legacy church summit

Legacy Church Summit

Nov. 9, 2013Martin Luther High School

Northrop, MN

Legacy Church SummitLegacy Churches Defined:

“to leave a legacy is to pass on to future generations something of great

significance. Leaving a legacy should be the hope of every church” (Gray and

Dumond, 2009, p. 97).

Legacy Church SummitLegacy Churches, District Defined:

Pursuit of all possible options available for continuation of word and sacrament ministry in

all congregational locations throughout the district.


Opening DevotionRev. Dr. Dean Nadasdy

Mission of God


SWOT Analysis in Legacy Churches

Strengths…Weaknesses…Opportunities…Threats


Demographics…”State of the Church”Congregational Life Cycles

Legacy Church Options

National church statistics*:◦ U.S. church attendance at 18%...15% by 2020◦ 80% of churches are in plateau or decline

Plateau = < 5% decline in attendance for 3-5 years Decline = > 5% decline in attendance for 3-5 years

◦ 50% of U.S. churches < 100 attendees◦ 35% of U.S. churches < 55 attendees◦ Almost ALL denominations are in decline

* Gray and Dumond (2009)

Demographics…”State of the Church”

LCMS MN South Statistics ◦ 245 congregations…urban, suburban and rural◦ 87% of MN South churches are in plateau or

decline Decline = 161 congregations…66%

> 5% decline in attendance for 5 years (2006 to 2011) Plateau = 53 congregations…21%

< 5% decline in attendance for 5 years (2006 to 2011) Growing = 31 congregations….13%

> 5% growth in attendance in last 5 years (2006 to 2011)

◦ 62 congregations…25%... < 100 attendees◦ 50 congregations…20%... < 55 attendees◦ 87% of congregations in plateau or decline


LCMS MN South Statistics – Attendance 245 total congregations

◦ > 1,000 = 3 congregations (1%)….avg. of 1,260◦ 750 to 999 = 3 congregations (1%)…avg. of 836◦ 500 to 749 = 7 congregations (3%)…avg. of 584◦ 250 to 499 = 31 congregations (13%)…avg. of 353◦ 100 to 249 = 89 congregations (36%)…avg. of 169◦ 50 to 99 = 71 congregations (29%)…avg. of 72◦ 1 to 49 = 41 congregations (17%)…avg. of 31

◦ 5% > 500 49% 100 – 499 46% < 100


LCMS MN South – 245 Congregations - Attendance Demographics…”State of the Church”

> 1000 750-999 500-749 250-499 100-249 50-99 0-490

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

3 37

31

89

71

41

Blue = < 75 weekly attend. = 44 congs. = 18% Red = < 50 weekly attend. = 41 congs. = 17%

LCMS MN South – 245 Congregations

National Church Statistics*◦ 32,000 churches closed in the last decade…

3,200 annually…267 monthly…62 weekly LCMS, MN South Statistics

◦ 10 church closures in the last 10 years Immanuel, Mpls Praise, Eagan St. John, Dunnell Risen Christ, Stillwater Bethlehem, Dayton St. Luke, St. Louis Park Christ, Wells Redeemer, Burnsville Zion, St. Paul Olive Branch, Coon Rapids



Reality Check*…◦ P. 53…human bodies and organizations, to live is

to die, it is normal and natural…no one escapes it◦ Life Cycle Phases

Birth…years 1-5 Growth…years 5-20 Maturity…years 20-30 (most vulnerable) Plateau…years 30-50 Decline…years 60-80 Death


Congregational Life Cycles

External Factors*◦ Change of Landscape…re-zoning and/or re-routing

of roads…can see it, but can’t get to it◦ Loss of Population…gradual, slow leak of people◦ Triple Elder Effect…older church, members, and

pastor…difficult to draw younger families◦ Pace of Change…the church does not keep up

with the pace of change and changes in the community



Internal Factors*◦ P. 58…”Internal factors usually have greater

influence in the downward trend of a church’s life cycle.”

◦ Resistance to Change◦ Volunteers…fewer and more burnout◦ Conflict…potential to be mismanaged◦ Relational Dysfunction…unhealthy relationships◦ Debt…too much, or possible too little/none



1) Reduced Finances and Staffing:A) Dual/Triple Parish - remaining open…sharing of ministry resources, maintain own identity with fewer called staff for coverage.

B) Bi-Vocational/Worker-Priest – remaining open…share church worker with the time needed to earn income in a secular job…church maintains own identity, lesser staff coverage…potential of identifying a new church worker to move through an SMP process.

MN South – Legacy Options

1) Reduced Finances and Staffing:C) Permanent Vacancy – remaining open with less staff coverage, likely a contracted yet called worker with limited hours…likely a retired pastor…congregation status of permanent vacancy acknowledges lack of resources and members to support a full time called worker.


2) Revitalization/Mission Formation – remaining open…plug pastor into a learning community, coaching, and consultation process through the mission formation office in the district for qualified “vetted” congregations.



3) Mentoring – remaining open…working actively and seeking help from a neighboring congregation, adopting new practices to achieve different results. Governance and direction still intact.

4) Renter – remaining open…swap roles from owner to renter of building, or rent at another more affordable facility. Loss of assets, but retain identity as a renter.


5) Re-Launch – remaining open…change name and then do a re-launch with an opening worship service. A newly named congregation with a new ministry focus in the community.

6) Multi-Site Campus – close and re-open …becomes new ministry of host congregation at the same site of closure. Renamed as an additional/new site of host, who takes on assets and liabilities of closing congregation.

MN South – Legacy Options7) Merger – closure and re-opening of two or

more congregations…one site and name is selected as new ministry site. Assets are pooled or sold. Best site (existing or new) is used for future ministry.

8) Closure – close and remain closed…plan a final service, work with district and state of Minnesota to close doors. Constitution of the congregation directs assets and funds to the district…which are then placed into new ministry elsewhere in the district.

“God still reminds us today, history is to be lived out, not lived in. History is a great teacher but a cruel master” (p. 19).

“Local churches were not intended to be eternal, but Christ’s church is eternal and will never die” (pp. 34-35).

“If a church closing is a failure, then all the churches in the book of Acts were failures since none of them still exist today” (pp. 35-36).

“Faith alone will not bring about the changes necessary to revitalize a church. Faith must be accompanied by hard work and openness to change” (p. 40).

“Once a church reaches the death phase of its life cycle, rarely will it experience significant growth and rebirth” (p. 40).

Closure Thoughts by AuthorsGray and Dumond, Legacy Churches (2009)

Closure Factors* ◦ Attendance Decline…below a “critical mass”◦ Staffing/Volunteerism…inadequate to meet needs◦ Income Decline…inadequate to support ministry◦ Age/Tenure of Members…Presby. Church @ 58,

UMC @ 61, LCMS @ 62 (U.S. median age is 36)◦ Survival is the Mission…not the Great Commission

Work in Partnership with the District Office ◦ Meetings and closing services, legal issues

Synod, District, and State of Minnesota needs◦ Disposition of assets, memorabilia and records


Closure Factors and Process

Gray, S. and Dumond, F. (2009). Legacy Churches. St. Charles, IL. ChurchSmart Resources.

LCMS.org – Statistical Reports

References

1. Reduced Finances and Staffing

1. Dual/Triple Parish2. Bi-Vocational/Worker-Priest3. Permanent Vacancy

2. Revitalization/Mission Formation

3. Mentoring4. Renter5. Re-Launch6. Multi-Site Campus7. Merger8. Closure

Legacy Church Options

Please attend the breakout sessions you wish to hear more about after lunch…

Aligning with the 11 District Initiatives…◦ #5 – Equip congregations to transition well◦ #9 – Biblical mission formation processes◦ #10 – Assist congregations in new starts/ministries◦ #11 – New ways and means of funding God’s

mission

Alignment with District Initiatives

Discuss options, consult with…◦ Neighboring Congregations◦ Circuit and Circuit Visitors◦ District Staff

Plan…proactively for a desired future and outcome where word and sacrament ministry continues to take place in your location

Ask…for any assistance you might need to help make these plans happen

Summary…Next Steps…Follow Up

legacy church summit

Documents

church attendance

church gray

mn south churches

weekly attend

congregational locations

possible options available

change of landscapere

continuation of word