Two for two

B.C. MB Conference leaders are hoping that when they subtract two and add two, they will end up with more than they started with. It is not new math but a strategy for revitalizing churches.

Last Oct. 7, B.C. Conference ministers Bob Friesen and Ike Bergen met with the leadership of Kennedy Heights MB Church in Delta, B.C. Established in 1944–45, this once vibrant congregation was struggling. Attendance had dropped significantly, and the leaders felt the church needed a fresh start. In the course of the discussion, the Conference leaders suggested that the church close and the Conference take responsibility for starting a new church in the same location, as had been done successfully in two or three other locations in the province. This plan was presented to the congregation and accepted by a 60% vote on Oct. 27. The plan was for the church to close immediately and for a new congregation to begin meeting on Easter Sunday, 2003.

Around that time, B.C. Conference church extension director Geoff Neufeld led a leaders’ retreat for Cornerstone Community Church in nearby Surrey. Neufeld learned that this 17-year-old congregation with attendance of about 120, which met in a school, was actively seeking a building it could afford – not easy when the land alone could cost $1 million. Significantly, the first step in Cornerstone’s building strategy was a renewed emphasis on prayer – which was answered in a way nobody foresaw.

On Nov. 20, Neufeld and Friesen met with the Cornerstone leadership and made a radical suggestion – that the existing Cornerstone leaders and congregation form the core team for planting a new church in the Kennedy Heights building eight kilometres away.

The idea was discussed further and on Dec. 15 a formal proposal was presented to the Cornerstone congregation, which was given the opportunity to visit the Kennedy Heights building that afternoon. On Dec. 22 the congregation voted 93% in favour of the plan. The plan by now included some added details. Cornerstone would raise up to $300,000 to renovate the former Kennedy Heights building, including buying new chairs for the sanctuary. Cornerstone would also commit to planting a new church in nearby Cloverdale, B.C.

The B.C. Conference Board of Church Extension sees Cloverdale as a high growth area over the next few years and was already anxious to plant a church there. Some members of Cornerstone lived in the Cloverdale area, and recognized that the new church was moving farther away from them; moreover, many of them already had a vision to plant a church in their area. The new church plans to partner with BOCE to hire a church planter as soon as possible, who will help the church with its evangelism efforts in the short run while preparing to plant a new church in the Cloverdale area in fall 2003. Cornerstone owned a small office building, which will now be rented out and the proceeds used to support the church planter.

Cornerstone’s staff moved to the Kennedy Heights building in late January. At a church meeting, several names were suggested for the new church. The congregation then surveyed its neighbourhood asking which name would be most appealing to those who did not go to church. As a result, the new congregation was named New Hope Christian Church.

A transition team representing both former churches managed the logistics of the startup, and volunteers poured their energies into getting the facility ready on time. The new church held its first service on Feb 2. A total of 250 people attended the first service in the new location, including some enthusiastic members of the former Kennedy Heights church.

Michael Brown, pastor of Cornerstone and now pastor of the new congregation, says, “This merger has gone better than we could possible could have foreseen. The attendance has held up over 243 for five Sundays. I think that the key has been that all our transition issues have been resolved with one question in mind: Will this help us to effectively reach people for Christ? In addition, prevailing prayer has covered this transition. We are so glad for the desire on everyone’s part to build God’s Kingdom.”

—jc