The Tough Decisions:
Eastern Michigan's Turnaround

For the past 12 years, Dr. Stephen Anthony has served as district superintendent of the Eastern Michigan District of the Church of the Nazarene. Under his leadership, significant ministry milestones have been achieved on the district including:

• Started 16 new churches and projecting 23 more by 2008
• Received over 6,000 new members by profession of faith in district churches
• Established the district’s Nazarene Bible Institute, with 60 ministerial students preparing for ministry each year
• Doubled the district assets to $114 million in property
• Led the district in giving over $10 million to world evangelism

These significant achievements prompted GROW magazine to contact Dr. Anthony for his observations about the district’s progress.

GROW: You were one of the first district leaders in the USA and Canada for starting new churches in a major way. Why were new churches so important to you?

Anthony: I came into the Church of the Nazarene back in 1957 as a ten-year-old. My family did not go to church until a new Nazarene congregation started in a school across the street from our house. Two ladies, Shirley Hewitt and Ruth Gael, wanted to start a new church and went to ask permission from their district superintendent. Our family was one of the first they invited. Today, the Williams Lake Church of the Nazarene runs over 350 in weekly worship.

GROW: Have you found starting new churches an easy priority to implement?

Anthony: At first, it was like trying to push a chair uphill. But it has to begin with the leadership believing in the cause. Now, we’re finally moving the other way, with leaders seeking us out to start new churches. With new missional leaders emerging all across the district, the NewStart emphasis is moving forward.

GROW: Sounds like you are saying the right thing isn’t always the most popular or easiest thing to do.

Anthony: The reality is today we still have a number of churches “on the bubble.” We’re probably going to have to close a few more struggling churches before we can open up any more strong new ones.

One of my first meetings as a new district superintendent was to meet with a church board to close their church. We called for a board meeting and had five elderly ladies show up. I said ‘We’re here to talk about the future of your church.’ ‘Future?’ they said, ‘Future of our church? Can’t you see we’re just a few old ladies waiting to die?’ Their response surprised me.

I asked if they would consider voting to close their church if we used all the money to start a new one. They unanimously agreed and in 1994 the old Flushing Church of the Nazarene was sold. Today, Pastor Darrel Harvey has launched the new Flushing Community Church of the Nazarene that will be one of our leading congregations on the East Michigan district.

GROW: Have all the new churches made it?

Anthony: No, we’ve had three new churches of the 16 we’ve started that didn’t do well. As we reviewed what happened, three things became quite evident: (1) the biggest common issue involved pastoral leadership. Among other things, the pastors had no “roots” on this district. They lacked emotional and spiritual support every NewStart pastor needs. (2) We realized later they actually didn’t start for the right reasons. Pastors needing a job or looking for a choice ministry assignment are not the right reasons for starting a new church. (3) Pastors of new churches must have tenacity. They will face tough times and have to wholly rely on God. They learn the art of perseverance.

GROW: What else are you learning?

Anthony: We’re organizing around a missional zone concept that looks at specific geographic and demographic concerns. We’re encouraging all our churches to sponsor new congregations. The connecting point is: give and it will be given unto you. We enlist the best leaders we can and then resist trying to micro-manage them. As God gives them a plan - that’s not my plan - they’ll work harder at it. My role becomes breaking down any barriers, encouraging and facilitating other leaders. I’m learning you’ll only keep your ministry and your church as you’re able to give it away.