Ep. 036 | How Churches Can Find New Life Through a Strategic Merger
Why Church Mergers Are an Answer for Declining Congregations
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How Church Mergers Are Giving Dying Churches New Life
January 15, 2026
Episode 36: Show Notes
How Churches Can Find New Life Through a Strategic Merger
Podcast Show Notes with Jim Tomberlin
📌 TLDR: 4 Key Takeaways
Church mergers are no longer a last resort – They've evolved from a "survival tactic" to a legitimate growth strategy, with 40%+ of multi-site churches now acquiring campuses through mergers rather than church plants alone.
Focus on mission, not just survival – The most successful mergers happen when churches prioritize reaching their community and making disciples over simply preserving a building or institution.
One church leads, one follows – A successful merger requires clear leadership dynamics (not a 50/50 partnership). Health and trajectory matter more than size or wealth when determining the lead church.
Control is the biggest merger killer – More mergers fail due to pastors, board members, or donors unwilling to relinquish control than any other factor. Humility and kingdom-mindedness are essential.
How to Tell If Your Church Is a Good Candidate for a Strategic Merger
Jim Tomberlin breaks down the three categories of churches in America: about 20% are strong, 60% are stuck, and 20% are struggling. If your congregation falls into the stuck or struggling category, a merger might be the second chapter your church needs. Learn how to assess whether your church has the health and openness required to pursue a merger successfully.
What the Latest Statistics Show About Declining Churches and Merger Trends
Over 300,000 Protestant churches exist in the United States, but the landscape is shifting rapidly. Discover the current state of American churches, why approximately 100,000 church facilities could be repurposed or sold by 2030, and how mergers present an alternative to closure. This section reveals the data-driven reasons why church leadership conferences and denominational leaders are now taking mergers seriously.
Why Language Matters When Discussing Church Mergers With Your Congregation
The word "merger" carries negative baggage from the business world. Explore alternative language—restart, replant, partnership, adoption, collaboration, and consolidation—and learn why reframing the conversation can help your congregation embrace the possibility of joining with another healthy church. This is critical when communicating with your church members and moving toward a congregational vote.
How Multi-Site Church Models Are Changing Church Merger Conversations
The multi-site church movement fundamentally transformed how mergers work. Instead of the old "win-lose" merger outcomes (where one church absorbed another and both declined), today's mergers create "win-win-win" scenarios. Learn Jim Tomberlin's firsthand story from Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago and how it launched a 3,000-person campus through a strategic merger.
The Dance of Leadership: Making Church Mergers Work When Personalities Clash
Two churches can't have two leaders. This section explores the critical "dance" metaphor—understanding who leads and who follows in a merger conversation—and why it's not about size or wealth, but about health and trajectory. Discover the three foundational questions every merging church must answer: Is it possible? Is it feasible? Is it desirable?
Merging for Mission vs. Merging for Survival: The Critical Difference
Many struggling churches approach mergers from a place of desperation. But Jim Tomberlin explains why the most thriving post-merger churches shift their mindset from "how do we survive?" to "how do we reach our community?" This requires churches to let go of 1950s ministry models and embrace a "future-ready church" mentality that meets people where they are in 2025 and beyond.
25 Issues Every Church Merger Must Work Through (And Which Ones Are Deal-Breakers)
Church mergers aren't simple. Tomberlin and his team have identified 25 distinct issues that every merging church must address. While most are benign, typically 4-5 are potential deal-breakers. This section breaks down the top concerns for joining churches—including what happens to the pastor, the building, and the staff—and how to navigate these sensitive conversations.
Common Reasons Church Mergers Fall Apart (And How to Prevent Them)
Even when churches seem perfectly aligned, mergers can collapse. The #1 culprit? Someone doesn't want to give up control. Whether it's a pastor, board member, or influential donor, control issues derail more mergers than finances, building disputes, or theological differences. Learn the other warning signs and how to address them before they sabotage your merger conversation.
Advice for Pastors Leading Declining Churches: What Jim Tomberlin Would Tell You
If you've been pastoring your church for 15, 20, or 25 years and watched attendance decline, you're not alone. Tomberlin offers compassionate, practical guidance for pastors in this exact situation. He shares his own story of inheriting a church with a $1.8 million debt crisis and how taking a bold stand transformed it into a 5,000-person congregation. He also acknowledges that not all churches should merge—some pastors are called to shepherd a congregation faithfully through its closing.
How to Start a Church Merger Conversation: First Steps for Interested Pastors
Ready to explore a merger for your church? This section provides a practical roadmap. The first step is defining your church's reality: Are you strong, stuck, or struggling? From there, you have options including reading Better Together, seeking guidance from your denomination or network, or reaching out to a church consultant. A real-world example from central Texas shows how a declining church pastor took the initiative to contact a thriving multi-site church across the street.
About the Guest: Jim Tomberlin
Jim Tomberlin is the author of Better Together: A New Edition on Church Mergers (updated 2020, co-authored with Warren Bird) and has spent over 50 years in pastoral ministry. For the past 20+ years, he has consulted with churches navigating mergers, multi-site expansion, and revitalization. He was an early pioneer of the multi-site church movement in the 1990s and continues to help pastors and church leaders make strategic decisions about their congregation's future.
Connect with Jim:
Email: jimultisitesolutions.com
LinkedIn: Jim Tomberlin
Key Resources & Links Mentioned
Book: Better Together: A New Edition on Church Mergers (2020) – Jim Tomberlin & Warren Bird
Related Reading: Becoming a Future Ready Church (2024) – Warren Bird with other authors
Organization: The Unstuck Group (helps churches break through barriers)
Questions to Ask Your Leadership Team
Use these questions as you discuss whether a merger might be right for your church:
Is our church strong, stuck, or struggling? (Be honest about your assessment.)
Are we clinging to a ministry model from a previous decade rather than reaching people in 2025?
Do we have a pastor or influential leader who might resist giving up control?
Is there a healthy church in our community we could partner with or merge with?
Are we merging for mission or just for survival?
What are we willing to give up (name, building, pastoral staff) to gain new life?
Share This Episode
If this conversation encouraged you or challenged your thinking about your church's future, share it with:
Your church leadership team or board
Your pastor or denomination leader
Church planter networks in your area
Other pastors navigating similar challenges
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