My name is Colin Pugh, and I have the privilege of serving as the Senior Pastor of Clinton Baptist Church in Clinton, Maryland, and as an Urban Specialist with Send Network Replant & Renewal. My passion for helping churches experience renewal did not begin with a position or a title. It was developed through my own experience of leading a church that needed revitalization.

When I became the pastor of Clinton Baptist Church on October 6, 2019, the church had been without a pastor for nearly four years. The sanctuary could seat approximately 1,000 people, but only about nine people were regularly attending.

Yet I believed God was not finished with Clinton Baptist Church.

I did not come to Clinton with the desire to tear everything down and start over. I came believing that God could breathe new life into what was already there. Revitalization is not necessarily about deconstructing a church. It is about prayerfully identifying the areas that have become unhealthy, ineffective, or disconnected from the mission of God and leading the church toward biblical health and renewed gospel effectiveness.

Over the years, we have watched God renew Clinton Baptist Church. What began with a small group of faithful people has grown into a congregation of hundreds. But our story is about much more than numerical growth. God has changed our culture, strengthened our leadership, expanded our ministries, and renewed our commitment to serving the community.

Our vision is simple: We Grow • We Serve • We Love.

We want people to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. We want them to serve God through the gifts He has given them. And we want our church to demonstrate the love of Christ both inside and outside the walls of our building.

One of the greatest lessons I have learned through revitalization is that a church cannot measure health simply by what happens on Sunday morning. A healthy church must be willing to engage the community God has placed around it. At Clinton, that has meant developing ministries and partnerships that allow us to meet practical needs while creating opportunities to share the hope of the gospel.

It has also taught me that revitalization takes time. You cannot change everything overnight. Pastors must learn the history of the church, love the people, develop leaders, build trust, preach the Word faithfully, and patiently lead people toward the mission God has given the church.

My experience at Clinton Baptist Church has shaped the way I now serve pastors and churches through Send Network Replant & Renewal.

As an Urban Specialist, I have the opportunity to come alongside pastors and churches serving in urban communities across the country. My desire is not simply to give pastors theories about revitalization. I want to walk with them from the perspective of someone who has experienced both the challenges and the blessings of leading a church through renewal.

Urban churches occupy an important place in the mission of God. Many are located in communities that have changed dramatically over the years. Some churches have experienced declining attendance, aging membership, leadership challenges, financial difficulties, or a growing disconnect between the congregation and the surrounding community.

But decline does not have to be the end of the story.

I believe many of these churches can experience renewed health and gospel effectiveness when pastors and congregations are willing to honestly evaluate where they are, seek God through prayer, return to biblical priorities, develop healthy leaders, engage their communities, and make the necessary changes to fulfill their mission.

I have seen God do that at Clinton Baptist Church. We are still growing. We are still learning. We are still changing. And we certainly have not arrived. But our story reminds me that God can bring renewal to churches that others may have counted out.

That is why I am passionate about this work.

Through Send Network Replant & Renewal, I want to help urban pastors know that they do not have to walk through revitalization alone. I want to encourage them, equip them, connect them with other leaders, and help them develop strategies that are biblical, practical, and appropriate for the communities they serve.

The same God who has been faithful to Clinton Baptist Church is still at work in churches throughout our cities.

There are churches worth fighting for, communities worth reaching, leaders worth developing, and people who still need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Renewal is possible. And I am grateful for the opportunity to help pastors and churches pursue it.

Interested in church renewal? Learn more about Replant and Renewal and find resources here.