, connect with other churches, and leave with practical tools to move your church forward. Register now at www.churchvitalization.ca!
Jeremiah works as an Effectiveness Coach with the ABNWT District of the PAOC. He is a passionate and creative leader who believes that the church is the hope of the world. He uses collaboration, innovation, and inspiration to challenge churches and their leadership to engage in the only mission Jesus ever sent his church on: making disciples.