Seven years ago, in 2002, as Sunnybrook Community Church in Sioux Center, Iowa, was searching for a new pastor, they reached a turning point. “They were a good church, but one without a heart for the lost, without a real desire to reach out,” says Jeff Moes, the church’s current senior pastor. “In that year or two without a pastor, the leadership team got together and wrote a vision statement–that was the catalyst to begin revitalization.”

Sunnybrook Community went through the Natural Church Development process and discovered that its minimum factors were need-oriented evangelism and inspiring worship. Church leaders attended several Willow Creek conferences and read The Purpose Driven Church, by Rick Warren. “The leadership developed a vision statement, then made the decision to call a pastor who fit that vision. That’s where I came in,” says Moes.

Moes began to work with leaders in the church to determine where God was leading Sunnybrook. As they began to make changes, though, they encountered resistance.

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