Churches that are family-owned and operated closing this year

This week cover symptoms often found in dysfunctional churches. The list is not meant to be critical but eye-opening. There is hope for our churches, and that hope is found in Christ. Some highlights:

• If there are severe theological errors in a church, it may no longer be a true church.
• Force-terminated pastors are too common.
• The average tenure of a pastor is about 3.5 years.
• There is a misperception that unchurched people are not receptive to invites to church. That is simply not true.
• Churches that are “family-owned and operated” are often among the ones that close each year.
• If you ever look for a perfect church, you will not find it.

The six symptoms of a dysfunctional church that we cover are:

1. Severe theological errors are pervasive in the church.
2. The church is known as a “pastor-eater.”
3. The congregation experiences severe conflict.
4. Hardly anyone in the community knows the church exists.
5. The church is declining while the community is growing.
6. The church is “family owned and family operated.”