Letting Go to Let God Lead: The Story of Ballast Point Baptist’s Merger

When churches are faced with difficulties like declining attendance or pastoral turnover, thoughts of closing or merging often come up. For Ballast Point Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida, the vision for a greater Gospel impact through merger is what ultimately led them to join with another congregation, Davis Islands Baptist Church.

In the lastest episode of The Last Service Podcast, we heard from Tom Sander, who served for over 30 years at Ballast Point and the church formed through the merger, South Tampa Fellowship. Tom shared the remarkable story of how Ballast Point made the bold decision to merge despite not being in desperate circumstances.

A Clear Calling Amidst Challenges

When Tom joined as music director in 1994, Ballast Point had an attendance between 150-300. However, over the next few years, a string of pastoral departures - including legal troubles for one pastor - led to significant instability. Still, Tom sensed a calling to remain and revitalize the ministry.

"I felt there was so much more to do there. I knew it wasn't the end of the church," Tom says. With patience and steady leadership during the turnover, he cast a vision for how merging with a larger church could breathe new life into Ballast Point's location and reach the surrounding community more effectively.

The Merger Process Just a couple miles away, Davis Islands Baptist - an extension campus of a megachurch - was bursting at the seams with over 1,500 people attending multiple services each Sunday. When Tom learned this, he boldly initiated conversations about merging the two congregations.

While a few families at Ballast Point struggled to "give up their church," most of the congregation embraced the move after seeing Tom's heart and vision. The merger allowed Davis Islands to renovate and move into Ballast Point's larger building, while Ballast Point entered a revitalized ministry as part of the newly renamed South Tampa Fellowship.

A Legacy of Letting Go

Tom acknowledged the difficulty of a smaller church giving up its identity and autonomy in a merger. However, he advises churches to make decisions like this out of vision and calling rather than desperation. Seeing new life and families come in at South Tampa Fellowship helped Ballast Point's members let go of personal preferences.

The merger's impact became even more poignant for Tom when, around his retirement after 30 years of ministry, his grandson was baptized at the renovated Ballast Point campus. Tom's willingness to let go of what was familiar allowed for new beginnings and an enduring Gospel legacy.

"I'm just grateful for God's calling...and where He led me," Tom reflects. His story exemplifies how sometimes embracing an end can preserve and multiply ministry for generations to come.