Viable Churches
Michael Tinker put the following quote on his blog.? It’s what one well-respected evangelical leader says makes a church plant “viable”
“Now as churches grow they cross a point of viability… this is the point when they can pay for themselves… here [in the UK] [it] might be £60-70 000. This is the point at which you can afford to pay a minister, run a church building/hall, minister’s accomodation and some secreterial help.”
? The funny thing is – our church? plant is exceptionally viable, on a lot less.? True, I get ticked off when people don’t put their pound coin the jar for the food that we provide (And it is exceptional food – Ed), but apart from that I can just about cope with the extra amount of toilet paper being used, and the occasional stain on the carpet (good thing it’s a garish Axeminster – Ed).
So what does make a church viable?? You could do worse than check out the letter of Paul’s to Titus.? Viability has more to do with the godliness of the leaders (and their ability to teach the Word), along with? the costly? commitment of the congregation to life as brothers and sisters in the context of their pagan surrounds.? ? By those criteria that may make a few congregations who have 70 grand, a minister, a house,? a building, and some secretarial support extremely unviable.? ? ?
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July 31st, 2007 at 8:20 am
Ah…
I had the conversation with someone a few years back!
A viable cong is one of 100 people – reason – because they can pay a full time leader.
Now I appreciate that a missionaries money has to come from somewhere – usually other Christians or part time work – but the viability of a church is not in question!
Its the shape of our ecclesiology coming thru again
July 31st, 2007 at 2:45 pm
By that rationale neither phenomenon that Alan Hirsch writes of in TFW are viable expressions of church either.
August 1st, 2007 at 5:14 pm
I’ll re-phrase what I think Hamo said as follows: there is a difference between a viable church and a viable “club for the religiously inclined”.
Dave C
August 1st, 2007 at 6:50 pm
Glad to see someone with the ‘gift of interpretation’! Now I understand….