KG's thread in this forum made me think, and it's 4 AM and I'm wide awake, so I thought I'd share this for what it's worth....
As many of you know, I'm currently Pastoring a Church that was on the brim of collapse. A previous Pastor had managed to grow the Church from a membership of about 250 to about 17 individuals. Long story short, the Pastor had taken over from a Pastor who had retired after 34 years at that Church. The membership was mostly senior adult, and the "new guy" came in and drastically changed EVERYTHING, trying to make the Church into the "Praise and Worship" format - no hymns, no pulpit, no jacket and tie --- all the stuff that "Traditional" Churches expect.
ANYWAY, the Church is rebounding, and we're already back up to 80 or so in worship, but that's not the point.
MEANWHILE, across town, a group of Lutherans had formed a new Lutheran Church out of their disgust for their current Church's march toward liberalism. I don't know a whole lot about the various Lutheran Synods, but suffice it to say that THIS group believed the Bible was the Word of God, and it was time to "get back to basics".
They began meeting in a building at the County Fairgrounds, and were about 200 or so individuals, seeking God's leadership.
Maybe you see where this is going.... MY Church (just before I got there) had a very nice Church plant (building and grounds) with an auditorium that seats nearly 300 people, but was pretty much EMPTY on Sunday Mornings. THEIR group was crowded into a "just big enough" room at the Fairgrounds, and they were wanting to grow.
One of our members was friends with one of their members through a common workplace, and they got to talking. Next thing you know, the two Churches are in discussions about how to share our facility, keeping our own identities, and the Lutherans basically "paying rent". They would "have Church" from 9 AM to 10:xx, and we would "have Church" from 10:45 to whenever.
Amazingly enough, it's WORKING!!!! The Lutheran Pastor and I have become good friends, and I'm learning a lot more about Luther than I ever imagined. I'm also learning about cooperation. The Lutherans are VERY appreciative of our willingness to share our building, and have been VERY helpful, for example, on Church Work Days, turning out in force to help replace light bulbs, fix plumbing problems, repair broken windows or door knobs, and general "fixup" things.
This has been going on for nearly two years now, and continues to work well. They don't pretend to be Baptist, and we don't pretend to be Lutheran, and we work together on projects where we can. We had a joint Christmas Eve Service, with the Lutheran Pastor and myself presiding.
One of the benefits, of course, was that our Church, which was spending MORE than it was taking in each month, got some "breathing room" with the Lutherans helping pay expenses. Since October of last year, our Church has finally begun spending LESS than we take in each month, even WITHOUT the Lutheran's "rent" money. They have purchased some land, and will be building a building over the next few years, but they don't have to be in any hurry, because they have a nice temporary home with us.
Our folks are getting to know them, and they're getting to know us, and we often do fellowship meals together.
The Lutheran Pastor and I meet on a regular basis to discuss any potential problems so we can "nip them in the bud", and everything continues to go well. For example, as our Baptist congregation continues to grow, PARKING has become somewhat of a problem. They get there first, and take up most of the parking closest to the building, so our senior adults and "less able bodied folks" have to park pretty far from the entrances. When I brought this up as a concern, the Lutherans began an "education campaign" in their congregation asking their younger and more able bodied congregants to consider parking farther from the building, making those "closer" spots available to our older folks.
One of the things the Lutherans have compromised (quite willingly) on was Communion wine. Our deacons were adamant that no alcohol be on the property at any time, and the Lutherans found some non-alcoholic wine to use in Communion.
Some folks ask, from time to time, why we don't just "merge", and the Lutheran Pastor and I both answer, "because there are some folks WE can minister to that THEY can't, etc....." Meanwhile, we're both preaching Christ crucified, buried and risen again.
As many of you know, I'm currently Pastoring a Church that was on the brim of collapse. A previous Pastor had managed to grow the Church from a membership of about 250 to about 17 individuals. Long story short, the Pastor had taken over from a Pastor who had retired after 34 years at that Church. The membership was mostly senior adult, and the "new guy" came in and drastically changed EVERYTHING, trying to make the Church into the "Praise and Worship" format - no hymns, no pulpit, no jacket and tie --- all the stuff that "Traditional" Churches expect.
ANYWAY, the Church is rebounding, and we're already back up to 80 or so in worship, but that's not the point.
MEANWHILE, across town, a group of Lutherans had formed a new Lutheran Church out of their disgust for their current Church's march toward liberalism. I don't know a whole lot about the various Lutheran Synods, but suffice it to say that THIS group believed the Bible was the Word of God, and it was time to "get back to basics".
They began meeting in a building at the County Fairgrounds, and were about 200 or so individuals, seeking God's leadership.
Maybe you see where this is going.... MY Church (just before I got there) had a very nice Church plant (building and grounds) with an auditorium that seats nearly 300 people, but was pretty much EMPTY on Sunday Mornings. THEIR group was crowded into a "just big enough" room at the Fairgrounds, and they were wanting to grow.
One of our members was friends with one of their members through a common workplace, and they got to talking. Next thing you know, the two Churches are in discussions about how to share our facility, keeping our own identities, and the Lutherans basically "paying rent". They would "have Church" from 9 AM to 10:xx, and we would "have Church" from 10:45 to whenever.
Amazingly enough, it's WORKING!!!! The Lutheran Pastor and I have become good friends, and I'm learning a lot more about Luther than I ever imagined. I'm also learning about cooperation. The Lutherans are VERY appreciative of our willingness to share our building, and have been VERY helpful, for example, on Church Work Days, turning out in force to help replace light bulbs, fix plumbing problems, repair broken windows or door knobs, and general "fixup" things.
This has been going on for nearly two years now, and continues to work well. They don't pretend to be Baptist, and we don't pretend to be Lutheran, and we work together on projects where we can. We had a joint Christmas Eve Service, with the Lutheran Pastor and myself presiding.
One of the benefits, of course, was that our Church, which was spending MORE than it was taking in each month, got some "breathing room" with the Lutherans helping pay expenses. Since October of last year, our Church has finally begun spending LESS than we take in each month, even WITHOUT the Lutheran's "rent" money. They have purchased some land, and will be building a building over the next few years, but they don't have to be in any hurry, because they have a nice temporary home with us.
Our folks are getting to know them, and they're getting to know us, and we often do fellowship meals together.
The Lutheran Pastor and I meet on a regular basis to discuss any potential problems so we can "nip them in the bud", and everything continues to go well. For example, as our Baptist congregation continues to grow, PARKING has become somewhat of a problem. They get there first, and take up most of the parking closest to the building, so our senior adults and "less able bodied folks" have to park pretty far from the entrances. When I brought this up as a concern, the Lutherans began an "education campaign" in their congregation asking their younger and more able bodied congregants to consider parking farther from the building, making those "closer" spots available to our older folks.
One of the things the Lutherans have compromised (quite willingly) on was Communion wine. Our deacons were adamant that no alcohol be on the property at any time, and the Lutherans found some non-alcoholic wine to use in Communion.
Some folks ask, from time to time, why we don't just "merge", and the Lutheran Pastor and I both answer, "because there are some folks WE can minister to that THEY can't, etc....." Meanwhile, we're both preaching Christ crucified, buried and risen again.
Comment