I had an intriguing meeting yesterday. As part of my administrative responsibilities, I assist pastors and local churches in securing places of worship. One of the churches I serve is considering relocating and we had a meeting with the representative of a major denomination who is selling one of their properties. This gentleman’s task is to liquidate buildings that they no longer plan to use. The congregation that worshipped in the building we are considering disbanded. They had worshipped in that building for 100 years. The stained glass photo is an actual shot from this beautiful old building.
That is where the conversation got interesting.
This man told me that his denomination is selling all of their buildings where local congregations fail. In essence, he said that they have no plans to bring in new leaders and start new congregations. Church planting and raising up new congregations is “not on the radar.” They will cut their losses and get as much money as possible from the liquidation of the building. After 100 years, they are selling the church.
I was a little stunned by the matter-of-fact way he communicated their approach. I was also a bit shocked that this man could make a living selling church buildings. I wondered how many churches they were closing. Why had they given up on the idea of opening new churches? And I wondered how long they could keep their organizational doors opened by selling off their properties. It’s a matter of math and time until they run out of inventory. And it appears as though the vision of the group has been extinguished.
I choose to allow this denomination to remain unnamed. Believe me, you would recognize the name.
Way more vital than a relocation consideration for our church is the painful truth that this experience reveals. Many once-strong churches are not surviving. Some denominations are abandoning ship and only trying to keep from losing a lot of money in the process. As a denominational leader, I am concerned about our direction. Is this building liquidation a sign of things to come for the church in America?
The true Church is not a building; it is people. But when once-vibrant groups are willing to abandon communities and years of ministry, we have reason for concern. When starting new churches is “not on the radar”, we’d better be worried.
I am not concerned about the future of the church; Jesus promised that She would survive. I am concerned about the future of the world. If the church gives up trying, how will the world be saved?
Thoughts on Life and Leading 