Mergers: Combining Churches to Multiply Disciples

In an age of church splits, what might happen if churches could work together?

Mergers is a guide for how church plants and existing churches can and should consider merging together for the sake of mission to the city. Written by Matt Rogers, it outlines his process of merging Covenant Grace Baptist Church and Renewal Church in Greenville, SC and is meant to provide encouragement and tools for other churches to consider doing the same.

Chapter 1 details the need for church partnership as a prime means of demonstrating the unity of the Body of Christ. The Biblical basis for such partnerships are seen throughout the Scriptures and are outlined in chapter 2 of Mergers. For churches considering such a merge, this chapter will provide a robust, Biblical framework for leading your people to embrace this decision. Chapter 3 outlines seven types of church who may benefit from church mergers. Chapter 4 is the meat of the book–a procedural walk through of the steps Matt would advise churches to take in order to make this happen. This chapter details the process used in the merger of The Church at Cherrydale, where the author currently serves as pastor. Finally, the book concludes with the lessors the author learned in the process of merging the church and the implications this had in the life of the church in the year following the merge.

By God's grace, church mergers may provide a means for church planters and existing church pastors to most effectively engage in the mission of God in the cities in which they pastor.