420. How a Plateaued Church Started Growing Again After COVID

📝 How a Plateaued Church Started Growing Again After COVID (Boston Interview #5)

In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob sits down with James Rosenquist, who leads a church in Pittsburgh that has recently begun growing again after years of plateau and decline.

James shares an honest and vulnerable look at what it was like taking over church leadership during COVID, watching attendance shrink, experimenting with new ideas, and wrestling with discouragement.

But instead of quitting, something shifted.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that growth often begins not with better programs—but with deeper maturity, stronger leadership, perseverance, and renewed dependence on God.

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🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• What it feels like to lead during a season of decline
• Why “humanistic leadership” eventually runs out of steam
• The spiritual lesson James learned during sabbatical
• Why maturity and equipping leaders became the new focus
• The surprising power of consistency over flashy strategies
• How alumni and outside support helped reignite momentum
• Why church growth often starts with changing the leader first

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💡 Key Takeaway

Sometimes breakthrough doesn’t come from a brand-new strategy.

👉 It comes from becoming a different person in the same situation.

James shares how learning that “God is the reward” changed the way he viewed ministry, success, and leadership.

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🌱 A Story of Hope for Church Leaders

Many churches experienced setbacks after COVID.

This episode offers encouragement for leaders who:

• Feel discouraged
• Feel stuck
• Are trying hard but not seeing immediate results

Growth may take longer than expected.

But perseverance, prayer, and equipping others still matter.

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🔥 Encouraging Signs of Renewal

After years of struggle:

• The church is growing again
• New baptisms are happening
• Former campus students have moved back to help strengthen the church
• New Bible studies are beginning through evangelism efforts

And perhaps most importantly:

👉 Hope has returned.

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🔗 Next Steps

• Subscribe for more leadership interviews from around the world
• Share this episode with a church leader who needs encouragement
• Join Rob’s weekly newsletter at RobSkinner.com

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📌 Series Note

This episode is part of a special series of short interviews from the Boston Church Builders Conference, featuring leaders focused on healthy church growth and revival.