Podcasts

Podcasts Episode 20 | 18 min | November 17, 2022

The Ins and Outs of Church Mergers

What to know—and do—when two congregations become one.

Church mergers appeared to reach an all-time high in 2019, but as more congregations struggle to find their way in the latter stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend likely will only grow. Some churches have experienced financial declines. Others face uncertain futures as pastors resign or retire. And still others find themselves with expensive properties to maintain even as attendance dwindles.

In this episode, Erika examines three principal ways a merger can be done. Using examples from her work as an attorney advising congregations going through mergers, she highlights key considerations and challenges for leaders to note. And as a bonus, Erika touches on several best practices that churches should follow, whether leaders think a merger is in their future—or not.

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Questions? We welcome them! Please email Erika Cole at contact@takethenextcall.com. Erika reads each comment and may answer your question in an upcoming episode.

See all episodes of Church Law.

The Church Law podcast is part of Christianity Today’s ChurchLawAndTax.com, a not-for-profit publishing ministry.

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