Before You Merge (Part 1)

One of the most interesting trends in the church world is the increasing number of mergers. While mergers have occurred for many years, the new trend is driven by the multi-site movement. A growing, multi-site church adds a permanent physical campus and avoids the headaches associated with temporary, portable sites. At the same time, a struggling church receives a much needed boost of energy, resources, and new vision. (I recognize that some mergers are between “equals” rather than a combination of a strong and weak church.) I’m a fan of mergers when they’re done right. A successful merger can accelerate a multi-site strategy and turn an under-utilized asset into something much more productive. The problem is that many mergers are not done right. In those cases, resources are wasted and hopes are dashed. If you’re considering a merger, remember this phrase: Caveat emptor. It’s Latin for “let the buyer beware.” (I know that “buyer” isn’t the right terminology, but in most church mergers, the larger congregation functions as the “buyer.”) “Beware” of what? Beware of the true condition of the physical asset. Land and a building in just the right location may seem too good to pass up. That’s when you should slow down and take a close look. What deferred maintenance or aging equipment will you need to deal with? Are there structural problems? And just as important, what changes will need to be made to the facility in order to do ministry that aligns with your vision and DNA? The answers to these questions usually involve much more than a fresh coat of paint. Beware of the true intent of the human assets. The other congregation voted to approve the merger, so everything should be fine, right? Not really. Even an overwhelmingly positive vote doesn’t guarantee smooth sailing. (Note: don’t consider moving forward without a strong vote.) Two types of people in the smaller church can cause problems long after the ink has dried on the legal documents. The first are those who were never in favor of combining. While you might hope that they would get on board or find another church, they may stay and create roadblocks to needed changes. Their actions may be overt or covert, but either is a problem, especially if they’re able to enlist support. Second are the people who voted for the merger, but didn’t really understand what they were approving. They might be on board for weeks or even months, but eventually they begin to resist changes. This group is characterized by statements such as “I thought we were going to keep doing ____” or “I wouldn’t have voted for the merger if I had known ____.” They will often find sympathetic responses from other former members. This leads to the third “beware” – Beware of what you say. It’s such an important topic that I will save it for my next blog. It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>