Is it time to close the doors?
Consulting firm helps congregations face the future
Many churches at some point face a difficult decision about whether to keep going or to close. Whether the stress is caused by the impact of the pandemic, the growing number of people who claim no affiliation with Christianity, or other factors, congregations don’t have to face the situation alone. Chris Bosch and Lon Wong of Chisel Consulting are offering assistance (ChiselConsulting.com).
Bosch, a former director of strategy at World Vision Canada and university instructor (teaching organizational behaviour at Tyndale University in Toronto), founded Chisel in 2018 out of a desire to share strategic and organizational insights with others. Wong has led faith communities, nonprofits and social enterprise startups. Both are active church members.
“The idea of having to close can be a hard reality for a church to accept,” says Bosch. “There are a lot of emotions involved, especially for long-term members who grew up in the Church.”
That’s why an external perspective can be helpful. “Sometimes it’s easier for people from the outside to help people ask why their church exists and, if there is no longer a good reason, to help them think through ways to bring it to a good conclusion,” says Wong.
This can include helping a church understand the challenges may not be its fault.
“There are megatrends, like the decline of Christianity in Canada, that a local church can’t do anything about,” says Bosch.
Wong says, “Just as death is a natural part of human life, it is part of life for churches. Churches have come and gone in different regions of the world, but that doesn’t mean the faith is irrelevant or all is lost.”
During the process of talking about its future with Bosch and Wong, a church might realize closing isn’t the only option.
“It could be that a church catches a new vision to keep going,” Bosch says. “Maybe the end of the process is excitement about what’s next.” Talking about the future isn’t just for struggling churches. “A healthy church can also benefit from asking questions about why it exists,” Wong says.
“We want to help churches consider all options on the table,” says Bosch. “We want to help them ask themselves where God wants to take them, even if that means shutting the doors.”