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Denominations have awakened to the reality of unilateral decline. The Pentecostal Movement itself shows signs of the same imminent fate. Denominational emphasis on church planting during the 1990s-2000s proved insufficient to compensate for the hemorrhaging of aging church closures. In many cases, denominations resulted in a zero-net gain.
Today, denominations realize church planting is not the sole solution for reversing decline. Rather, leaders recognize church planting and church renewal is necessary. Only through large-scale intervention structures can jurisdictional leaders slow, and eventually reverse, the decline of the American Church.
This dissertation provided research on five components for a prototype utilizing such a strategy. The prototype’s structural components delivered spiritual renewal, church health, and church multiplication within denominational entities. Yet, due to the scope of the prototype, with the approval of the author’s faculty advisor, the author narrowed the research project’s focus to one essential component: Vibrant Spirituality and its practical application through the Encounter God Weekend (EGW) retreat. The research project provided an in-depth exploration of how Vibrant Spirituality serves as a catalyst for jurisdictional renewal by fostering spiritual transformation at both the individual and corporate levels.
The author conducted a mixed-methods research project to enhance the credibility and validity of results. Participants of the Encounter God Weekend completed an anonymous post-event evaluation, assessing both perceived benefits (qualitative) and numeric ratings of session effectiveness (quantitative). The study included male and female adult participants over eighteen years of age.
Quantitative results measured salvations, recommitments to Christ, Holy Spirit baptisms, Holy Spirit refillings, lodging experience, meal experience, session ratings, and the likelihood of returning to a future retreat. Qualitative analysis examined participants' perceptions of the Encounter God Weekend’s effectiveness, focusing on healing and deliverance, session benefits, areas for improvement, and the overall impact of the weekend.
The analysis suggested the Encounter God Weekend was a significant catalyst for personal and spiritual transformation. Its strength lies in its capacity to initiate profound spiritual experiences; however, its impact should be understood as the beginning of a longer process rather than a standalone solution. Sustained transformation likely requires continued engagement beyond the retreat itself.