Selling our Church to a Cult?

[HarvestTheFields]

I go to a fairly small English/Japanese church, and our building is 40+ years old (in dire need of repair). The building is well-located, as it is near the middle of the city, but it is in a poor neighbourhood and the building is becoming too small for our 2 (Japanese and English) congregations. Most of the members of the church are fairly wealthy, yet we all go to a small run-down building. Hardly anyone in the surrounding community attends our church.

The majority of the church lives in the north side of the city, so we have considered moving to a more suitable location. A cult, based in the Philippines, has made a lucrative offer on our building. They have essentially offered quadruple what the building/land are worth. Apparently groups like this cannot get zoning, so they have to overpay existing
churches for their buildings.

Is it wrong to deal with cults? Our church would greatly benefit from the deal, as it would mean we don't have to spend tons of money renovating our current building. There is also some risk in moving to the north side of the city. People who live in the south might have problems with this. But new opportunities could arise in a new location.

 

[Albion]

Hi, HtF! The word 'cult' is so loosely used these days that I think we would need to know more about the group in question here before a good answer is arrived at. To what extent is it a cult? What causes you to identify it as a cult? That sort of thing.

 

[HarvestTheFields]

Hi, HtF! The word 'cult' is so loosely used these days that I think we would need to know more about the group in question here before a good answer is arrived at. To what extent is it a cult? What causes you to identify it as a cult? That sort of thing.

Hi Albion. I think the "religious organization" might be the "Iglesia ni Cristo". I don't know much about them, I've just heard that they aren't exactly mainstream.

 

[civilwarbuff]

I would consider them a cult based on familial succession alone not to mention their religious beliefs.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_ni_Cristo#Beliefs_and_core_values

 

[Albion]

"Harvest," I was hoping that the group would turn out to be little-known and perhaps odd in some ways, but not an actual cult. The poking around I've done makes clear that it is a cult by any accepted definition. The founder apparently was influenced by a variety of Christian churches and especially by the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Churches of Christ (the American movement). It's not identical to either of them, but I see strong characteristics of both in the Iglesia ni Cristo.

To the extent that the founder considered himself to be a prophet, said that the early Christian church apostasized, that Christ is a creation of the Father, denies the Trinity, and etc. it is reflecting very standard teachings among the cults. This group appears also to have the clannishness and claims of exclusivity ("only true church") that are not always considered cultic in themselves but are found in most churches that ARE cults.

The answer to your congregation's "problem" is probably not made any easier by these facts. If there is a feeling that selling the property to a cult would be wrong, it looks like you shouldn't sell to this church.

On the other hand, very sizeable and reputable Christian denominations sell their church buildings to Muslims for mosques, to commercial businesses, and all manner of other ventures, so they must feel that, when it comes to disposing of the property, it's not a moral issue. They decommission the church, leave it bare, and take the money to be used for the good purposes they think they can put it to.

 

[HarvestTheFields]

On the other hand, very sizeable and reputable Christian denominations sell their church buildings to Muslims for mosques, to commercial businesses, and all manner of other ventures, so they must feel that, when it comes to disposing of the property, it's not a moral issue. They decommission the church, leave it bare, and take the money to be used for the good purposes they think they can put it to.

The funny thing is, the members of our church originally purchased our building from Sikhs. I guess there was no moral issue there.

The members of our church have been praying over the matter, and no one really has a strong stance at the moment. In a way, the opportunity might be a blessing, but on the other hand, it could be a temptation.

 

[faroukfarouk]

The funny thing is, the members of our church originally purchased our building from Sikhs. I guess there was no moral issue there.

The members of our church have been praying over the matter, and no one really has a strong stance at the moment. In a way, the opportunity might be a blessing, but on the other hand, it could be a temptation.

Suddenly there is a deathly silence from ppl who complain loudly if someone else uses a building that Christians formerly used...

 

[abysmul]

I was raised being told the church was the body of believers, but I grew to understand that most clearly put a very high value in the property/building/land/etc.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I was raised being told the church was the body of believers, but I grew to understand that most clearly put a very high value in the property/building/land/etc.

I don't see why such a great emphasis is put on the building; at best, a building is a mere convenience; and sometimes buildings can cause a lot of unnecessary problems.
I like the hymn:

"Jesu, where'er Thy people meet,
There they behold the mercy seat;
To them that seek Thee Thou are found,
And every place is hallowed ground."

 

[HarvestTheFields]

I was raised being told the church was the body of believers, but I grew to understand that most clearly put a very high value in the property/building/land/etc.

If we kept the building, would that mean that we valued it too much? Or if we sold it, would that mean that we valued the money too much? I do care about the members of our church much much more than any aspect of the land or building. Most of them are as close as family.

I don't see why such a great emphasis is put on the building; at best, a building is a mere convenience; and sometimes buildings can cause a lot of unnecessary problems.
I like the hymn:

"Jesu, where'er Thy people meet,
There they behold the mercy seat;
To them that seek Thee Thou are found,
And every place is hallowed ground."

That is an amazing passage. I'm thinking about putting it in my signature. I'll definitely share it with my friends. What is that hymn called?

 

[faroukfarouk]

If we kept the building, would that mean that we valued it too much? Or if we sold it, would that mean that we valued the money too much? I do care about the members of our church much much more than any aspect of the land or building. Most of them are as close as family.



That is an amazing passage. I'm thinking about putting it in my signature. I'll definitely share it with my friends. What is that hymn called?

I've always known it simply by the words of the first line.

 

[Albion]

If we kept the building, would that mean that we valued it too much? Or if we sold it, would that mean that we valued the money too much? I do care about the members of our church much much more than any aspect of the land or building. Most of them are as close as family.

I recognize that this is difficult for the church members, but considering everything, I'd sell it and think of the money as an opportunity for you all to increase your witness in the community or engage in charitable projects that you can't swing at present.

If the building were on the historic register or some gem of a Christian cathedral or something like that, selling it like this would be a sad thing, but as you describe it, that's hardly the case.

And you're not holding the future of the Iglesia ni Cristo in your hands; they obviously can afford to buy some other structure if your people don't sell.

 

[Goodbook]

well, when you have been praying have you heard any answers from God whether he wants your congregation to move or not?
I think as long as they paid you and didn't say deposited and then ran..it would be ok, wouldn't it go through the bank, so you'd be dealing with the bank, not them directly?

When people sell their homes I think they may take into account who they sell to only if they have an attachment to the land or home..but if you have no such thing then what they do with it is no longer your concern, they may just buy it and then not do anything. But it would mean you are free to invest that money into something else that would glorify God. As long as He shows you what to do next if you do sell and you can still gather somewhere...I mean nobody is like buried there are they?

 

[farout]

I go to a fairly small English/Japanese church, and our building is 40+ years old (in dire need of repair). The building is well-located, as it is near the middle of the city, but it is in a poor neighbourhood and the building is becoming too small for our 2 (Japanese and English) congregations. Most of the members of the church are fairly wealthy, yet we all go to a small run-down building. Hardly anyone in the surrounding community attends our church.

The majority of the church lives in the north side of the city, so we have considered moving to a more suitable location. A cult, based in the Philippines, has made a lucrative offer on our building. They have essentially offered quadruple what the building/land are worth. Apparently groups like this cannot get zoning, so they have to overpay existing
churches for their buildings.

Is it wrong to deal with cults? Our church would greatly benefit from the deal, as it would mean we don't have to spend tons of money renovating our current building. There is also some risk in moving to the north side of the city. People who live in the south might have problems with this. But new opportunities could arise in a new location.

I would burn it to the ground before I would sell it to a cult. Do not shame the Gospel, have nothing to do with a cult!

 

[HarvestTheFields]

I recognize that this is difficult for the church members, but considering everything, I'd sell it and think of the money as an opportunity for you all to increase your witness in the community or engage in charitable projects that you can't swing at present.

If the building were on the historic register or some gem of a Christian cathedral or something like that, selling it like this would be a sad thing, but as you describe it, that's hardly the case.

And you're not holding the future of the Iglesia ni Cristo in your hands; they obviously can afford to buy some other structure if your people don't sell.

Yes, the are looking to buy another church building nearby, but that church is asking for a ridiculous amount. They are a last resort.

well, when you have been praying have you heard any answers from God whether he wants your congregation to move or not?
I think as long as they paid you and didn't say deposited and then ran..it would be ok, wouldn't it go through the bank, so you'd be dealing with the bank, not them directly?

When people sell their homes I think they may take into account who they sell to only if they have an attachment to the land or home..but if you have no such thing then what they do with it is no longer your concern, they may just buy it and then not do anything. But it would mean you are free to invest that money into something else that would glorify God. As long as He shows you what to do next if you do sell and you can still gather somewhere...I mean nobody is like buried there are they?

From our prayers and discussion, we feel that moving would be the best option for the growth of our church. However, we still don't know about how or if a deal with this cultish religious group would go through. You're right about dealing with the bank and being weary about how the deal actually goes through.

I would burn it to the ground before I would sell it to a cult. Do not shame the Gospel, have nothing to do with a cult!

I can see your logic. This would be the cult's first church in our city, and if they committed questionable actions, it could give all religious groups in Calgary a bad reputation. There could be other downsides as well.