A New Kind of Redemption
Adoptions, acquisitions and other thoughts on redeeming ministry and facilities
950 words, 3 minutes, opportunity to join the redemption story of a church or facility near you
A harsh economic reality of the pandemic is that some churches will not be able to survive on their own. Some thought leaders have suggested we could lose as many as 20% of the congregations in the United States. Churches with a high percentage of their congregations in the retail, dining, and entertainment sectors have been hit hard, and many more felt the pain as industries like airlines laid off tens of thousands of workers. One large church in the west recently laid off 45% of their existing staff. Some congregations with falling tithes and inadequate reserves will be forced to close.
While this is incredibly difficult, it is also a tremendous opportunity for financially healthy congregations to step in and make a significant impact for the Kingdom. Rather than seeing church buildings sold to developers, or sitting abandoned, this is a chance to bring new life and new hope to communities across the country. There are multiple opportunities for churches to come together for Kingdom growth.
Adoption (Merger)
In the most recent multisite survey conducted by Leadership Network, the percentage of multisite campuses that were a result of mergers moved from 30% to 40%. In addition, Jim Tomberlin and Warren Bird, authors of Better Together, report that 82% of respondents to their recent survey said they would merge again if given an opportunity.
Successful adoptions always begin with a relationship. What churches are you already in relationship with? Who is around you that you could reach out to? How can you come alongside other churches in your community or in your network to discover how you might be more effective together?
There are likely churches in your community or network with an affinity for the mission and culture of your church, that are struggling to survive in the current climate. This could be a great time to discuss adoption. This process allows the joining church to extend the legacy of their church into the future through access to the resources - leadership and financial - of a healthier church.
Normally in an adoption the church being adopted becomes a campus of and takes on the identity and culture of the adopting church, but there are many ways to become one church in multiple locations.
One emerging idea is a multi-branded church. Many don’t realize that Ritz Carlton, Westin, Fairfield, and Residence Inns are all owned by Marriott? There are 32 distinct brands under the Marriott umbrella, each with its own distinct look, feel, and target demographic. I think the Apostle Paul would have liked Marriott hotels,
I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
1 Corinthians 9:22b (NIV)
What would it look like for a church to take the Marriott approach to multisite? Rather than simply replicating the same model over and over, or planting independent churches, what if a church created very unique expressions based on the cultures and demographics of the communities they are trying to reach with the Gospel? Instead of forcing adopted churches into a single mold, locations could be grouped around common characteristics. One church might have multiple Spanish-speaking sites, urban sites, and rural sites. Oversight might be complicated, but there would be potential for exponential Kingdom growth.
Some more great options after the ad below …
When the pandemic shut down everything in 2020 almost every church went online, becoming one church in multiple homes. People who had never attended church were now inviting your church into their homes; was that just a stopgap measure, or a major change in how we do church going forward?
In my and Geoff Surratt’s ebook, Multisite Reimagined we peek behind the curtain at churches that are expanding on this new reality rather than simply getting back to “normal”, finding new ways to be one church in multiple locations.
Multisite Reimagined™ is my proprietary process to help your team think creatively about what’s next for your multisite ministry.
To download the free ebook and take the Multisite Reimagined Assessment, go to Multisite Reimagined.
To schedule a call to talk about it, just go here.
Facility acquisition
At the very basic level there will be opportunities to purchase or take over facilities from congregations who can no longer operate. There is great value in keeping Kingdom assets actively involved in Kingdom work. One church that was recently gifted another church’s building has decided to use the donated facility as a community center for now. Eventually they plan to plant either a site or a free-standing church in the building.
In addition to church buildings there will begin to be some retail operations that will not survive and many of these places are ideal for church sites and campuses. In the past we have seen the closure of retail chains such as Circuit City with their property being either purchased or secured through long term lease agreements.
There is also some conversation and movement in this arena as it relates to movie theaters. Many believe that the pandemic has resulted in a change in entertainment consumption that will be permanent. Some theater chains will likely fold and others will be decreasing the number of locations to adjust for the lower demand. Throughout the multiplication movement of the last 20 years, many churches have used theaters as portable locations for the launch of campuses and plants. As theater spaces become available, there may be an opportunity to secure these same spaces as permanent facilities. Fellowship Church, Dallas operates effectively out of the theater they purchased 10+ years ago. In addition to the opportunity to create venue and student ministry spaces from the former theaters, the parking and close access to rapid transit has been a win.
Come alongside
Some churches just need a little help to get by. Much as the Jerusalem church needed help from some of the churches Paul planted during a time of famine, otherwise healthy churches can be saved simply by providing resources to make it through this season. Are there churches in your community you could partner with and help out for the next few months? That help might come as a one-time financial gift, the donation of needed equipment, or an offer of free space to meet. This is a great time to chat with area pastors and discover needs your church can meet.
Are you in the “church redemption space?” Email me your experiments and stories at greg.ligon@generis.com.
Schedule a free call to talk about your current situation or predicament by sending an email to greg.ligon@generis.com.