03 Aug When Churches Merge

We have a superb track record when nearby UB churches merge. I wish the Elgin UB church had gone that route.
My mom grew up at Elgin, a small rural congregation outside of Van Wert, Ohio. I was related to a good share of the congregation, nearly all of them farmers. I say “was” because the church closed some years ago after doing what way too many small churches do–numbers decline, young families don’t seem interested, the long-time faithful grow increasingly frustrated that nothing seems to work, they go through years of just trying to hang on…and eventually they close. A family bought the Elgin building and turned it into a house.

It always made sense, to me, for Elgin to join forces with the nearby Monticello UB church. They were on a circuit for many years, no more than ten minutes away. The preacher would do his thing at Monticello while Elgin held Sunday school. Then he’d rush over to Elgin, arriving during the singing and just in time for the message. Some wonderful Christian people attended Elgin, and Monticello would have benefited from their wisdom and commitment.

But too many of the Elgin stalwarts–and I can say this, because so many were my relatives–were smitten with no small amount of pride, and I always sensed a touch of rivalry with the larger Monticello. They feared being swallowed up, feared losing power. So instead, Elgin died a slow death. Some wonderful people squandered years of ministry aboard a clearly sinking ship, until finally they just gave up and closed.

On the other hand, consider these churches:

• In 1985, three congregations merged to form the Lake View UB church in Camden, Mich., which today is a thriving congregation.
• In the 1990s, the Calvary and Otterbein UB churches of Rockford, Ohio, merged. Today this growing congregation, called New Horizons, has a superb building on new property.
• In 2000, the Immanuel UB church in Carlisle, Pa., merged with a non-UB church to form today’s Bethany Evangelical Church, a UB congregation.
• Last year, two churches in or near Willshire, Ohio, merged to form PraisePoint. The Willshire and Zion churches, once both small and struggling, now have an amazing new building on a busy corner in Willshire, and their future is bright.

Merging congregations like this just plain works. As far as I can tell, our track record is 100 percent. I’m sure it’s the answer for some of today’s struggling UB churches. I hate seeing fine Christian people wither in frustration when they could become part of something alive and growing–something that would bring them great joy. But there is a price to pay in “giving up” power, control, and heritage, even though it’s for a greater cause. Too many congregations aren’t sufficiently courageous and selfless to make it happen. But others are. Perhaps your church has what it takes. Yeah, I’ll bet you do. See that UB church 10 or 20 minutes away? Talk to them.

26 Jul Is Your Church an Island?

Tom Blaylock, Director of Church Multiplication

I had breakfast the other day with three UB pastors. One was pastoring a large church that is well established, and the other two were pastoring smaller congregations that were planted 5 – 8 years ago. All three pastors live within about a half-hour of each other.

Another thing you need to know about these churches–they all want to bless people beyond the four walls of the buildings they meet in. These leaders honestly want to move their congregations to a greater level of engagement in a lost and dying world, both around the corner and in the far corners of the world. And, to their credit, they are taking deliberate steps in that direction.

But on this particular morning, as we waded through the Cracker Barrel menu and feasted on oatmeal (this ordered by one of our senior members) and pancakes, the question was not, “What is your church doing these days to be and bring the Good News to people?” (which is a very good question), but rather, “What can our three congregations do together to ‘go and make disciples’ that we can’t do on our own?”

And that is a very different question.

We talk a lot about the “Body of Christ” at the local church level. Most of us would agree that helping the members of our congregations discover and engage their giftedness and calling is one of the most important things we do. I remember my days as a church planter and senior pastor. For me the concept of an interdependent body–with each member doing what the Holy Spirit had equipped them to do – was a matter of survival. There was no large, red “S” imprinted on my chest. After a short period of time I learned that I desperately needed others to step forward and live out their giftedness if our church was going to be healthy and fruitful.

Could these same principles be true on a regional level? Is it possible that our local churches were meant to function with other local churches in an interdependent way as we focus on the unfinished mission of making disciples?

Those of you who have spent a lot of time in the book of Acts might have some good insights on this. How many churches were there in Corinth? Were there many churches, or one church of Corinth with many members spread over the region? And if there is only one church of Detroit, or Fort Wayne, or Lancaster, then how do we function together to accomplish the mission that Christ initiated and promised to fulfill?

Can we plant more churches that make disciples of more people by taking joint ownership of our region and intentionally working together for something far greater than the “success” of our own, individual churches?
I would love to get some feedback on this!