Imagination beyond survival: Church fellowship and buildings

Grace Duddy Pomroy’s book Funding Forward A Pathway to More Sustainable Models for Ministry was a best-seller in e-books within 24 hours of its release. My paper copy is peppered with sticky notes and highlighting. She writes:

“Too often, I think congregations have confused loving God and loving neighbor with loving their buildings and their fellowship with other members.” [italics mine]

I made that quote big because it’s big! Christians know the call to love God and to love our neighbours. However, it’s much easier to love the building and the familiarity of other church members. I’m a church person and I know this to be true.

I did some church research where three churches in a row described how they were uniquely friendly - unlike other churches. These quotes are fictional but representative:

“Our church is friendly, not like other churches where they don’t know you” ~ Church A

“We eat together every week, we’re one big family. Not like other churches.” ~ Church B

“I love it here, this is my church family. Not like other churches where no one knows your name.” ~ Church C

Is your church friendly? Probably yes. My church is too. That’s so great!

However, while friendliness is essential, it can’t be everything. Devotion to the church fellowship and to the building makes it hard to imagine changing course when the congregation dwindles. Churches ration their resources in order to prolong their time together. They reduce or eliminate gifts to the denomination and other causes. They underpay clergy. They rely on rentals, bingos, reserve funds. They sell property. Their efforts are coming from a strong common bond. They don’t want to merge with another church of the same denomination that’s a mile away (uniquely friendly!)

Their time remaining as a church (in its current form) might be short. It’s difficult and confusing for people who have worshipped together for decades to acknowledge this reality. Their sense of fellowship is strong. Haven’t they taken good care of their building? Haven’t they prayed together and cared for each other? People might be getting older but they care about each other. People say, “where else could I go? These are my people. This is my place. I want my funeral to be here.”

I applaud the bravery and vulnerability of people who can share their lament. However, this lament is a variation on “my church is uniquely friendly.” How can a congregation expand their imagination beyond survival that is limited to the care of building and current members?

Even “uniquely friendly” churches started somewhere. How did the church begin? What is the origin story? Has this church started other churches, supported other ministries? Which people from the congregation have moved to other places and worked for God’s Kingdom? The more a congregation can tell the stories of movement and change, the easier it is to see how God’s Spirit continues to move.