A lot of problems could be solved in the Church…

A lot of problems could be solved in the Church of God by doing a thorough inventory of all churches under 50 (or even less) and identify the specifics of the churches. Are there churches who can support a pastor and just won’t or are there churches who can’t support a pastor.

A moratorium could be placed on the Churches that are deeded to the COG and those which are mortgaged by the COG and gradually sell off these buildings and close down the churches.

Sometime in the future this will be done anyway or else the COG will stop holding deeds to property. The Churches will then be congregational in their polity. There is already a big move toward this.

Currently the denomination has a leverage to weed out non-productive churches and there are many. I suspect many non-productive churches would become productive.

They want to stay a COG then support the pastor. I believe that would work.

Categories: #ourCOG

10 comments

Robert Borders says:

August 24, 2016 at 12:19 am

Many formerly strong churches were destroyed or weakened by sending in pastors who should have never been allowed to preach. I know of several who made a career of destroying churches yet were allowed to keep doing such for decades.

David Lewayne Porter says:

August 24, 2016 at 12:53 am

Charles
How do you evaluate and what do you consider productive?
For that matter, non-productive?

Are you just figuring numbers of actual attendees? And is that 3 services a week average or 2 or one service per week.

Names on the role – that have not attended in years(s)?
Churches low in attendance that are debt free?
Small churches that are debit free and not only support themselves but support missions, covenant sister states, the children’s home, and a retired minister’s widow?

So how are you determining non-productive?

Charles Page says:

August 24, 2016 at 12:59 am

bottom line a church that can/will pay a pastor a salary required by the Assembly Minutes. Certainly that is not all inclusive as to productive.

If a church wants to have one Sunday service and wants to stay small and self confined there are pastors to accommodate them and let them be as long as they pay the bills.

They are local churches and want as much autonomy as they can have.

Link Hudson says:

August 24, 2016 at 1:06 am

In the Bible, churches generally met in homes. There is no reference to the ‘church building’ as we know it. 50 people is a pretty big group for a house church. How about getting away from the specialized building format, and the pulpit-pew format while we are away from it and get back to I Corinthians 14:26 style meetings?

Of course, having a denomination with a denominational HQ like the COG (Cleveland) has isn’t in the Bible, either and isn’t the way the Bible indicates or teaches things should be set up, either.

Cleatis Jeffcoat says:

August 24, 2016 at 1:08 am

There are quite a number of churches with 1/2 doz to a doz attendees struggling to keep lights on and a service, rather than shut it down and attend somewhere else with their support. There is a time when it becomes necessary to turn off life support and let die. I agree with you Charles Page, good observation and comment.

David Lewayne Porter says:

August 24, 2016 at 1:12 am

Point plank,
It would have to be done on a church by church basis.
It could not be done by a blanket statement and judgement.

Cleatis Jeffcoat says:

August 24, 2016 at 1:13 am

The district Bishop would then earn his keep, wouldn’t you say.

Charles Page says:

August 24, 2016 at 1:22 am

if trends in denominational church financial keep spiraling downward it maybe a necessity to cull away small churches.

Cleatis Jeffcoat says:

August 24, 2016 at 1:27 am

That, I think is much sooner than later…