THE LAMPSTAND
Briarwood's Church Revitalization Ministry
Strengthening churches in the health of God’s grace through the Gospel of Jesus Christ to stay on mission, on message, and in ministry.
The Lampstand is a teaching and resource ministry of Briarwood Presbyterian Church that equips churches and their leaders to implement biblical strategies for church vitality. Our experienced faculty of pastor-teachers who provide insight for developing spiritually healthy churches through Church Planting, Church Revitalization, and Church Acceleration.
Meet our Revitalization Pastor, Rev. Rob Looper
Rob attended both Clemson University and the University of South Carolina, graduating in 1988. It was at USC, through Reformed University Fellowship, that he came to know the Lord and discerned God’s call to pastoral ministry.
Continue Reading
Rob attended Covenant Theological Seminary and met and later married fellow CTS student Lisa Duck. In 1993, he received his Master of Divinity degree and was ordained in Missouri Presbytery and ministered at Twin Oaks Presbyterian church until 1998. After serving as Senior Pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa, Rob pastored the historic McIlwain Memorial Presbyterian Church in Pensacola, FL for 20 years. It was at McIlwain that Rob became involved with Dr. Harry Reeder’s ministry of church vitality, Embers to a Flame, now Lampstand. In 2022, the Lord called Rob to serve as National Missions and Church Revitalization Pastor at Briarwood, where he oversees support for over 120 USA-based missionaries and leads Lampstand, encouraging pastors and churches to be rooted in the means of grace. Rob and Lisa have three adult children, Hannah, Bennett, and Laura.
ABOUT THE LAMPSTAND MINISTRY:
Lampstand Conferences
The Lampstand Conference casts a biblical vision for church health and ministry strategies. We focus on depending upon the means of grace for spiritual formation, making disciples through Christ-centered and Gospel-driven ministry, and leadership development and deployment.
The Lampstand Conference casts a biblical vision for church health and ministry strategies. We focus on depending upon the means of grace for spiritual formation, making disciples through Christ-centered and Gospel-driven ministry, and leadership development and deployment.
Church Revitalization – Embers to a Flame
Lampstand uses the Biblical paradigm found in Jesus’ words in Revelation 2:5 to the church at Ephesus—“Remember, Repent, and Recover the First Things”—Lampstand’s revitalization track equips churches that have fallen into spiritual decline and functional malaise.
Lampstand uses the Biblical paradigm found in Jesus’ words in Revelation 2:5 to the church at Ephesus—“Remember, Repent, and Recover the First Things”—Lampstand’s revitalization track equips churches that have fallen into spiritual decline and functional malaise.
Church Acceleration – Fanning the Flame
As a church grows spiritually and expands its impact functionally, it is crucial to stay on Message, in Mission, and in Ministry. Our church acceleration track focuses on next-level leadership development, decision-making, and faithful shepherding for the next season in the life of Biblically healthy churches.
As a church grows spiritually and expands its impact functionally, it is crucial to stay on Message, in Mission, and in Ministry. Our church acceleration track focuses on next-level leadership development, decision-making, and faithful shepherding for the next season in the life of Biblically healthy churches.
Teaching
In our national and international conferences Lampstand teaches the Biblical principles upon which church vitality is founded and sustained. Our teaching team of church planters and pastor-theologians also draw from multiple resources—theological, historical, and practical, as well as their own personal ministry experience.
All three Lampstand tracks are rooted in transcultural and transgenerational Biblical truths.
In our national and international conferences Lampstand teaches the Biblical principles upon which church vitality is founded and sustained. Our teaching team of church planters and pastor-theologians also draw from multiple resources—theological, historical, and practical, as well as their own personal ministry experience.
All three Lampstand tracks are rooted in transcultural and transgenerational Biblical truths.
Mentoring
Healthy churches develop leaders—yet far too often the church calls men to be leaders who have only a worldly view of leadership. Lampstand is committed to on-going leadership mentoring, and developing relationships that extend beyond our conference and coaching settings.
Our mentors equip and encourage pastors to grow as leaders who understand the priority of defining, developing, and deploying other leaders—men who do not merely lead in the church but also in their communities and in the world.
Healthy churches develop leaders—yet far too often the church calls men to be leaders who have only a worldly view of leadership. Lampstand is committed to on-going leadership mentoring, and developing relationships that extend beyond our conference and coaching settings.
Our mentors equip and encourage pastors to grow as leaders who understand the priority of defining, developing, and deploying other leaders—men who do not merely lead in the church but also in their communities and in the world.