Why Revitalizing Historic Churches Is Important
Historic churches dot the New England landscape. In fact, there are few pictures more iconic “New England” than a historic church with its grand steeple raising up toward heaven. In those old buildings powerful Gospel sermons were preached by famous preachers like Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and D. L. Moody. Equally powerful sermons were also preached in those pulpits by faithful ministers whose names no one remembers, but whose impact continues to be felt in New England until this very day.
While some of those historic churches still cling to the Gospel faithfully, casting all of their hope on Christ alone, others have long abandoned the Gospel and are no more than religiously oriented social clubs. Some of those old church buildings are now private homes. Some are art galleries and event venues. Some have been torn down and replaced with condos or office buildings - no one even knows those churches were once there. In a culture obsessed with the “new” and “innovative,” what does it matter if all those historic church buildings are torn down or converted into something else?
There are three reasons I think those historic churches are worth investing in and revitalizing.
1) History has value.
Though I know not everyone will agree with me, I think history has value. We cannot live in the past, or pine away for the days of old to return. But we also cannot ignore the past. The past teaches us, both positively and negatively, about our current situation. Much of our church and cultural understanding is built on the Christian foundation laid in the past. Some of that foundation is gold, silver, and precious jewels that we do not want to lose. Some of that foundation is wood, hay, and stubble and needs to be burned up, but it should not be forgotten. Understanding the past helps us avoid pitfalls our forefathers made and helps create healthier churches in the process. Those historic buildings, with all their plaques, memorials, and stain-glassed windows are a link to that past and remind us where we came from. They are worth saving.
2) Location has value.
Though not all historic churches are in a strategic location, many are. If that physical location ever stops being a church, it is unlikely it will ever be reclaimed for Gospel purposes. This is especially true in places like New England where land in key locations is incredibly expensive and zoning requirements are specifically designed to protect the property tax base to the determinant of non-profits, including houses of worship. Unlike other places around the nation where a church might sell their property and relocate a few miles away to a better location, churches seldom are able to relocate to a “better” place in New England. If the church holds a key spot in a downtown area, in many cases, that IS the most strategic location they could ever own. Yes, it has parking issues. Yes, the old building is in constant need of repair. Yes, there are times when traffic is a mess. But in many key areas of New England, that old historic church is in the BEST spot a church could be. Choosing to abandon it for a warehouse-looking building on the edge of town might not reach as many people in New England as it will in other parts of the nation. This does not mean that such a building on the edge of town is bad. It just may not be “better” than the historic building downtown. And zoning regulations may never allow it to be occupied. But that old historic building downtown is grandfathered in and its location has strategic value. I am not “anti-warehouse” but I am also not sure they should be preferred over those historic buildings.
3) New Englanders like them!
I’ve lived in New England since 1994. I don’t need a researcher to tell me the statistics about how unreligious New England is. My neighbors are quite capable of letting me know what they think about religion, and for the most part, it is not a positive perspective. BUT…. many of my non-believing friends have said that if they ever DO decide to go to church, it will be in a building that LOOKS like a church. For some reason New Englanders, even ones that are not religious, like those old buildings. They are willing to show up to bazaars and other events at them, and even give a little money to their upkeep. They view them as important even if they do not view the faith inside them as important. This has significant impact on our evangelistic efforts. If our non-believing friends are less likely to show up to a church building that does NOT look like a church, then the only way to overcome that is to have a church building that DOES look like a church. That means we have to revitalize those old historic buildings and continue to preach the Gospel in contextually appropriate ways inside. It takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of work. It often includes a lot of issues (physically, emotional, and spiritual) that have to be worked through. But in the end, for many (not all, but many) New Englanders, that is the only type of building they will likely ever show up to attend a church service.
This is why the BCNE has invested in Dr. Gary Moritz, who is leading our church revitalization efforts. It is why we are creating a Mission Mobilization Center in our building to train leaders for those churches in ways that fit the New England context. It is why we are in the process of raising significant dollars to help revitalize those historic churches. We think they are worth saving!
Dr. Terry W. Dorsett serves as the executive director of the Baptist Churches of New England.
