Some simple approaches can help growing churches and struggling churches come together to accomplish something honorable and worthy for the Kingdom.
For the Struggling Church
Be open to the possibility God may have new purposes for the faithful work and investment you’ve made over the years.
Involve the entire congregation in celebrating the blessings of the past and opening hearts to what God may do in the future.
Proactively reach out to other churches to explore how you might work together to serve your community.
For the Church Needing Space
Pray for humility and sensitivity.
Understand and appreciate the deep pain experienced by those in dying churches.
Take on the compassion of a Hospice nurse, rather than the bloodlust of a predator.
Use good relational skills. Initially, meet personally and informally with leaders from the struggling church.
Don’t tell about your success. In fact, don’t tell at all. Ask questions. Ask about the challenges the struggling church faces. Ask how you might help the struggling church.
Rather than talking takeover, talk first about less threatening options, such as renting space or sharing ministry initiatives.
When considering lease or sales figures, don’t be ruthless. Make reasonable offers that reflect current market conditions. The selling congregation may have good plans to invest the proceeds in other God-honoring ministries that resonate with their mission.
These are challenging times for many churches. These times call for the Body of Christ to summon abundant doses of love, respect and compassion for one another.
