The Reality of Dying Churches: Insights from Gail Cafferata
As a podcast host exploring the challenges facing modern churches, I recently had the privilege of interviewing Gail Cafferata, author of "The Last Pastor" and a retired Episcopal priest who closed a church. Our conversation shed light on the often-overlooked realities of dying churches and the toll they take on pastors.
Gail's unique perspective as both a researcher and a pastor who's been through church closure herself offered invaluable insights. She surveyed over 100 pastors who have closed churches, uncovering patterns and challenges that many face in silence.
One striking revelation was the emotional impact of leading a dying church. Gail found that 65% of pastors experienced high stress levels, and many struggled with feelings of guilt, shame, and failure. This emotional toll often extends to their careers, with some pastors facing difficulties finding new positions after closure.
Gail introduced me to the concept of "differentiation" - the ability for pastors to maintain healthy boundaries between themselves and their congregations. This skill becomes crucial when leading a dying church, allowing pastors to guide the process without becoming overwhelmed by the congregation's emotions.
Perhaps most importantly, Gail emphasized that a dying church doesn't have to be a failure. She spoke about what constitutes a "good death" for a congregation, including:
Celebrating the church's legacy and impact
Providing pastoral care for members and leaders
Finding ways for the church's mission to continue through its members in new contexts
As we face the reality of declining church attendance and more congregations facing closure, Gail's research and experiences offer a roadmap for navigating these challenging times with grace and hope.
For those interested in diving deeper into this topic, I highly recommend checking out Gail's book, "The Last Pastor," or listening to our full conversation on The Last Service podcast.
Have you experienced or witnessed a church closure? How did it impact you or your community? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The Vital Role of Small Churches in Today’s Faith Landscape: My Conversation with Karl Vaters
As I reflect on my conversation with Karl Vaters, I can't help but think about the countless small churches around the world, often overlooked yet vital to the Christian faith. In a time when megachurches seem to dominate the narrative, Karl's insights were a powerful reminder of the importance of small congregations, especially when many pastors are struggling with the fear of leading what they perceive as a dying church.
Rethinking Church Growth
One of the most impactful moments in our discussion was when Karl talked about the misconception surrounding church growth. Like many pastors in the 1980s, Karl was swept up in the church growth movement, emphasizing that bigger was always better. The idea was that if you followed the right strategies, your church would inevitably grow in size. But after years of ministry, Karl came to a sobering realization—growth isn’t guaranteed, even when you do everything "right."
This struck a chord with me. How often have we equated a thriving church with a growing congregation, only to feel like we're failing when our numbers don't match our expectations? Karl’s story reassured me that a small church doesn't equate to a dying church. Many small churches are healthier and more spiritually vibrant than their larger counterparts.
The Strength of Small Churches
Karl shared that 90% of churches worldwide have fewer than 200 members. This statistic was eye-opening but even more powerful was Karl's point that small churches play a critical role in regions where Christianity thrives. These congregations may not have the resources or visibility of larger churches, but they possess a unique strength in their close-knit communities. The relationships in these churches are often deeper, the pastoral care more personal, and the spiritual growth more intentional.
Shifting the Focus from Size to Health
Karl’s message challenged me to rethink how we define success in ministry. Historically, the church focused on pastoral care, biblical teaching, and building genuine community rather than on growing numbers. Somewhere along the line, we lost that focus, especially in the American context. Karl advocates for a return to these roots, urging pastors to prioritize the health of their congregations over their size.
This shift in perspective is not only liberating but also necessary. It’s easy to get caught up in the numbers game, but Karl reminds us that a small, healthy church can have just as much, if not more, impact than a large one. Small churches are often where real spiritual growth happens because of their intimate and supportive environments.
Resources for Small Churches
Karl is passionate about providing resources specifically designed for small churches. He pointed out that most church resources are geared towards larger congregations, which can leave small church pastors feeling even more isolated. Karl's work is filling that gap, offering practical tools and strategies catering to small churches' unique challenges.
Conclusion
My conversation with Karl Vaters was a much-needed reminder that small churches are not dying churches. In many cases, they are the lifeblood of the global Christian community. By shifting our focus from numbers to health, we can ensure that our ministries are spiritually fulfilling and impactful, no matter the size of our congregations.
If you’re feeling the pressure of leading a "dying church," I hope Karl’s insights encourage you as much as they did me. Small churches matter, and so does your work within them. Together, we can contribute to the broader growth of the Christian Church, one small but significant step at a time.
A Conversation with Mark Elsdon on Church Property Transition
The decline of the American Christian church does not mean anything about God, says Mark Elsdon, editor of the book "Gone For Good? Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition." While the number of churches in the U.S. will likely be far fewer in 20 years, and over 100,000 church properties may change hands in the next decade, this is not the end.
"I think there's a lot of hope. I think there's a lot of potential for new expressions of what it means to be the church, for new ways for God to show up in our lives and in our communities," Elsdon said in a recent conversation on The Last Service Podcast.
Elsdon, an ordained Presbyterian minister and co-founder of the organization Rooted Good, brought together diverse voices for the book "Gone For Good" to examine the massive scale of church closures and property transitions coming in the near future.
Yet this trend is catching many denominations by surprise. Elsdon said there's likely an element of denial at play, as well as decentralized national structures that leave middle governing bodies unequipped. Many react by simply putting up a for sale sign rather than thinking strategically about their property from a theological framework.
"...what I hope the book is doing is calling us to think a little bit more forwardly and a bit more intentionally about these decisions," Elsdon said.
The book also examines the "halo effect" of churches in communities. One study found the average church contributes $4 million of value to the local economy each year through hosting voting, AA groups, scout troops, food pantries, and more. Yet as churches decline, they often lose touch with their surrounding neighborhood.
Elsdon pointed to one powerful example of a Louisville, Kentucky, church located in an under-resourced area. Though the church building itself was falling apart, the pastor was deeply involved in ministering to people's lives. They partnered with the city and others to redevelop an entire city block into an incubator for new businesses, retail space, and more, choosing to prioritize community development over fixing their own building first.
"Rather than prioritize fixing their own building, they first said, let's make a contribution to our neighborhood here," Elsdon said.
In the midst of the pain and grief churches will face over closures in the years ahead, Elsdon finds hope in reimagining what it means to be the gathered community of Christ in a given place. "It is much more than simply getting together for worship to sing songs and hear a sermon on Sunday," he said. He believes listening to and understanding context is key for churches to faithfully steward the property they've been entrusted with in this season.
You can find Elsdon's book "Gone For Good? Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transitions" wherever books are sold online. Learn more about his organization Rooted Good at rootedgood.org.