MondayMorningInsight - Leadership & Encouragement for Church Leaders

James MacDonald: A Letter to a Dying Church…

Posted by: Todd
Posted on: Wed, March 25, 2009
Viewed 41
(8) comments so far

James MacDonald writes: "In April, we will celebrate the 5th anniversary of a noble act by a dying church known as Crossway Baptist Church in Niles, Illinois.

Formerly known as Belden Avenue Baptist Church, they had been, in their glory years, a fruitful, thriving centerpiece of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches. During the 80’s and 90’s they experienced much division and reduction in membership, as well as frequent turnover in pastoral leadership. Left with only a handful of members and unable to meet the budget even for facility upkeep and utilities, they sought the Lord for wisdom and came to Harvest Bible Chapel for help. Five years ago in April they voted “to never vote again” and became an extension campus of Harvest. We provided staffing, leadership development, building renovation, live worship, and teaching by video.

By God’s grace, their weekly attendance is now over 1400, with more than 200 hundred baptisms to date. Many others who had stumbled or lost their way have discovered a dynamic community of believers where they can worship, serve, and have fellowship in Christ. It is the most racially diverse of our campuses and they are bursting at the seams. Currently they are planning both a building program and a church plant further into Chicago and are making a huge impact in their community. It has become a very exciting center of kingdom activity."

What a great story! James then writes a letter that might have been written by one member of this churches to other churches that are dying. It is really good...

Comments

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Brianmpei on Wed, March 25, 2009

I’ve got to say this post and his blog post leaves me with a lot of questions. I think it’s a bit of “spin” on some levels that I’m coming to expect from the multi-site model. We all “spin”, I’m not intending that as a criticism, just an observation.

One question I’m wrestling with is why did we ever think a “brand” was supposed to go on and on and on? I’m pretty sure our community here will one day disperse and be re-gathered in another form/brand - still part of the Kingdom but not trying to prop up the same ol’ same ol’.
Leonard on Wed, March 25, 2009

Great story! I loved it.
Russell Mckinney on Wed, March 25, 2009

First, let me compliment the people of Belden Avenue Baptist Church for being so open-minded and even radical. They did something a lot of dying or plateaued congregations wouldn’t do under any circumstances. Second, however, I have to wonder if they would have done it had they been able to keep the bills paid. Was it the commendable burden to revive their dying church that motivated them? Or was it the hard, cold lack of enough money? I know of some congregations who don’t seem to be doing much for the Lord, but they’ve got their building paid off and they have a handful of families who will keep the doors open and a man in the pulpit (oftentimes bivocational) no matter what. They don’t have much vision for moving their church forward, but they won’t think of letting it close its doors either.
PT on Mon, March 30, 2009

Maybe some of you can help me on part of this issue. What is the biblical basis of multi-site church sites? Especially as opposed to planting a church and/or re-starting or revising a struggling one that maintains it’s independence as a local body?

I get that multi-sites are a ‘safer’ approach, building off of existing brand, reputation, public personality, resources, etc. I get it adds a sense of control and prestige to the main body. But how is it biblical?
Charley Blom on Mon, March 30, 2009

Great story of a church being ‘reborn’. What saddens me is what led up to the point of the church being ready to die. they experienced conflict, fighting, multiple pastors, who were either forced out or who left becasue of the church environment. [this is a guess on my part but probably close to the truth].

So instead of finding a new way to be a church, they were self destructing. This is sad, but the answer is awesome. They saw a ‘creative’ way to respond but seeking help from another church. PTL

Charley
jerry on Tue, March 31, 2009

Cutting comments PT Why don’t you tell us how is it not Biblical?
PT on Wed, April 01, 2009

Jerry,

Please note the question marks in my previous post. I asked for clarification and support in order to make a reasonable stance - I did not actually take let alone insist on one. Why so defensive?

But since you ask, arguments that could be made include: there is no biblical example of a multi-site church, it arguably weakens the local character and community that is emphasized in Scripture for the church, and - in principle - could be seen as similar to the beginnings of what became the Catholic Church system.

I ASKed for biblical support precisely because I haven’t made up my mind how I feel about it. I would like the church where I pastor to multiply at some point and am pondering if the best way to do that would be planting, multi-site or other. I am seeking meaningful dialogue, not meaningless returns.
Leonard on Wed, April 01, 2009

PT,

I do not think you will find a model in scripture for the Multi-site venue. However that does not mean is is wrong or unbiblical. It could simply mean it has no cultural expression when the bible was written.

It’s pros over church planting are that there are many pastors out there who love to shepherd but dread the preaching. This is a great opportunity for them to express their gifts.

It allows churches to share resources in unique ways. It allows for rapid expanse in the kingdom. It is in some ways cheaper than planting churches.

Con’s have to do with leadership development. while there are caps to leadership development everywhere, this one has a built in cap and it is the host church. The over all expanse of the video venue is limited over a church planting movement. I am a part of a planting movement, we are at 12 churches right now and we will expand another 8 this next 12 months. We examined the model along with several others and decided planting connected but autonomous churches was best for what we are doing out here.

It is a great model that has had great impact for God’s kingdom.