8 | January 2026
noted. “We operate with approximately 20-25 volunteers a week.” While he feels the staff at Life Station is “spread a little thin,” he shared that all the programs are running consis- tently despite the workload. Life Station has a large variety of programs and services to meet physical needs, but the heart of the center is meeting the spiritual needs of the clients. Every client at Life Station goes through an intake pro- cess at the center. During this process, clients are asked questions about spiritual issues, such as the church they attend and their spiritual status.
“We pass those prospects on if they say they’re looking for a new church home, but there are far too many. The number just keeps growing and growing, where there’s no church of like faith and order near them. That’s very painful to me,” Stevenson said. “I’m passionate about reaching Toledo with the gospel,” he said.
A New Year Brings New Opportunities for Renewal
By Mark Jones, Revitalization consultant
It is hard to believe that 2025 has come and gone. Do you remember the dreams you had when you first became the pastor of the congregation you now lead? Did you dream? Did that dream ever become a vision? A dream encapsulates a creative notion or desire. Vision encapsulates the vibrant mental portrayal of the out- come of the dream, as well as the necessary steps to achieve it. Visions are akin to dreams, but with a deliber- ate and purposeful strategy. In other words, dreams re- main in our minds, while visions move to our hearts and are circulated to our hands and feet, creating movement. Most of us continue to dream, but never strategize. This keeps us in a state of constantly desiring, but never do- ing. As a result, our dreams darken, and we burn out. Why not seek God to cast a vision this year instead of simply dreaming? Let me help you cast and communi- cate a biblically purposeful strategy. Let’s start with a simple question: “What is your congregation’s role in ful- filling Revelation 7:9-12?”
Here is my prayer for you in 2026. May we see what God has in store for our congregations, because we are actu- ally seeking that his will be done and his kingdom come. May we be focused on his kingdom and not fixated on what happens within our own empire. May we see the lostness around us and seek to show/share the gospel of Christ. May we desire to make disciples and not sim- ply hope for converts. How can we do this? Where can we find help? In 2026, Dr. Ryan Strother and I are planning to host a dinner in your association/region to share how your congregation can become healthier and stronger. However, you don’t have to wait until then. Connect with me via email at mjones@scbo.org to discuss new opportunities in this new year. Let’s start with a phone conversation, and then check your church’s “pulse” to discover what needs to happen next.
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