Mission Critical: Strengthening the Church

As a movement, Converge exists to help people meet, know, and follow Jesus. We do this through three essential strategies: starting churches, strengthening churches, and sending people out for kingdom work. But of these three, strengthening the local church is mission-critical and here’s why: without strong, healthy churches, the other two cannot thrive.

Throughout Scripture, we see that God’s pattern for growth always begins with strengthening His people. The apostle Paul’s ministry was not only about planting new churches; it was also about revisiting and encouraging those he had already started. In Acts 14:21-22, we read: “They returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith.” Paul knew that if the gospel was to spread effectively, the churches had to be resilient, equipped, and spiritually vibrant.

This is why strengthening churches, pastors, and leaders must be at the heart of what we do in Converge Northeast. If pastors are discouraged, if leadership teams are weary, and if churches are struggling to stay engaged in mission, then our capacity to start and send will be diminished. But when churches are strong—grounded in the gospel, led by healthy leaders, and united in vision—they become the launching pads for new movements of God.

At Converge Northeast, we are committed to walking alongside pastors, leadership teams, and congregations to provide the support, resources, and encouragement needed to thrive. Whether it’s through congregational health assessment (see last month’s newsletter!), coaching, strategic partnerships, pastoral care, or leadership development, we believe that investing in the health of the local church is the most effective way to see gospel impact multiply in our region.

A strong church is a sending church. A healthy church is a reproducing church. And a vibrant church is a testimony to the power of Christ in a watching world. This is why strengthening the church is not optional—it’s mission-critical.

Is your church healthy? How do you know? If you have questions or want to talk about ways to strengthen your church, I would LOVE to connect with you. Reach out to me here and we’ll chat.