A Case Study
Dear Pastors
A story from Coastal NZ. This story can be repeated over and over again especially in rural and coastal NZ and perhaps to a slightly lesser degree in provincial and metro NZ.
Raglan is on the west coast of the North Island, the surf capital of the South Pacific. It is where I have lived for the last 12 years. We are 40 minutes’ drive from the CBD in Hamilton.
Resident population 3230. Add in another 1000 people from the immediate surrounding mostly rural settlements and you have 4200 people. On any winter night we probably have another 25% visitors in town, swelling to around 500% in the height of summer.
We have Five Christian churches, one LDS and one JW’s (ironically my immediate neighbour on the North side).
Here is an interesting wee analysis. The first figure is average weekly attendance1 including children and the second figure is the approximate market value of the church property they own2.
- Surfside (AOG) 100-120 people, $500K. Interestingly this is the largest church in town by far but meets in the school hall on Sunday mornings. Surfside’s building is a small chapel in Te Uku about 10mins from Raglan’s township on SH 23. It is too small to seat 100 people.
- Activate (Acts) 20-30 people, $300K
- Union Church 20-30 people, $1m
- St Peter’s (Anglican) 20-30 people, $1m
- Catholic Parish 30-40 people, $600K
So total attendance on Sundays equals 250 or 6% of the resident population spread over 5 churches. My guess is that another 30 people or so go to various churches in Hamilton including me and Jeanette. Total available seats about 550. However, what is particularly interesting here is that 2.8% of Raglan’s resident population is in one church, namely Surfside. That’s stunning to be honest. Translate that %age to say Auckland and you would have 46,000 in one church, in Wellington 6000 and in Christchurch 11000. Nothing close certainly not in Auckland and Christchurch. It should be no surprise then that Surfside is well known in town and highly regarded. Further, it is quite conceivable that in metro NZ a church of say 500 and perhaps even a 1000 people would not have anything like the profile a small church of 100-120 has in small town NZ. This story can be repeated up and down the land, you’d be surprised.
Given this we should probably talk a lot more about a church’s influence in it’s immediate community and a less about church size. The truth is that if Surfside for example were to break the 200 barrier it would have over 5% of the resident population in one church and that would be unheard of certainly in NZ. Revival would have broken out!
Now for a Net Worth Calculation. The combined Market Value of the five church buildings comes to approximately $3.4m. That translates to $13,600 of capital cost for every man, women and child who attends those churches. And that to me is deeply troubling, not just in Raglan but right around NZ.
Brothers and Sisters something has gone terribly wrong. But it gets worse. If you add in the houses (and other real estate) owned by these churches then the figure is a lot lot higher. What started out centuries ago as a genuine desire to have a church home has become an obsession with every local church in NZ (and around the world) wanting to own it’s own building. So now we have a bad case of oversupply and poorly utilised buildings with increasing amounts of deferred maintenance and/or capital works that are urgently needed. The majority of church buildings in NZ have a very small pedestrian count and mostly only on Sundays. My conservative estimate is that we (us Christians) own about $5billion worth of church buildings/properties in NZ. That’s $5,000,000,000.
Back to Raglan and the towns with a similar context as Raglan of which there are many. Imagine one church building and all five congregations making use of it starting at say 5.00pm on Saturday night and finishing on Sunday night. Just imagine!
The venue could be called, Raglan Christian Centre. This is the home of the following Churches:-
What a tremendous stewardship response this would be.
What a tremendous blessing to all the Christians going to that building for worship this would be.
What a tremendous witness this would be.
But heck let’s be honest. Few would disagree it isn’t a good idea. But to pull something like this off would need a miracle of Titanic proportions.
But God is able!
Blessings
Alan
1 Between Jeanette and me, we have personally attended all five churches and we know the Ministers.
2 Church Buildings are difficult properties to estimate a MV. It often comes down to what a willing buyer is prepared to pay. The Union Church and St Peter’s are on prime real estate.
Coming Up......
Let Justice Roll Down
A one day symposium convened by LeadershipWorx and Te Whānau Pūtahi to learn and discuss how we can address some of the issues of injustice. How to build a fence at the top of the cliff and reduce the ambulance work at the bottom.
Amos 5:21-24 (NKJV and NLT)
21 The Lord says: “I hate all your show and pretense - the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.
22 I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings.
I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.
23 Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 Instead, let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream”
Tickets now available.
Sir Bill English speaking on Euthanasia in Tauranga and Hamilton. More info call Liz 021 243 2566
Where is our Speech Going?
A 90 minute briefing (including Q and A) on this vitality important subject that now confronts all New Zealanders including Pastors, Ministers, Vicars and Priests.
There is no doubt that Religious Freedom is being threatened. Speaking out publicly from a biblical perspective and worldview is becoming hazardous. Everyday Christians have already had their mouths stopped for fear of saying the wrong thing, worried about offending others and afraid of committing the terrible offense of ‘hate speech’.
Prof Paul Moon has spent a great deal of time thinking, writing and speaking about this. He will help us understand this new issue and navigate these troubled waters.
Tickets now available.
Alan Vink is currently the Executive Director for LeadershipWorx. Prior to this role he has been the Executive Director of Willow Creek Association NZ (WillowNZ), a Baptist pastor (23 years), Bible College teacher, and church consultant.
