Church leaders seem to be the center of lots of controversy and criticism—and not without cause! Today though, I can’t wait to tell you about two groups of leaders who have done things extraordinarily well in a very difficult situation.
Let me just say to start that I am not in either of these groups, nor do I have unusual access to the inner workings of these groups, so I don’t know anything but the public version of the story. I also do not intend to tell the whole story because it is not mine to tell. What I want to do is share with you two instances of great church leadership!
The Southlake church has had a pretty tumultuous history during the last decade or so. We were told that in 1998/99, this church had over 1000 attending services each week. Then came a series of splits, some involving doctrine, some involving styles, some involving leaders, and all involving personalities.
The congregation found itself in 2010 very diminished—200-250 in attendance—and with no readily apparent means of reversing the decline. Elders in this kind of situation usually have very limited options. Southlake leaders certainly considered some, if not all of the following:
- Continue to function as a large church and continue to overwork and underserve their members. Prognosis: Rapid decline!
- Restructure to be a small church: reduce staff, reduce programs, and be content. Prognosis: Slower, but continued decline!
- Disband and sell the property. Assimilate into other churches. Prognosis: Members and leaders alike see their work for God and His kingdom as failed. The community understands closed doors as failure as well.
- ????? Something else!
Praise God – these spiritual leaders at Southlake chose to explore something bold, perhaps controversial, but something that would seem to hold promise for expanding the Kingdom. They chose to approach The Hills Church of Christ, a large, thriving congregation in the same city about a merger that would be a blessing to both groups.
Here is where I simply want to stop and praise the leadership at Southlake for the following reasons:
- They put the Kingdom first and their own identity as a congregation second!
- They put the Kingdom first and did not claim ownership of the church.They did not make the high value of their property either an issue or the center of conversation!
- They put the Kingdom first and emptied themselves: all of the elders offered to resign—and did. The senior minister took a different position in the church. Other ministry leaders let go of their territory—gave up their keys!
- They put the Kingdom first and did not let the minority of naysayers either lead or derail the leadership. There were those who were fearful of losing their identity. Others were fearful of losing control over their own destiny. Others were—just fearful!
These faithful Southlake leaders are setting an example for all leaders in declining churches. Many of our churches are beginning to reach a critical point in their decline, where just keeping the doors open is a matter of concern. The Southlake solution is not the only solution—but putting the Kingdom first and emptying yourself should be part of every solution that every leader considers!
The leadership of The Hills Church of Christ also showed boldness and great vision. Again, I am not in the inner circle at The Hills, but here is what I know from the outside:
- At the time they were approached by Southlake, The Hills was in the middle of a 10 million dollar campaign (Greater Things) that was demanding a great deal from the entire staff and eldership! They could have easily been too busy to even look at the Southlake dilemma.
- Part of the 2020 Vision of The Hills as well as part of the Greater Things campaign that had already been announced was the establishment of a satellite campus on the west side of Ft. Worth that was going to require staffing and over a million dollars of investment to launch in 2011. They could have easily said that starting one new campus was enough for this year!
- With all of the above, The Hills could have easily offered only a half-way solution or a temporary arrangement—but they didn’t! They went all the way. Even this week, less than a month after the official merge, the Hills is spending a large amount of money on renovations at the Southlake building so that it will be the same quality as the North Richland Hills campus—if not better! Key staff members as well as selected elders have already shifted locations. Not all the foundation is in place, but it will be soon!
The result of the prayerful work of these two groups of church leaders is that two congregations are now one. Both are stronger, both are excited about the new beginnings, and rather than a funeral, the community of Southlake is going to see fireworks!
Mark's Blog 
I grew up at the Hills Church. A large group of us during highschool and a lot of our parents worked hard to build the youth group to an amazing sight. I love that church. I really do. But I leave sad more often than happy. The reason is because when I was in Highschool, I was at church Sun Am , Pm., Wed, Thursdays and then we led our own devotionals at a park every thursday student led. That foundation kept me from taking life decades later. I want my daughter to have that foundation. The problem that I se , is that we have steered ( a majority of churches) away from out focus in so many areas including the youth. It is so diffocult to find a church that has more than just Sun am services. Now there is not even any youth worship above 5th grade at my home church on Sundays. I walk into all these churches. that have the space, that have buget…and I am sad. Now chuirch is concert lights, coffee shops, 1 hour of sermon. Then done. There not even time spent getting to know people in the congrefations. Its sing, sermon, rush out because the next service is starting. I went on 13 mission trips during jr high and high school. Last year there was that I saw for High School Total. I have started to ask leaders of the church why, the first 12 didn’t know. The ones who are tasked with the future direction have not returned any of my correspondence. I am worried and heart broken for our churches, our kids and our souls. Does no one else see it?
How to instill faith in the next generation has always been a challenge for church leaders. What worked (or didn’t work) for one generation is no guarantee that exactly the same tools or strategies will work 50 years later for their grandchildren. The objective doesn’t change for church leaders, just the means by which to get there. Pray for our church leaders that they have wisdom from above to nurture the next generation to know and follow Jesus.
Dear Mark Woodward:
While reading your comments about the combining of the two locations in NRH and Southlake within the greater Fort Worth city, I have two comments:
1. It has been my long-standing conviction that the elders in each city in the New Testament should function as one, and that congregational separateness (sometimes called autonomy) within the city should vanish. Mark’s comments noted that both these places of assembly are in the same city, which is true if we are talking about the greater Fort Worth metropolis. See my book: How Christianity Grows In the City, 1985, Star Bible Publications, Ft Worth, TX. This same concept is now on PowerPoint entitled “With One Accord In the City Church.” A word of caution: While there was oneness of the elders within the city, there is NO SUCH ORGANIZATION of the congregations beyond what can be identified as the city, like is seen in the Roman Catholic and/or other denominational systems.
2. The fallacy of “The Hills Church” arrangement is that the Richland Hills elders have espoused various aspects of church doctrine and practice that violate biblical patterns of authority. This has caused hundreds of mature and faithful members of their congregation to leave, including myself (see my book, “Why We Left,” and website http://www.concernedmembers.com. 17 of us signed these 25 theses which were attached to the doors of the Richland Hills Church of Christ on October 31, 2002. When I made an appeal at that time for all the elders of the adjacent congregations to meet together in an attempt to resolve differences, their objection then was: “That would violate congregational autonomy!” It appears they have changed their view about ‘congregational autonomy’ since then. Now that Legacy Church of Christ is also compromising biblical authority, I would love to see them consent to the concensus of all the combined elders in all the metroplex!
I have visited a dozen congregations in the last 6 weeks and have found an amazing unity of thought, doctrine and practice. The reason is that there is agreement where the Bible is the ONLY authority. My prayer is that this can be said of ALL the congregations in the metroplex, and that diligence can be applied to bring it about once again (Eph. 4:3: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.”). It can happen if Jesus Christ has all authority, and not Rick Atchley and his little governing group, nor any other small segment of the total eldership in the city.
I would love to see all the biblically appointed elders in the Fort Worth metroplex working together as one under the authority of Jesus who has all authority over “all things in the church.” Mark: you have unusual organizational and writing skills. Would you call such a meeting of all the elders??
May I please see any response to my thoughts here? Thank you.
Amen!
Alvin Jennings
My wife and I worshiped with the Southlake Church for two years. We will forever consider our time there one of the greatest seasons of our lives.
Awesome!