Dr. Eberhard Speaks Out - "Succeed or Fail?"

The Rev. Dr. David Eberhard will do an article periodically called "Dr. Eberhard Speaks Out." He will challenge us with his thoughts and experience as a leading churchman in America. While we may agree, or not agree, he will share with us what he has learned that works in the local parish. Over his forty years of experience in the ministry, he has always tended to be ahead of the current curve of church practices, and is always "pushing the envelope" to get us to expand our thinking.

Each day, we hear of more and more corporations who are making hard choices to succeed lest they fail and fold. The buzz words are restructuring, downsizing, consolidating, merging, lay offs or buy outs, all in the name of saving a company that is productive and profitable. No longer can they hold to "we've never done that before" or " that is too big a risk to take". The bold leaders are taking the risks into the unknown, and are succeeding. Those not willing to change are failing.

The church also needs to take a hard look at itself and its structures. We can no longer just maintain "private club houses" for a few people. With the average church size in our nation at 125 members we need to ask ourselves is this the best use of our people, our properties, and our pastors. It takes about 300 families to make up a parish that can be barely self supporting. It's time to look about us, and see where parishes can cooperate, consolidate, and yes, even merge.

Cities, in particular, have many small parishes, in the same denomination, that are barely making it. Some hang on with supplemental income from day cares, charter schools, rentals, or dwindling endowments. Most are faced with heavy maintenance and utility costs.

I firmly believe the only way we can gain a major foothold in the cities is by a cooperative ministry. One church needs to be the "main" church, that provides central leadership, staffing, administrative functions, training, raising up indigenous church workers, funding, etc. Each local parish becomes its own "out post" specialized ministry, in its given community. Some are ethnic, some are Afro American or Hispanic, some are senior citizen oriented, others are Bible cell based... the options are endless. These local parishes share staffing, provided from the "main" church, such as: clergy, youth directors, music persons, maintenance persons, volunteers, and office workers. All persons from the local sites come together regularly at the "main" church for worship, training, fellowship, or special civic activities. I've tried many approaches, some have worked - others have not. However, now its up to others to pick up the challenge and get on with the task of being the church!

Are we going to wait till our many parishes fail, and, so to speak - file for bankruptcy? Or are we going to really sit down, surrender some of our autonomy, and work towards the restructuring of a church that will succeed, being productive and, yes, even profitable. This will require a lot work, a lot of trial and error, a lot of funding, and most of all a lot of prayer and God's abundant blessings. It's in our hands - "Succeed or Fail"?