Podcast Episode #359
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play
Churches are dying all over the country. However, their legacy of ministry can live on if the right decisions are made by the leadership. Today we discuss those tough decisions and the reasons churches should be looking to acquire dying churches.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- Church buildings should be used for ministry and community presence.
- If your church is dying, do whatever you can to keep a church presence in your community.
- In many communities it’s tough to regain property for churches if one dies and is sold for non-Kingdom use.
- If your church is dying, please consider letting a healthy church come in and acquire it.
- Churches with an outward focus are healthier than ones with an inward focus.
- “The way we’ve always done it” needs to change in dying churches.
The seven reasons we cover in this episode are:
- So a church presence in the community will not go away.
- Because re-plants have many of the same advantages of typical church plants.
- Because real estate is becoming scarce and more expensive.
- So the work and ministry of your present church may have a legacy of continuation.
- Because the ministry presence in the community will move from unhealthy to healthy.
- Because sometimes a new start is needed to overcome negative perceptions in the community.
- Because often the acquiring church increases its ministry impact multifold through an acquisition.
Episode Sponsors
The Timothy Track, from Midwestern Seminary, offers select residential M.Div. students placement in internship positions in a local church in the area. Now you can complement your studies with in-the-field ministry experience. In addition, all Timothy Track students will receive up to 12 credit hours for the internship and a 50% tuition scholarship for the first year.
Find out more at mbts.edu/TimothyTrack.
Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. They’ve helped hundreds of churches just like yours find their church staff and are uniquely geared to help you discern who God is calling to lead your church.
Find out more about Vanderbloemen Search Group by visiting WeStaffTheChurch.com.
Feedback
If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Who Moved My Pulpit?
I commend those people who can admit that the church they have led for a period of time should be acquired by a stronger church instead of closing. Few people can do this. That said, get a lawyer to handle the matter. If real property is involved, make sure that a complete deed search is performed because when some people long ago sold/donated property for a church, they may have put language in an agreement or the deed that mandated the type of church, type of leadership, no instrumental music (churches of Christ), etc. (The late lawyer Jay Guin handled at least one of these and wrote about this on his blog http://www.oneinjesus.info which will remain active according to his children.) Violating these terms could result in the property reverting to the descendants of the original owner.
I am interested in talking (or emailing) with pastors who have had positive results going through this type of acquisition. I pastor a strong, healthy church in the country and have built a relationship with a small congregation in the city which has experienced steep decline. Are there “town and country” shepherds who have successfully managed dual pastorates?
Tim, not sure about the dual pastorate. What the acquisition speaks to, though, is a weaker/dying church giving up its property and often times people to the stronger church that is in need of space and resources. Can’t imagine dual pastorates, though I know my Methodist grandfather did that for a couple of decades due to financial strains on the churches. The hope would be those churches unite for the sake of the kingdom. Best to you brother.
Pastor Tim, they united Methodist church continues to have 1 pastor serving sometimes two congregations. They do so when there is no one to serve they call it at 2 point charge.
Check with a local UMC pastor in your area.
Thank you Carrie. Now that you mention it, I remember several UMC churches in my area that share a pastor. I’ll contact them.
I live in the South (Atlanta) and I rarely see churches fold up. However, I would be interested in where I could find a list of churches in the North Atlanta area who are “dying” and in need of a healthier church to come in and purchase their property. Where do I find these “dying churches?”
Maybe instead of another church buying right away, maybe a church partnership could be established, a stronger church sending out in-church missionaries to help the dying church re-establish the ministries and bring revival. After 18 months if that does not work consider a community ministry building.
Our pastoral team has a meeting this morning with a church that has died. The church has property in a strategic part of the city, where churches are dying regularly and buildings are being sold to developers. This is the 3rd church we’ve had conversations with concerning their property. I wish it was UNCOMMON to see churches decide to give up their stake in the city to a condo developer. After a church property that is zoned for worship is sold, the chance of major cities re-zoning an existing commercial property to be retrofitted for worship is nearly impossible.
Are we really talking dying churches, or churches where the people have moved on to a different part of the city or area and worship where they now live? In that case wouldn’t a “mission station” be a good thing?
Or are we talking about when 40 folks or so are very sure what theology, music, etc they believe is correct and resist change not out of evil reasons but because they can do no other without in their being unfaithful to God, and the local mega wants the property or some right out seminary church planter covets it? In that case if the church of 40 does not see itself as dying but rather as small, should not the other folks maybe mind their own business? God will surely let the little church know when to sell or give away the building. Where I have lived a mega would average 300 (yeah, I’m rural) but sometimes they do have dollar signs in their eyes, coveting property either for resale value later on or as investment. What then?
I guess I’m asking who decides what a dying church is, and who decides when it needs to close? Every day I walk past a gorgeous piece of real estate. It is occupied by two people. It was a church that closed its doors and went up for sale. These folks bought it and for several years their worship service numbered 2. Now they run 3-5 and are happy to have beachhead of their denom in this town. Are they a success story, revitalizing a dead church, or are they also a dying or dead church?
Bear in mind my questions come from a usually tiny rural church background, with some notable large ones on occasion as we moved around. Trying to understand the “dying church” concept as I’ve always just seen them as open or closed. Don’t know if it is true or not but did hear in one community that the local 300 or 400 mega pastor was going to business meetings of smaller churches of his denom in that community and telling them they needed to deed over their buildings and join his church!
I don’t personally agree with this. I experienced bad situations where
people get involved in the matters as to what to do without the seeking earnestly of the Lords will. Far to often I believe this keeps happening. I’m not sure a church the Lord has planted and started is ever suppose to cease from it’s mission of being that church. I think the problem lies more from people instead of the situation or at least that being the situation. I believe people that are a part of a church where they feel it is dying should come together as few as they may be and fervently, earnestly, seek the Lord in prayer as to what they are not doing for the Lord. I also believe there is a very big heart problem with people today that are trying to do things on their own and not trusting God to use them. It’s even from behind the pulpit to the congregations. To big of push on the merging of churches to be the answer I’m afraid when all along the answer lies within us, the people. Yes, we are the problem, with a heart problem at that. Lord only knows what can become of all the changes that take place after they are made by us the people without letting the Lord be involved in the matters. Many people I’m sure don’t probably agree with me, but I’ve just shared with you my hearts feelings on it. Lord bless you and us all.
It is a real and interesting challenge. I am sometimes skeptical and so no doubt gaurantees of continuing ministry in the region should be written in. More than once I have seen larger Churches take over, then sell the property themselves, leaving no active presence in the community.