Eddie raised a great question last week about merging churches. In So Cal we have a number of churches 30 min or less from one another but in different cities. It was mentioned last week in Eddie's blogs about pastor's operating outside their gifting meaning that some should be assisting i n a church and not leading a church. Maybe something for some of us to consider is those pastors who are capable to maybe take on one of those struggling churches that is somewhat close but in another city and place a campus pastor there. Those who have proven that they can build and lead a congregation could take on one of the smaller struggling churches and merge them into 1 church, 2 campuses type of thing. I realize that some of those who "hold credentials" or are looking for "a place to preach" may get upset and it goes against the norm for us but we need to consider the ongoing problem of finding someone to "fill the pulpit". I as a board member hate putting someone in a church simply because we don't have anyone else! We have some great visionary leaders who pastor near struggling churches who could help lead that church into health. We have some hard choices to make and talking about them is only a start!
Your Thoughts!
My thoughts are, SOUNDS GREAT. This is a trend that has been happening for a few years now in other circles. I don't think we should do something because someone is already doing it but we should consider what we need to do to create healthy churches.
ReplyDeleteOne Church, Multiple Campuses is not a new concept. Why do we have millions $$ in real estate that is only meeting the needs of a few church goers instead of meeting the needs of an unlimited amount of non-believers?? Are we really doing justice to those few by teaching them that they do not have a responsibility to follow Vision? Even more important is that they realize that the Vision is not about them.
As a District Board member, I am not for putting people in churches to fill positions. I think that the purpose of the local church can be summed up very simply. To bring non-believers to Christ; Help Hurting people & disciple Christ followers to become all Christ wants them to be. If there are not people accepting Christ then they are not only UnHealthy, but they have already DIED and nobody has told them.
If our churches are not accomplishing these things then they are not healthy. If they are consumed with themselves rather than the lost, hurting & far from God, then they are dying. In a very blunt way to put it, we need to PULL the PLUG on that type of church. Now before you blow your top and get all mad at me, I said, not on those people in the church, but on that type of mentality.
How do we do that?? The church must be led with VISION and not just filling a pulpit.
Todd This is why I love to read and comment on this page because of the "meeting of the minds" we need to be in prayer for our struggling churches and help them all we can without enabling them to stay "sick". Just recently a dear brother came to me with an idea and his church came and blessed our church because we were struggling, now we are doing better and setting ground rules. I know God will honor that pastor and his church for helping and this church will be all the better by following that example. I guess I write this b/c maybe one of your churches needs to be blessed or be a blessing by helping a struggling church.
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