With all of the challenges of ministers and leaders working together in the community (check my last post to see some of these challenges), the challenges that these leaders face getting their own organizations unified and running smoothly and the uncertain times that we are living in, why should churches get together in community projects? What’s the benefit of organized effort when each church already has their own community service strategies? Here are some of my thoughts on why it’s critical that local churches collaborate in community projects.

1. Community Impact — The Church united gives a better image to the community at large. To many people in society, churches are equal in status and purpose as other local non-profits. When they see non-profits that are willing to collaborate on projects for the common good, they wonder why the local churches can’t get together for the common good. The disunity of the churches projects the image that each church has agendas other than the common good. Vice versa, when the churches collaborate in community projects without any direct gain for their organizations, the community trusts their motives. Consequently, they are more receptive to the message of the Gospel. Every church benefits from this feeling of trust when society sees the unity of the churches in community projects.
2. Shared Resources — The Church united has more resources to meet the needs of society. We live in a Wal-Mart generation: One location services all needs. Although I shop at Wal-Mart, I don’t believe that this is the idea that God had in mind for the churches in His body. Each church has a local vision to answer a specific need in society, much like a cell within the body has a specific function. The needs that the churches meet in order to serve their communities should be very different. Not every church is going to run a food pantry, hold support groups for addictive behaviors, offer counseling services, or administrate complex visual and performing art programs for youth. But together, all of the local churches have these services at their disposal for community projects. Through collaboration on community projects, society has access to all that the Church has to offer.
3. Cross-Pollenation — The Church united gives its members the opportunity to experience other people of different cultures, ideas and talents; whereas the Church divided sequesters its members within the confines of their local congregation. When churches and ministries collaborate on community projects, the members of the local churches represented in the project are exposed to one another’s unique worship, fellowship and leadership styles. Once exposed to one another through community projects, the members and leaders of local churches can pick and choose which new ideas or styles could be implemented in order to improve the life of their church.

These are my top reasons for championing Church unity in community projects. Bear in mind that collaboration is not the same as integration. I am not proposing that churches should merge in order to be unified. This would be neither healthy nor effective. Yet, when the local churches have put aside their differences and fears, we shall see whole communities changed for the better.

What benefits do you see in churches working together in community projects?