Divided Believers can become Unified Churches

Shadowbrook was formed in 1982 by members moved by the Holy Spirit to become a more evangelistic congregation. But as the years passed, members began sequestering themselves into safe, comfortable, ineffective cliques along generational lines. Church leaders noticed disturbing trends: a few older and younger members were relegating the Great Commission to the church staff. Gen-Xers were comfortable at a church that placed few demands upon them. Other members were busy meeting community needs yet seldom seasoned their outreach with the gospel.

About one of the church’s darker moments, Rumley said, “Power groups, gossip, and slander were all evident sins of members as they interacted with each other. The enemy got them to forget who God was, what he said, and what he had done for them in Jesus.”

This church-crushing crisis was too big for one pastor to solve. Rumley, who earned his master’s degree at Western Seminary, knew answers could be found in the Scriptures, but he needed a guide who could help him identify a solution and then develop it into a program specifically designed for his splintered congregation.

The senior pastor did not marshal one guide, he gathered many. Rumley applied and got accepted into the doctoral studies program at Southern Seminary. Church revitalization became the focus of his studies. The Shadowbrook pastor was not only taught by renowned biblical scholars Al Mohler, Jim Hamilton, Tom Schreiner, Tim Beougher, and Hershael York–he was also mentored by them.

“Coming to my first senior pastor role in Georgia, I knew SBTS would be a part of that journey,” Rumley said. “The D.Ed.Min was the perfect educational solution for me to learn, practice, and grow while in full-time vocational ministry.”

Doctoral research and writing imposes on students a focused commitment on God’s Word and to God’s people. Each scholarly component of the three-year academic track is intended to strengthen both the student and his church.

“The professors were kind, intelligent, and available for follow-up coffee meetings to talk more about the material we were learning,” Rumley said. “My cohort became a sort of band of brothers through the intensives. Even now, five years later, we still have a text thread where the cohort guys pray for each other every Sunday morning.”

Dr. Rumley’s doctoral project–which targeted the hearts and minds of his church members– is titled, “Creating a Spiritual Formation Model at Shadowbrook Church in Suwanee, Georgia.” The teaching series that grew out of his academic work–crafted precisely for the needs of Shadowbrook members– erased barriers and revived interest in evangelism and discipleship.

“The faithful remnant of Shadowbrook who went through the teaching series with me are driven, foundational people who are cultivating transformation that will serve future generations,” Rumley said. “It was God who tore down the generational barriers, reawakening a deep love for the Bible and the implications it puts on our lives. SBC is an example of the hard work it takes for a church to come back to life.”

The Doctor of Ministry and the Doctor of Educational Ministry at Southern Seminary are intended for pastors and church leaders to solve problems common to many congregations with a solution tailored specifically for theirs. To learn more about SBTS doctoral programs, click the links below.