“Dying” Churches in Bellingham…

- as incubators for new congregations according to a recent article in the Bellingham Herald.

Mind you, I am NOT referring to any particular congregation here in town nor am I making any predictions – I am just responding to the article (which wasn’t actually written in reference to any church in Bham – actually it was about a church in Massachusetts). But the gist is this: older and dying congregations (usually predominantly white) rather than shut down and sell the property are opening their doors to younger (usually immigrant) congregations. In the process the older church “gives itself away” to younger, different congregations, and enjoys the role of “grandparenting” while at it. What a dignified way to die.

I had the privilege of witnessing this first hand in the Interbay – Quest church(es) merger – where an older congregation basically gave itself – to the younger, growing and thriving one. It’s a mark of graciousness on the part of the older churches but it also marks a growing trend in evangelicalism today: the growing church is brown. In this one church alone there now meets an Arabic Christian church, a Greek church, a Philippino church. These congregations show that the future of the church may be a whole lot more brown than we think. And this has been much of what I talk about / have been blogging about.

Which gets me to thinking what prompted the Herald to post this story in the Sat March 8 paper. It’s starting to happen in Bham but on a small scale; but what prompted them to post this article about the growing ethnic diversity of the church???

@ the Herald… r u guys stalking me?