Church Finances during COVID-19 (part 5 of 5) – Closing Doors

Every year several hundred churches close their doors permanently. Countless churches are already on wobbly financial grounds and an economic crisis will close more than the usual number. The impending economic crisis forecasted for us is huge: double digit unemployment lasting months or years, economic recession or even depression, etc.

If your church does find itself being forced to close forever, consider some alternatives that will enable the assets of your church to help others.

1. Talk with your local religious body leader to see if you can donate your building and property to the local judicatory (association, convention, conference, presbytery, diocese, etc.). They will take ownership of the building and give or sell it to a new congregation. If that isn’t possible, they can sell the property to a developer and then they’ll invest that money and at a future date, make grants to new churches so that several phoenixes can rise from a closed church.
2. If you don’t have anyone to talk with about this, please contact me. I have resources.

Please do not go to extreme lengths to prolong the life of a church that is moribund. Like people, churches should have a DNR (do not resuscitate) protocol. Instead of using resources to keep a building open and a congregation going, use those resources to close the doors gracefully and bless new church starts with your assets. That will honor the Kingdom the most.

Lead On!

Steve

Listen to the podcast:
https://anchor.fm/cbf-va/episodes/Church-Finances-during-the-Pandemic-Navigating-the-Financial-Fallout–the-CARES-Act–and-Making-Tough-Decisions-ecfgm7