Podcast Ep 32: When Your Church is Hurting (Rev. Mark Barnard)

It’s generally accepted that most people leave churches because of personal conflict, not because of theological differences. We hear too often of churches that are hurting because of conflict and sometimes this pain can last for years. Is it possible God is behind that pain more than we might think?

Often, visible conflict in a church is a symptom of something more serious. While we talk a lot in these podcasts about hurting pastors, we have not said much about a church that is hurting. What happens when a church has a history of conflict, or a history of pastors who stay only for several years. I remember when we interviewed Dennis Maynard on the subject of When Sheep Attack, that Dr. Maynaird referred to a church with a hundred year history had more than 50 pastors serving them in that 100 years. It would be safe to say that something is wrong with the heart of that church. Today we are going to talk to an expert on hurting churches, a man who’s given his life to help churches become healthy again. His name is Mark Barnard. Together we want to understand what God is really saying when there is conflict in the church, and what it might take to bring about healing. Mark founded Blessing Point Ministries which works to enhance the fruitfulness of healthier ministries and heal wounded congregations. He authored several books related to church health. His latest title, Screwtape versus The Church, explores the nature of corporate spiritual warfare. Mark is a father, grand father and husband of over 30 years. You can learn more @blessingpoint.org.

Check out the churchScan Inventory here

Check out the article Mark wrote about the Rusty Steeple

Order Mark’s book by clicking on the book cover

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