Why churches should join forces

Wolfville Baptist Church in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, the oldest continuing Baptist church in Canada. Photo by Bill Porter

What if neighborhood churches attempted real, stand-up-and-mean-something collaboration? Like sharing office space or the resources of a benevolence ministry? Maybe one sacrificial church can point a donor toward a needy congregation instead of swelling its own coffers. Others could share administrative staff, pricey computer software or a production studio. Three or four could start a credit union and host job fairs and offer career counseling.  Another team of churches could collectively provide temporary housing for people who've lost their homes.

Certainly this kind of cooperation is happening, but what if local churches made this kind of community-focused work the high-profile norm?

Call me an idealist; I accept the charge. Churches often operate in mini-spheres of particular doctrines, administrative structures and purposes. Fifty zillion bureaucratic, legal, business and cultural reasons argue nonstop against cooperation, but if a congregation claims the name of Christ and no other -- they are his. We will be held accountable for how we treat the sheep and shepherds of God's earthly pastures, even if we say:

"We were unequally yoked theologically. Not about Jesus. Just other stuff."

"They allow women to preach."

"That church is in a bad neighborhood." 

"That church is not like us."

"They speak in tongues."

"They don't speak in tongues."

"Their choir doesn't sing our kind of music."

"They can't be saved. They don't vote the same way we do."

"We can't work with that pastor. He's arrogant."

"We've got our own faithful tithers. Let them get their own."

Beyond steering clear of spiritual leaders and congregations corrupted by greed and other sins, and definitely beyond linking arms with leaders who are sketchy about who Jesus Christ is -- where authentic agreement about Christ emerges, ample opportunity exists to express cooperation laced with supernatural power.

The church is as effective as we are loving. People who do not share our convictions can sniff out phony affection like rain before a Texas storm. Unexpected and undeserved grace grabs their attention -- without a single placard raised in protest or one sarcastic segment on talk radio.

Judy Howard Ellis

Comments

[Tracy Aiello]

Interesting, as the priest today at my Catholic mass (aka lots of rules!) spoke of Christ claiming he was both the cornerstone and the good shepherd. Both, said the priest, require a community. Bricks must be laid together to create a building, sheep are shepherded in herds, not individually. So truly, we are in communion with all the other Christians living or dead. Beautiful thought, as is yours.