One of the times that revitalization took place in the history of God’s people was following the time of Israel’s captivity, when the temple and the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt. Although this was a physical rebuilding, the biblical principles involved apply equally to a spiritual rebuilding or revitalization. What are some of the lessons of this rebuilding in Israel’s history?

1: Rebuilding was a team effort.

Consider the fact that God used numerous people to accomplish His purposes (e.g., look at the various names in Nehemiah 3). In fact, four books in the Bible were written during this time by four different men—Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah. Each man had a distinctive message and a distinctive role in the process of revitalization. It is especially telling that Haggai and Zechariah were contemporaries, yet God gave His Word to both of them. As we think of efforts at rebuilding, do we think in terms of team ministry? Do we think of adding a second pastor, getting a retired pastor to come and assist the regular pastor, or enlisting a family to become involved in a particular work? Or do we think only of one man trying to get the job done?

2: Preaching God’s Word was crucial, especially in calling God’s people to repentance and action.

God spoke through the Prophet Haggai and rebuked the people of Israel for living in paneled houses while His house lay in ruins (Hag.1). Haggai pointed out the ways God withheld His blessing from the people because of their sins. When the people, following their leaders, started to obey God and rebuild the temple, God promised to be with them and bless them (1:13; 2:19). Similarly Ezra and Nehemiah taught the people (see Neh. 8:9) and confronted them regarding their sins (see Neh. 9, 13; Ezra 9–10). The first six verses in the book of Zechariah are also a call to repentance.

While each case can be vastly different, most often a lack of growth and a lack of blessing by God are due to sin on our part. It may be hard to pinpoint the sin(s), the reasons why God is withholding His blessing on a particular congregation. Is it because of a lack of zeal for the lost, divisions in the body, or compromise with the world? Is it a lack of integrity by the leadership, or a pastor who is unwilling to confront sin or his own (theological) pride? Is there complacency or unwillingness to sacrifice for the sake of the kingdom? Yet, when we see decline—or a congregation that has not grown year after year—should we not consider that there is some sin standing in the way of God sending His blessing to us? The Covenant of 1871 might be a good place to begin in examining ourselves to see what our sin might be.

The repentance of God’s people was shown in action. Examining Ezra 6:14, we can see that the people rebuilt the temple in response to the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah. The work of rebuilding the wall went quickly because “the people had a mind to work” (Neh. 4:6). True repentance will show itself in deeds suitable to that repentance. In the physical rebuilding, it will be the heavy work of hauling stones and repairing gates. In the spiritual rebuilding, it might be that a pastor takes time for personal renewal or that the congregation embraces outreach and evangelism with new energy or takes more time in making friendships in the community or ministering to the needy.

3: Rebuilding begins with a vision from God.

In Nehemiah 2:12 we read, “And I told no one what God had put into my heart to do.” Nehemiah had a vision of what God had called him to do. This vision came after he had made a thorough and careful assessment of the situation. Once Nehemiah understood what God wanted him to do, he shared it with other key people and challenged them to join him in the rebuilding efforts (vv. 16-17).

The vision for what ought to be done should be from God, but one of the ways God gives this vision is as we carefully look at and assess the situation. The vision may come as we ask difficult questions such as: What percentage of our Covenanter youth are being lost to the world? When was the last time God used someone in the congregation in the conversion of an unbeliever? How good is our adult Sabbath school program? How well known are we in the community? Is our attendance going down one or two each year? What is the long-term trend?

4: The people stepped out in faith.

Traveling to Jerusalem to be an integral part of the rebuilding efforts required stepping out in faith by both Nehemiah and Ezra as they made the difficult and dangerous journey. Both could have remained in the safety and comforts of Persia/Babylon, but they did not do so. Perhaps we should note in passing that acting in faith does not mean doing the exact same thing. Ezra turned down military help (Ezra 8:22) and Nehemiah had military help (Neh. 2:9). It is easy to fall into satisfaction with the status quo and to rely on our own human ability when involved in church work. God wants us to look to Him in faith as we desire to serve Him. How often are we content to stay in our comfort zones? How often do we do something where we must step out in faith?

5: The work was carefully planned in accordance with the vision from God.

For Ezra, the plan included fasting and prayer for a safe journey (Ezra 8:21) and carefully dividing the silver and gold vessels among faithful men to ensure that the vessels reached Jerusalem (Ezra 8:24). Nehemiah divided the labor in rebuilding the wall among those who were willing (see chap. 3). When opposition arose, he made appropriate modifications to the plan, keeping the ultimate goal in mind. He also used the people’s interests (their own homes) and skills (those who could hang gates) in planning how the work would be completed. Nehemiah had even planned out the financial aspect of the project, so that he could make a request of the king for what was needed to complete the project (Neh. 2:8).

Too often, failing to break down the vision into achievable objectives and failing to plan for the necessary funding cause a great vision to go unfulfilled. For instance, to look at a need of tens of thousands of dollars can seem insurmountable. When it is broken down into smaller pieces, the task becomes feasible. Some steps that could be taken are: having leaders set the pace by giving extra each year for a certain time period, asking the congregation to give slightly more than their regular giving, looking to friends of the congregation to give, and seeking help from other congregations.

6: God’s people faced opposition.

Any efforts on behalf of the kingdom of God can expect opposition from the kingdom of darkness. As soon as Nehemiah began rebuilding the wall, he immediately faced opposition (Neh. 4:1). We see the same opposition in Ezra 4.

We are involved in a cosmic battle between good and evil, the truth and lies, God and the devil. We should expect opposition from the forces of evil. We should not be surprised by it, but we should be prepared for it.

7: God’s people celebrated the victories He gave.

The people rejoiced when the temple was rebuilt (Ezra 3:9-11). We see the same thing in Nehemiah 7–8 as the wall was completed. Even though there had been much sin, when the people recognized the good hand of God upon them, they felt a need to celebrate.

We should rejoice when we see the good hand of God upon us. It might be something small like the repainting of a room in the church building, or something greater like the conversion of a family. We need to learn to celebrate the good things God has done for us. This could include things like the first anniversary of a new work, the faithful service of five or ten years by an elder or deacon, special recognition of new members including welcoming gifts, or a service of thanksgiving for meeting the budget. How thankful we should be for each evidence of grace God gives us!

8: Remember and be encouraged by what God has done.

In Nehemiah 2:18, Nehemiah recounts God’s faithfulness to him thus far in his enterprise to rebuild the temple. God often gives victories in smaller battles to prepare us for the larger battles. Think of King David’s reference to fighting lions and bears as he went out to battle Goliath. God had already shown to David that He had equipped him for the task at hand. In the same way, it is good for us to remember God’s faithfulness in our past so we can trust Him as we face the future. It is good to recount what God has done for His people. Commemorative plaques, a record book of testimonies, a history of the congregation, and similar things serve as valuable reminders of what God has done in the past. A minister might highlight notable events in the congregation’s history in his sermons to remind the congregation of God’s past faithfulness to them.

Most importantly, remember the promise of Jesus Christ that “I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18).

—Bill Roberts

For the past 27 years, Bill has been pastor of the Bloomington, Ind., RPC, which has seen considerable revitalization during that time. He also served on the Committee on Church Revitalization. He has resigned as pastor of the Bloomington congregation effective July 1 and is seeking God’s will for a call. He is available for candidating.