Courtesy of Richie Halversen
Courtesy of Richie Halversen
Courtesy of Richie Halversen
Christina Norris
Christina Norris
Christina Norris
Christina Norris
“The church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied,” Acts 9:31.
A Movement, Not a Monument
If I had to choose one verse that summarizes both the reason behind the New Testament church’s exponential growth and the two-fold mission of the Southern Union’s Department of Church Growth and Revitalization, it would be Acts 9:31. The church was built up in order to multiply. The goal of building up the church was not to build up the church alone, grow bigger churches, or strive for revival for revival’s sake — but always with the goal to multiply the church. True church revitalization should lead to multiplication. One cannot exist without the other.
This two-fold pattern runs through all of Scripture. To Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful and multiply,” Genesis 1:28. To Abraham: “I will bless you, and you will be a blessing,” Genesis 12:2. To His disciples, Jesus said: “My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit,” John 15:8. God never blesses simply to bless. He blesses to bless others — revitalization with the goal of multiplication.
I praise God for Ron Smith, D.Min., Ph.D., president of the Southern Union Conference, the entire administrative team, and my colleague Roger
Hernandez, director of ministerial and evangelism, for their vision to restructure the Church Growth Department to serve both church planting and church revitalization, because they go together, hand in hand. They are not in competition with each other — they COMPLETE each other. The built-up church is not the destination. It is the launching pad to becoming a movement again. We revive to reproduce.
Over four years of serving as director, I have watched God do remarkable things in both revitalization and multiplication. I have narrowed it down to two of the most recent — two different stories, from two different cities, one about church revitalization and the other about church multiplication, and how both are equally important in finishing the work.
Being Built Up — Vero Beach Church
Like many established congregations, Vero Beach Church had been on the decline for years. The pews that once filled with ease now echoed with absence. But this is not a story of failure. It is a story of faithfulness meeting its moment.
On Sabbath, January 31, 2026, the Vero Beach Church — with the support of the Florida Conference and in partnership with the Southern Union’s Department of Church Growth and Revitalization — officially launched Revive: The Ignition of Church Revitalization. It’s a nine-month cycle of practical, intentional, Christ-centered outreach and evangelism that inspires, equips, and empowers every willing member to serve their community and share their faith, making new disciples while reclaiming those who had drifted away.
The Florida Conference had recently hired Richard Halversen Sr. as part-time pastor — a retired pastor and evangelist with more than 45 years of experience who had already begun casting a vision of mission and igniting a spark of revival. Revive was simply adding momentum to what the Holy Spirit was already doing.
One of the key components of Revive is its Empowerment Sabbaths — strategic worship experiences designed to equip every member to use their unique gifts for Kingdom impact. Every member carries a gift. Every gift carries a calling. Empowerment Sabbaths help each member use their gift to share their faith, build authentic relationships, and ask God for organic spiritual conversations.
Michael George, Vero Beach Church member, took this seriously. Michael prayed daily: “Lord, please send someone to me, or send me to someone that I can witness to.” God answered that prayer on a hot Florida afternoon. While working outside at an apartment complex, a woman brought
Michael a Gatorade. Her name was KC. Michael thanked her, asked thoughtful questions, and — more than anything — listened. Several Gatorades later, Michael asked KC if she would be interested in studying the Bible. KC was willing but wanted Michael to know upfront: “I don’t believe in God.”
Michael responded, “That’s okay. As long as you’re willing.”
They began studying together — Michael, KC, and KC’s granddaughter Alexi. Before long Michael invited them to church. The congregation had already cultivated a warm and welcoming culture, and a missional midweek study in Daniel led by Halversen gave them a community to belong to. When the invitation for baptism was given, KC and Alexi said yes.
Just a few months after the launch of Revive, both KC and Alexi were baptized. The grandmother who had said she did not believe in God was now standing in the waters, surrendering her life to the God she had come to know through one faithful member’s patience, prayer, and presence. They came every night during the final evangelistic series, “Reveal: Finding Peace and Purpose in the Book of Revelation,” already on a pathway of discipleship where mission and community are not optional, but the expectation of every follower of Christ.
Since the launch of Revive at Vero Beach Church, there have been 20 baptisms, as well as professions of faith, re-baptisms, transfers, and recommitments. A church that averaged 20-25 attendees on Sabbath is now averaging 80-85. This is what happens when a church becomes willing to revitalize. We serve a God of resurrections! But remember — we do not revive just to revive. We revive to reproduce!
Multiplied — The Living Room Nashville>
While Vero Beach Church was being built up, the Church was multiplying in Nashville, Tennessee — one of the fastest-growing cities in America, but beneath its glittering surface, a profound spiritual hunger. Nashville not only needed more churches to keep pace with its growing population, but it also needed new churches to reach different mindsets — new expressions of the Body of Christ, planted in fresh soil, with the mission to reach the unreached.
The Living Room Nashville was born into that need. The church was planted by Damien Chandler, his family, and a core team of leaders with the support and commitment of the South Central Conference. From its very name, this church announces not only its theology but its methodology. A living room is where you are known — where you exhale, belong, and are yourself. People are not looking for someone to invite them to a big building or a worship service. People are looking for someone to invite them into their lives. Only the Body of Christ can give that to them.
When The Living Room Nashville launched on April 17, 2026, the excitement was palpable. Banners announcing “Living Room Nashville Welcomes You” met attendees as they pulled into the parking lot. The warm invitation extended far beyond signage, in every sincere smile and kind conversation. The Living Room Nashville felt more like coming home than going to church.
It was evident The Living Room Nashville had already been practicing Christ’s method of ministry. But it wasn’t simply because both services were so full that chairs had to be set up outside, or because of the rich diversity drawn from across the greater Nashville area, or because the majority in attendance were young adults — the demographic most churches are missing. The number one reason it was clear The Living Room Nashville practiced Christ’s method is because, before there was ever a worship service, they served their community. Before Christ ever preached a sermon, He met needs. He fed people, healed people, and gave the gift of presence and community. That should be the reputation of the Church.
Several launch team members shared testimonies of sacrifice that reflected the spirit of the early church. One individual was so committed to the vision of The Living Room Nashville that she flew from New York to Nashville each month to serve on a team for a church that had not yet held a single service. Another team member was admitted to the hospital the night before the launch, but insisted to the doctors he needed to leave — because he could not miss the launch of his new church. He drove directly from the hospital to the church, and fulfilled his commitment. Chandler summarized it perfectly: “God exceeded all expectations. The experience was electric.”
The same Holy Spirit that set mouths on fire in the Upper Room thousands of years ago was setting hearts on fire at The Living Room Nashville. Praise God for the faithfulness of the Chandler family, their leadership team, and South Central Conference for their commitment to multiplying the mission to reach the unreached.
Both/And
Vero Beach Church and The Living Room Nashville are only two examples of what God has done, is doing, and will continue to do throughout the Southern Union. The New Testament model of building up existing churches and planting new ones was — and is — essential to growing the Kingdom of God. It is not a matter of either/or, but both/and. We have been blessed to see many churches revitalized, church plants multiplied, and hundreds of people baptized as a result of serving conferences to revive in order to reproduce.
The obstacles are many: rising secularism, plateaued and declining churches, and all the powers of hell attacking. Yes, the opposition is great — but our God is greater. If anyone understood great opposition and insurmountable odds, it was the early church, and yet, Acts 9:31 says “they had peace and were being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.” We may not know what the future holds — but we know who holds the future. And, as we continue letting Him guide, building up the Church in order to multiply the mission, the work can at last be completed, and He that will come shall come.
is the director of church growth and revitalization for the Southern Union Conference.
Southern Union | July 2026
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