In Canada, there are many churches that are facing a crisis.  Every city and many towns have church closings that have been taking place on a regular basis since the turn of the century.  This means there are hundreds of churches and community resources that are gone.   It also leaves congregations without a building and grappling with difficult questions.  Impact Bridges Group, along with others, are convinced there is a much better means of addressing issues of low attendance and revenue constraints than selling the church building.  We are working with some very talented groups of people who are concerned with this phenomenon of churches being sold.

The US-based Faith and Finance community (which extends beyond the US) calls this phenomenon “Assets in Transition” which has been picked up by Canadian organizations.  The transition that we are experiencing is about the use of real estate and the challenge of what has been referred to as “two-pocket thinking” in regards to faith and money.  Money is often thought of as being used for charity and these financial resources are gathered through tithing.  We are to live by faith, and the idea of having profit investments is too often seen as being somewhat suspect.  Fortunately, in many instances, this is changing as more churches are being challenged for various reasons, including their response to the COVID pandemic, to ask fundamental questions such as “Who is my neighbour?” and “How best do we steward our resources in extreme times of need?”.  These same questions are a challenge to churches that are facing possible closure.  It is time for the church to consider how it might ‘pivot’.

Many churches are beginning to have conversations on how they can be smarter and more responsible stewards.  One means is by identifying how the church can become inextricably tied to economic opportunities that can provide social benefits to the poor in their community.  The United Church of Christ Church Building & Loan Fund Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Patrick Duggan has said that, “In trying to discern a better way to steward their assets, some church leaders think they need to be better capitalists. But to unleash abundance, faith leaders need to be better missionaries – to discern a renewed mission and to advance it with passion and focus.”

Impact Bridges Group is passionate about the role that the church can have in rejuvenating and addressing the needs of poor and marginalized within their communities.  Impact Bridges Group brings its expertise in investment appraisal and works with partners to bring about an innovative and long overdue missional response to our neighbours.  We want to be part of this global movement that is reimaging what it means to be the church.

We are looking for funding to help churches explore their options and the maximize the use of their assets while still being true to their mission. Funding will be used to assist churches in their governance, strategic planning, appraisal of programs, and in attracting investment capital for improving their ministry within the community.