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I can recall churches being organized with 17 members. The next step is to get a building that they can't really support or maintain. As a result, they can't pay a pastor a salary and all too often he and his wife work jobs to support their families and the church.As a result, churches have been established with no ownership, no impetus to pay a decent salary, and having churches that can hold 200 running 25. The church goes up and down with pastoral churches (often trading membership with other area churches).They get into financial trouble and are bailed out repeatedly. Common sense it would be better to take and combine 3 or 4 of these churches (but that would decrease the number of churches in the state).After this has been the norm for years, is it any wonder why churches are cannibalized to pay expenses.Our churches organize too early.We often purchase property when renting is more feasible.Your opinion

You speak the truth Rough!!!If you recall, I was in the boothill of Missouri when I first became ordained with the IPHC. The church I was assigned to had 5 in attendance my first Sunday. We ending up staying there almost 2 years and averaged around 28 in the end....BUT they had 5 other IPHC's, an apostolic/oneness congregation, and two COG's all with in 7 miles of each other... Pastor Mike IPHC Pastor

I have found that if I were advising someone else who had the same circumstances I have, I would almost certainly advise them to merge, move on, close down, etc.But that is my advice for OTHERS. I can't seem to take my own advice, since I have an investment in the lives of certain people--adults and children.