Church Mergers Are Accelerating
THIS ONE IS A PLACE HOLDER – NOT MY WORK – TAKEN FROM ARTICLE RELATED TO JIM TOMBERLIN.
Each year, thousands of U.S. churches—plus tens of thousands of others elsewhere around the globe—are sensing that they could fulfill their God-given mission better together than separately. They’re exploring new ways to join forces for the advancement of God’s kingdom.
Mergers are happening with increasing frequency. And unlike in previous generations, many church mergers today are producing positive growth and admirable fruit. Increasingly, they are becoming a vehicle for unifying local congregations around a shared mission that is producing more effective spiritual and social impact.
In nearly all mergers, one church (the lead church) absorbs another (the joining church). The lead church is usually the larger congregation. The churches become one to achieve a common purpose: working together as a vibrant, healthy expression of Christ’s body, the church.
Questions to Ask
Mergers are complicated, and many issues must be addressed when undertaking one. Here are some of the questions you should ask before starting the merger process:
Who has the legal authority to approve the merger? What happens if some members of the church aren’t on board with what’s going on?
What rights do the people have who funded purchases of the land, facilities, and other assets of the joining church?
What are the obligations of board members from the lead church and the joining church?
How should moral obligations be handled, such as an earlier promise to the longtime secretary of the joining church, whose leaders had verbally promised that the church would take care of her in her retirement?
Will there be a name change for one or both congregations? How will that be decided?
How will the decision to merge be decided, and by whom?
What do each church’s bylaws require? Will a congregational vote be required? If so, what will be the process and what percentage is required for approval? Even if not required, will a vote or poll be
