Struggling Churches
How should we talk about struggling churches?
God’s world is full of gifts and possibilities. The church that is Christ’s body is equally full of hope and goodness. The Spirit who calls congregations into existence does not abandon them.
A congregation’s worth is not connected to numerical size or future trajectory. Even congregations that eventually close deserve dignity and respect. They remain gifted, called, and beloved by God.
This is why we’ve given best practices for honoring legacy churches. And we’ve shown how tricky it can be to talk about churches likely to close. We need to name the reality of struggling churches without disparaging them. These faith communities are doing their best to follow God into an uncertain future.
When we talk about congregations facing the possibility of closure, we need to choose words that reflect God’s continued presence with these holy communities. We are searching for terms that are both accurate and neutral. So what should we say?
Here’s an alphabetical list of terms you might want to try:
“Aging Congregations in Aging Buildings”
This is a neutral term, so if it applies to you, then use it! It was certainly true of my context. However, “Aging Congregations in Aging Buildings” does not describe all congregations that eventually conclude ministry. When Sara’s congregation closed, they were renting space for worship and a dozen children and youth worshiped weekly with them. And many new church starts conclude ministry before they get to the five-year mark.
“At-Risk Churches”
The neutrality of this term depends on whether the speaker (and listener) view completing ministry as an acceptable option. We don’t want to stigmatize concluding ministry by making it an implicit threat (“If you don’t change, you’re at risk of closure!”) or a sign of impending catastrophe (“Oh no! 25% of our churches are at risk of closure!”).
“Churches Facing Closure”
This may be accurate when congregations have ruled out merger or other options for their future. It can also be a neutral term. Unfortunately, we’ve seen it used to raise fear, as in this example: “Thousands of churches face closure, demolition or conversion in the next decade, leading to the demise of some branches of Christianity in Europe.” The same statistical forecast could be framed as the “transformation” of European Christianity rather than its “demise.”
“Churches with Uncertain Futures” (Recommended!)
We recommend this term because it is both accurate and neutral. It leaves open various possibilities for the future. Unfortunately, it takes four words to say!
“Transitional Congregations”
This phrase does describe the changes and transitions that congregations undergo. However, it can cause ecumenical confusion, since some denominations use “transitional ministry” and “transitional churches” to refer to intentional interim pastors and the congregations they serve.
“Declining Churches”
Churches can be declining numerically and financially while growing spiritually, so if you want to use this, try prefacing it as “Numerical and Financial Decline.” This sounds like:
Congregations in Numerical Decline
Congregations with Declining Membership and Attendance
Congregations in Financial Decline.
“Dying Congregations”
The term “dying congregations” should only be used when institutional death is not feared. When death is feared, “dying churches” are stigmatized. When death is viewed through the lens of the gospel, then dying is not the end!
“Fragile Congregations” (Recommended!)
Fragile congregations are those “operating with limited margins” (a definition offered by Convergence, formerly Center for Progressive Renewal). These congregations may be one crisis away from needing to close. These churches may be meeting their budget, but their HVAC is held together with duct tape – so what happens when the boiler breaks? This precariousness makes them fragile.
“Hospice Churches”
This term should only be used in contexts where "hospice" evokes empathy, understanding, and compassion. Listeners who value individual hospice ministry are more likely to value hospice with congregations.
“Legacy Planning Congregations” (Recommended!)
We recommend “Legacy Planning” to describe churches in Stages 2, 3, and 4 of The Five Stages of Church Closure. This term links to the use of “Legacy Churches” to describe churches that have completed ministry. Other examples of this phrase include:
Congregational Legacy Planning
Considering Legacy
“Lower Capacity Churches” (Recommended!)
This is an accurate and neutral term that does not project a congregation’s trajectory. This podcast episode shows how “lower capacity churches” can have multiple possible futures.
“Shrinking Churches”
It is good to name the numerical reality — truthfulness is helpful! — and we have seen positive ways to do this, as in this use of “The Myth of How to Save a Shrinking Church.”
“Struggling Churches”
Churches can struggle in many different ways, including financial challenges, spiritual problems, and conflict. Not all struggling churches are on the cusp of legacy, but all churches on the cusp of legacy are going through some sort of struggle.
“Threshold Churches” (Recommended!)
This term is common in the United Church of Christ, like in this webinar about churches on the “threshold of revitalizing, right-sizing, relocating, or relinquishing.” The phrase “Threshold Congregation” is used to indicate the possibility of revitalization, as in these discernment markers comparing threshold congregations and legacy congregations.
“Unhealthy Churches”
Many churches deal with spiritual unhealth, toxic patterns, and abusive behavior — and sometimes these patterns directly contribute to a congregation concluding ministry. However, it is a mistake to equate this lack of emotional health with concluding ministry. Many emotionally unhealthy churches continue functioning that way for decades! Meanwhile, congregations can be spiritually healthy while shrinking in numbers. The work of the Good Friday Collaborative is to encourage this spiritual and emotional health while faithfully completing ministry.
“Unsustainable Churches”
These congregations cannot continue in the same way that they are currently existing. They are using resources faster than they can replenish them. This term is particularly apt for churches that are spending down their savings in order to keep financing existing ministry.
Your Turn
What language do you use for churches that are likely to conclude ministry? Do you agree with our recommendations?
Join the conversation on the Good Friday Collaborative’s Facebook page to share your best practices in talking about churches in transition.
This is the third in a three-part series on how to talk about congregations completing ministry. Read Part 1 on Closing Churches: What to Say and What NOT to Say and Part 2 on Dying Churches: What Not to Say.
In this series (and throughout our website), we are using “church” and “congregation” interchangeably to mean “group of gathered believers within a particular context.” The universal church, which is the Body of Christ, always continues — even when local congregations do not!
