If the Black Church were to disappear, who would miss it?

(Clockwise from top left: wwing, wwing, timeless, MCCAIG, all via Getty Images)

If the Black Church were to disappear, who would miss it?

“If the Black Church were to disappear, who would miss it?”

That’s the overarching question Jaronzie Harris and her team led with as they began a data-driven study of the Black Church in Boston.

The team tried to answer a series of questions: “Who’s in the Church? What are they doing? How’s the Church doing? How many churches do we have? What are these Black Christians even thinking about or talking about? Do they even talk to each other?”

Jaronzie Harris, Director, Black Church Vitality Project. Emmanuel Gospel Center

In partnership with several organizations, Harris’s efforts helped establish the Black Church Vitality Project, an initiative close to her heart as a daughter of the Black Church. 

“My love for the Church really comes out of my love for Black people, Black communities,” Harris told the Emmanuel Gospel Center’s Curious City podcast. “Always having that sense of service and a faith centered in hope and love.” 

The team’s research found there are about 250 Black churches in Boston facing multiple challenges. To leverage their collective strength, Harris sought to bring some of these churches together to build relationships for the betterment of the community. She gathered almost a dozen Black churches in close proximity to each other in four predominantly Black neighborhoods of Boston. 

Together, they looked at the changes taking place in their local communities, how their mission and values might need to change in light of what they’re learning about their neighborhoods, and how their churches can take action.

These topics made for vulnerable conversations. And while not everyone is on the same page, Harris said the desire is there among the churches to work together. 

These meetings and discussions between these churches make for a dynamic, relational process that’s transformative in and of itself. It holds up a mirror for the churches to assess themselves in the immediate context of their neighborhoods and the broader culture they live in. 

“My love for the Church comes from my love for Black people,” Harris said, “so if the Church is not serving the people, then what are we doing?” 

For this and more from Harris’s conversation with Caleb McCoy, listen to the Curious City podcast. 

Apple Podcasts | Podbean | Spotify | YouTube

Challenges and Solutions for Maximizing Church Spaces in Boston

Challenges and Solutions for Maximizing Church Spaces in Boston

by Saranya Sathananthan, Researcher in Residence

One of the main observations from this study is that most of the churches that participated were well-aligned when it came to utilizing their property for mission. It should come as no surprise, given that numerous churches in the city rent to other congregations, provide office space for nonprofits, or allow community members to host events for nominal fees.

While this represents a great strength in how churches utilize their properties in Boston, it still represents only a fraction of what could be happening. (See this list of innovative uses of church spaces.) Despite this potential, several barriers prevent churches from fully utilizing their properties for mission.

Vision and Mission

A key indicator in determining how open a congregation is to creatively using its property lies in the theology of its senior leaders regarding sacred space and stewardship. The research revealed that leaders with a broader understanding of stewardship often cast a vision for their congregation that embraced opening their buildings to the rest of the community for purposes beyond worship services. Some leaders saw the church building as a tool for ministry, expressing a desire for it to bless the surrounding community. Others shared their perspectives on the sacredness of a building itself. While some expressed that the architecture or history of their building drew people to the church, leaders who viewed the physical structure as "just a building"—with the sacredness residing in the people and activities where God's presence is invited—tended to foster a more flexible, community-focused use of their spaces.

However, some leaders experienced notable tension when they tried to shift their congregation's mindset about property use. Some expressed that their church's subculture leaned toward risk aversion, with worst-case scenarios prompting people to want to close their doors and retreat into enclaves rather than serving as launching pads for their communities. In other contexts, leaders noted that specific subgroups, having worked hard to secure their space, were highly protective of their resources. They feared that opening their doors could lead to misuse or loss, which made them hesitant to fully embrace the potential of their church property to serve a wider group of people.

Aging Infrastructure Against Limited Funds

One of the most pressing issues facing many Boston churches is the undeniable reality of aging infrastructure. Over 50 churches in the city are registered as historic landmarks, and many church buildings, regardless of these official designations, are old and need significant repairs. Unfortunately, the funds required to address these issues are often limited, particularly for smaller, dwindling congregations that struggle even with the regular upkeep of their expansive historic buildings.

This issue is not unique to Boston; it mirrors trends in other major cities and Western nations. In the United Kingdom, over 2,000 church buildings have closed during the past decade.¹ In New York City, more than three dozen houses of worship and similar buildings were razed or redeveloped in Manhattan alone between 2013 and 2018,² often replaced by high-end condos. Each year, congregation closures outnumber new church starts in the U.S. by 50%, according to Lifeway Research. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, although about 3,000 new Protestant churches were planted, 4,500 Protestant congregations closed. In Boston, over recent decades, about 45 buildings owned by churches have been lost to the Christian community, primarily through sales to developers and private commercial entities.

Another aspect of this challenge is that many church buildings in Boston are not fully accessible, up to code, tech-equipped, or readily transformed for different needs. Moreover, historic designations restrict how churches can renovate many of these buildings. These limitations hinder churches' ability to serve their communities effectively, particularly in welcoming people with disabilities or hosting events that require modern amenities. A combination of even a few of these conditions can significantly limit how the space can be used, preventing churches from fully utilizing their buildings for diverse activities or adapting them to meet modern needs. Notably, many churches participating in this project had fires that rendered certain spaces of their churches unusable for years before repairs could be made.

“Do churches spend their limited resources on maintaining or updating their buildings, or should they abandon ownership and focus their funds directly on ministry activities?”

The cost of bringing these buildings up to current standards can be prohibitive, particularly for congregations already struggling financially. The cumulative effect of deferred maintenance leading to more significant issues has resulted in many churches closing, with buildings left abandoned,³ sold, or even demolished.

This situation presents a dilemma for many pastors: Do churches spend their limited resources on maintaining or updating their buildings, or should they abandon ownership and focus their funds directly on ministry activities?

"We sold our former building for a very good price, but now the question is, shall we use it on brick and mortar?” Pastor Daniel Chan of Boston Chinese Evangelical Church in Boston’s Chinatown said. “Our deacons are raising the question of whether we should spend the money on ourselves (on a new multifunctional sanctuary) or spend the money directly on the community. So we are still struggling and debating."⁴

Limited Leadership Capacity and Training

Limited leadership capacity in many congregations further complicates their decision-making regarding church infrastructure. Pastors and church leaders are often stretched thin, balancing their congregations’ spiritual needs with the practical demands of maintaining their facilities. Many seminaries do not provide pastors with practical education on facilities maintenance or the business acumen needed to run a church, leaving leaders to learn on the job.

“The main challenge is inexperience, just not knowing what we're doing for a lot of these things,” Pastor Larry Kim of Central Square Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said. “There's always a new surprise here in this building, and it's trying to figure out how to problem-solve those things. It’s like I'm learning things for the first time.”⁵

Although some denominations have long provided practical support for church operations, facilities management, and loans for repairs and upgrades, we are now finally seeing a broader range of resources and services that better equip leaders with the knowledge they need becoming available.

“There's no lesson like on-the-job training,” Pastor Kurt Lange at East Coast International Church in downtown Lynn, Massachusetts, said. “But there are now books written by Christian authors and church leaders in this space that I do think a lot of pastors need to read.”⁶

Pastor Kurt Lange's Recommended Reading List

Delegating facilities management and related responsibilities to non-pastoral roles can benefit churches with the capacity to hire staff or manage volunteers. However, this may not be feasible for smaller churches with limited internal resources. Whether the church hires staff or enlists volunteers to assist with facilities management, make repairs, write grants, or take on other specialized roles, investing in the professional development of these staff members and volunteers is essential. If church leaders don’t learn what is needed, others cannot be expected to know this information, even if they bring relevant skill sets to their roles. Each church situation is unique, and the number of intersecting decisions to be made at any given time makes it challenging even for the most trained or experienced professionals. Churches that understand the value of investing in their leaders are more likely to succeed, and recognizing those who manage and maintain the facilities as essential to the church will contribute to its overall success.

“If we want to help our staff members to be successful, we need to provide training for them,” Pastor Chan of Boston Chinese Evangelical said. “Our facility manager needs training on property management, our technician needs training to develop skills to make repairs, and we realized that we may need to put more money into training even our pastor, who is coordinating all this. He didn't study this in seminary. So we realized we need a budget for training our people.”

Even if a church lacks the funds to hire staff, outsource services, or send people for professional training, sharing knowledge within the congregation can be a valuable way for everyone to contribute to the overall vision. Tapping into the expertise of individuals who can teach or offer specific skills and “doing it together” can foster shared experiences that build missional solidarity.

“Find out who your people are and what they know. Include everybody in your parish, because there’s all kinds of good ideas out there.”

— Jim Woodworth, Cathedral Church of St. Paul

“Find out who your people are and what they know. Include everybody in your parish, because there's all kinds of good ideas out there,” Jim Woodworth, facilities manager at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in downtown Boston, said. “But sometimes you’ve got to draw them out of people.”⁷

“Some of my people aren't in the workforce,” Pastor Lange of East Coast International said. “So we’re teaching people how to paint, hold a drill, etc., for people who have never had a chance to do it.”

He shared that the sending church they came out of would have hired a company to make any necessary repairs or do construction, but that they were not at a place where they could afford it when they were a church plant. Though their circumstances have changed since then, he still emphasized the need to think through whether to hire an outside company.

“Sometimes just because it may be easier for us to pull it off, or faster, or better, we have learned that there are some real interesting discipleship opportunities in working with people, like doing manual labor together.” Pastor Lange said. “So we kind of enjoy it—working with people in that capacity.”

An observation from the research revealed that when an entire congregation is committed to the vision for the church building, there’s more significant motivation for everyone to contribute. It is the task of church leadership to communicate that vision effectively, from the leadership level to every person in the congregation and beyond or cultivate that vision together through a series of discussions that brings together various stakeholders. This process is vital, whether the church has abundant or minimal resources for the upkeep of facilities.

Take Congregación León de Judá in the South End neighborhood of Boston, for example. Under the direction and vision of Pastor Roberto Miranda, the congregation purchased a building in the South End in 1994 and undertook a decade-long renovation, with members volunteering their time and skills and resourcing supplies to build the church.

Javier Encina, the facilities manager at León de Judá, described church teams tearing flooring from homes and putting it back together in that building, almost completely fitted with donated materials.

“It took us around 10 years, between volunteers and salvaging materials and reusing them, to build this church,” Mr. Encina said. “We built this building with the sweat of the people. All the work and manual labor on the church was done by the people of this church.”

No wonder this hallmark congregation takes deep pride in their building and invests in its upkeep, ensuring it remains a welcoming place for their members and the broader Boston community.

Figs. 1-4 Members of Congregación León de Judá work together on reconstructing the Harrison building, the first building they purchased in the South End. Figs. 5-6 Hallway and entrance to the Harrison building. Photos courtesy of Congregación León de Judá.

The Difficulties of Decision-Making and Management

Effective decision-making regarding the use and maintenance of church properties is often complex and challenging. Many churches have governance structures that can slow decision-making, leading to frustration and burnout among those responsible for managing the property. Establishing a dedicated team to handle property management can alleviate the burden on pastoral staff, but this requires careful planning and clear communication.

Deciding to expand the use of church space introduces new challenges. Questions arise, such as who will open the space, manage access, troubleshoot issues, ensure security, handle cleanup, and deal with inevitable wear and tear. Churches may need to consider growing their team and delegating additional leadership responsibilities.

Moreover, churches often face bureaucratic obstacles from the city or state when adapting their spaces for new uses, particularly regarding regulations for activities involving minors or other vulnerable populations and the need to obtain special permits. When a church transitions to additional usages, even adding a single one could elicit numerous issues. These challenges can be daunting and may discourage churches from moving forward if not carefully considered. Every church I interviewed expressed these challenges when opening their space for additional use beyond Sunday services.

Helpful Mindsets and Postures

When asked how they navigate these challenges, several leaders shared helpful mindsets they adopt.

"I expect things to go wrong. I expect to have to switch gears constantly. We prioritize, and then we re-prioritize. But that's the job."

— Jim Woodworth, facilities manager at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in downtown Boston, on the need for flexibility

“Be nimble and pivot.”

— Laura Mitchell, Director of Children and Youth, from Central Square Church in Cambridge, MA, reflecting on the challenges with their building’s heating. They had to rearrange everything and move from the sanctuary to the fellowship hall for a few months.⁸

“Lead with patience. We have to be mediators, understanding everyone’s point of view."

— Yulieth Ramos, the administrative assistant at Congregación León de Judá in the South End neighborhood of Boston, describing how she manages the frustrations of staff or members when a group leaves a mess after an event⁹

“You’ve got to be willing to be innovative and entrepreneurial. What has helped our church is avoiding the mindset of 'we've always done it this way' or 'we've never done it that way.' … Maybe God is trying to move flexibly with us, but we're staying rigid, not allowing God to do what He’s trying to do. That flexibility is tied to good stewardship—managing things properly, responsibly, ethically, and justly."

— Pastor Darrell R. Hamilton II of First Baptist Church of Jamaica Plain in Boston, on the value of innovation and the need for flexibility¹⁰

For churches who share their space with other groups, it’s also crucial to be aware of cultural differences and power imbalances between host and guest and how they can impact relationships. EGC conducted research on congregations sharing space in 2012 and section three and four of this blog post on Shared Worship Space¹¹ has additional factors to consider when sharing space where there are major cultural and economic differences between the hosting congregation and groups that share their space.

People, Processes, and Communication

Many pastors emphasized the importance of the right processes and people in overcoming challenges.

"I don’t know what I’m doing half the time," Pastor Christina Tinglof of Forest Hills Covenant Church in Boston, admitted. "I would say to other pastors: make sure you’re not making decisions on your own. It’s important to involve others."¹²

Pastor Hamilton echoed this sentiment, stressing that "cultivating a good team is critical."

“Cultivating a good team is critical.”

— Pastor Darrell R. Hamilton II, First Baptist Church of Jamaica Plain

When things don’t go as planned, Pastor Lange of East Coast International shared their approach to handling issues with outside groups that use their space: “We make sure to maintain a benevolent attitude towards other churches that use our facilities, but that requires us to have quick conversations whenever something goes wrong.”

Establishing clear internal processes and communicating space usage guidelines to everyone involved takes time, often requires trial and error, and can be frustrating—just like any growing pains. Each church's processes and policies may need to adapt during different seasons of change and transition.

The most significant takeaway from leaders' experiences in successful property management is the importance of pacing. Churches don’t need to do everything at once. It’s often better to start with small, manageable changes, learning from those experiences before expanding further. This iterative, flexible approach allows churches to refine their processes and avoid being overwhelmed by the demands of managing an active, multifunctional space. Trying something new might sometimes feel like taking one step forward and five steps back, but having the resilience to address setbacks before moving forward is critical to long-term growth and sustainability.

“It cannot be one size fits all.... We have to work with the moment.”

— Pastor Marc Lefevre, Boston Missionary Baptist Church

One fascinating observation from my conversations with church leaders was the contradictory nature of the advice they offered. One person would recommend having a single administrative person manage all scheduling online, while another said they’re OK with multiple pastors managing the schedule without an online calendar. A few advocated strongly for outsourcing repair work, while another made the case for involving volunteers from the church. Some pastors advise being deeply involved in management details, while others recommend delegating those tasks. These different approaches taught me early on that there’s no single solution. Each church should take inventory of its strategies, weigh the pros and cons, and decide what works best, then reassess and adapt as circumstances change.

“It cannot be one size fits all,” Pastor Marc Lefevre of Boston Missionary Baptist Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts, said. “Based on who we are, we can do it this way. Yet when we become bigger, it would be impossible to do it the same way. When we were only 15, or when we were only 100, that was a different ballgame. But now that we are a growing church, you have to do things differently. We have to work with the moment.”¹³

 

---

 

1. Rachel Pfeiffer, “After 2,000 UK Church Buildings Close, New Church Plants Get Creative,” Christianity Today, May 25, 2022, https://www.christianitytoday.com/2022/05/uk-england-church-close-anglican-buildings-restore-new/.↩︎
2. C. J. Hughes, “For Churches, A Temptation to Sell,” New York Times, October 4, 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/04/realestate/for-churches-a-temptation-to-sell.html.↩︎
3. Matthew Christopher, “Why Are There So Many Abandoned Churches: Changing Neighborhoods, Loss of Faith, Even Heating Bills Make Places of Worship Among the Most Common Types of Forgotten Places,” Atlas Obscura, February 29, 2024, https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/abandoned-churches.↩︎
4. Daniel Chan, interview by author, September 20, 2023.↩︎
5. Larry Kim, interview by author, October 11, 2023.↩︎
6. Kurt Lange, interview by author, November 3, 2023.↩︎
7. Jim Woodworth, interview by author, September 29, 2023.↩︎
8. Laura Mitchell, interviewed by author, October 11, 2023.↩︎
9. Yulieth Ramos, interviewed by author, August 30, 2023.↩︎
10. Darrell R. Hamilton II, interviewed by author, February 22, 2024.↩︎
11. Bianca Duemling, “Shared Worship Space - An Urban Challenge and a Kingdom Opportunity,” Emmanuel Research Review reprint Issue No. 74, January 2012, https://www.egc.org/blog-2/2012/1/16/shared-worship-space-an-urban-challenge-and-a-kingdom-opportunity.↩︎
12. Christina Tinglof, interviewed by author, November 2, 2023.↩︎
13. Marc Lefevre, interviewed by author, November 10, 2023.↩︎

Opportunities for Leveraging Church Spaces

Opportunities for Leveraging Church Spaces

Finding a Sweet Spot: Missional Alignment, Financial Sustainability, and Community Vitality

by Saranya Sathananthan, Researcher in Residence

Churches open to reimagining how their spaces can be utilized may discover new ways to serve their communities, build stronger connections, and contribute to the financial sustainability of their facilities.

Mission-Driven Space Utilization

One key opportunity many churches are already embracing is evaluating and repurposing underused spaces for mission-aligned activities that benefit the community. They are partnering with local organizations, offering space for community events, or creating new programs that address the surrounding neighborhood’s needs. By aligning the use of space with their mission, churches can ensure that the use of their properties is furthering their spiritual and community goals.

Mathew Jarell from the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in downtown Boston spoke to the challenges and rewards of utilizing space for mission-aligned activities that serve different groups and purposes. The cathedral has only one large sanctuary that it adapts for use by different worshiping communities, musical events, and meetings.

“Space doesn’t just morph into whatever is needed; it requires a lot of preparation, hard work by our facilities team, and time and energy.”

— Matthew Jarell, Cathedral Church of St. Paul

“It takes a lot of planning,” Mr. Jarell said. “Space doesn’t just morph into whatever is needed; it requires a lot of preparation, hard work by our facilities team, and time and energy. But we’ve made things possible.”¹

Given their context in downtown Boston, where space is at a premium, he shared how their church space has supported people planning events there.

“When we get a request from a group planning an event on the Common, it feels good when we can help. It feels like we’re contributing to the life of the neighborhood and the city,” he said “It’s challenging, but it’s really rewarding and a great, great opportunity to be able to be a part of that.”

Innovative Use of Church Spaces

Another opportunity lies in reimagining what’s possible with church spaces. This page includes a list of possible spaces in church buildings or on church-owned property and an expanded list of potential uses in urban contexts. These ideas stretch the imagination, showcasing what’s possible—from indoor play areas for families with young children to urban farms on rooftops or lawns.

Some churches are already finding creative ways to use their buildings, from hosting coworking spaces to providing affordable venues for arts and cultural events. By adopting flexible and adaptive-use policies, churches can respond to the dynamic needs of their communities and explore new ways to generate income while staying true to their mission.

Fig. 1 The Loft at Stetson is a thrift store owned and operated by East Coast International Church which doubles as a location for on-the-spot counseling. Proceeds from the thrift store go toward a church ministry that supports women in recovery.

Pastor Kurt Lange from East Coast International Church in Lynn, Massachusetts, discussed using their spaces for multiple purposes. The lobby of their church also serves as a cafe, which is open Monday through Friday, with the church using it on nights and weekends. They doubled up their church offices with the nonprofit they started. The second floor of another building is a thrift store, which also serves as a counseling center.

“We’re very comfortable organizationally with the messiness of there being a worship space that is also a cafe that’s also a job training center that is also a space for community meetings.”

— Pastor Kurt Lange, East Coast International Church

“We're very comfortable organizationally with the messiness of there being a worship space that is also a cafe that's also a job training center that is also a space for community meetings, and we could just keep going,” Pastor Lange said. “So everyone knows that you don't really know what you're going to walk into on any given day unless you look at the calendar.”²

Fig. 2 Land of a Thousand Miles Coffee owned by East Coast International Church. The coffee shop is also the front entrance and lobby to their main church sanctuary.

Economic Impact on the City

"The average historic sacred place in an urban environment generates over $1.7 million annually in economic impact,” a 2016 research study conducted by Partners for Sacred Places found.³ This impact stems from churches offering jobs and training individuals; purchasing goods and services from local businesses; serving as incubators for nonprofits and small enterprises; and providing affordable spaces for life events, from weddings to funerals.

Given this substantial contribution, this moment calls for civic leaders in Boston to invest in revitalizing church spaces, expanding their role and service as community hubs. As more churches face financial pressures that force them to close or move and sell their properties, the city risks losing institutions that provide invaluable contributions to its residents.

The implications for the vitality of Boston’s neighborhoods are significant. The loss of a church can mean the loss of accessible, affordable space for various activities and the elimination of a vital gathering place where people build social capital and access a wide range of often free programs and services that enhance individual lives and the community.

“If our church closed down, would anybody notice?”

— Pastor Davie Hernandez, Restoration City Church

Several church leaders emphasized this vital role. Pastor Davie Hernandez of Restoration City Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts, asked his congregation: “If our church closed down, would anybody notice? We have to be a church that, if we miss one day, everybody's asking what happened. That's what we strive to be. We want to be so much a part of the community that we are part of the lives and livelihood of everyone in our community, part of a system or the ecology of their daily lives.”⁴

Boston’s churches, often situated at central locations within their neighborhoods—at major intersections or on main streets—offer a unique opportunity for community impact. These churches typically share the goals of local nonprofits, possess ample underutilized space, and provide various facilities, from kitchens to auditoriums.

Historically, they have also been deeply rooted in the spiritual, social, and cultural lives of their communities. Even a modest investment to help a church maintain its building assets or adapt to a new use that benefits the community could have a significant and far-reaching impact.

In light of the city's needs, there are unique opportunities for churches to partner with civic leaders, developers, nonprofits, and other stakeholders to further Boston's economic empowerment and vitality. Churches can leverage the underutilized spaces in their buildings for use as commercial kitchens, early childhood education such as daycare centers and schools, affordable housing, and spaces for the arts.

Community Hubs & Cultural Centers

Beyond the economic impact, churches also have the potential to serve as vibrant community hubs and cultural centers, addressing a wide range of local needs. This opportunity allows churches to expand their role beyond spiritual nourishment to include social, educational, and cultural engagement. Some churches have successfully transformed their properties into dynamic community centers offering various services, from food pantries and after-school programs to cultural events and neighborhood meetings.

In many immigrant communities, churches naturally serve as cultural centers where the congregation and the community are deeply intertwined. These churches often provide spaces where people can connect with their cultural heritage while meeting practical needs. For example, a church might offer language classes, legal aid, or job training programs specifically tailored to the needs of their community members. This dynamic was evident in many diasporic churches I interviewed in Boston.

Congregación León de Judá in the South End neighborhood of Boston houses Agencia ALPHA, a well-established immigration service in Boston. When I visited, the building was bustling with activity, with several staff members taking phone calls and interns working to support the team.

Fig. 3 English class in progress at Boston Missionary Baptist Church. Emmanuel Gospel Center.

Boston Chinese Evangelical Church in the Chinatown neighborhood of Boston and Boston Missionary Baptist Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts, offer English classes to their diasporic communities. These programs are open to the community, regardless of whether participants are congregation members.

Pastor Daniel Chan of Boston Chinese Evangelical Church said this aligns with their church's vision because the majority of their members are first-generation immigrants.

“When we first immigrated to America, we struggled with English, finding jobs, and other difficulties,” he said. “But after 30 years, we’ve been able to settle down. Most of us now have jobs, and some even own homes.”⁵

While many of their members have moved to more affordable areas like Qunicy, Malden, and other Chinese population centers, new immigrants are still coming through Chinatown.

“That’s why we decided to stay in Chinatown—to be a blessing to the community,” Pastor Chan said. “We have after-school programs, community English classes, and summer camps for middle school students. This church still pulls people back to the community to help. We want them to remember that they were once immigrants, and now that God has blessed them, it’s time to give back. Our vision is: ‘Blessed to be a blessing to others.’”

Fig. 4 Friday Food Pantry Distribution at Boston Missionary Baptist Church. Emmanuel Gospel Center.

Pastor Marc Lefevre of Boston Missionary Baptist Church said the church uses its space to provide community services such as computer and English language training, food distribution, and immigration support.

“We are open to the community—many local organizations use our space for their meetings or gatherings,” he said. “They know it’s open for them. We don’t charge for the space; we see it as a blessing from the Lord.”⁶

This idea of the church as a community hub extends to all who enter its doors, whether they are members of the congregation or people in need. When churches embrace this role, they become places of refuge, support, and connection for the entire community. The 2016 report by Partners for Sacred Spaces found that "87% of the beneficiaries of community programs and events housed in sacred places are not members of the religious congregation. In effect, America's sacred places are de facto community hubs.”⁷

This has been especially true for Black churches which have played a critical role in the formation and maintenance of Black life in America for centuries. In Boston, churches have been the heart of movements that have advanced human and civil rights from abolition in the 19th century to anti-violence organizing in the 1990s. A combination of historical, social, and economic factors has led to significant displacement of Boston's Black community which has had a profound impact on churches, particularly in their role as social and cultural centers. This displacement has challenged Black churches' ability to maintain their central role in fostering community cohesion, cultural identity, and social services, while also pushing them to adapt and advocate for the preservation of their communities amidst gentrification and economic pressures.

Examining Who is Inside & Outside the Church

As churches continue to function as crucial community hubs, one question arises: Who do you find inside and outside the church, and are they one and the same? Does the congregation reflect the community? Suppose your local community includes people experiencing homelessness. How can the church’s offerings holistically include not just spiritual nourishment but also practical services such as a free or subsidized laundromat, showers, haircuts, and access to housing—making the church a genuine, welcoming place for them to belong? How can the utilization of church space contribute to a closer integration of the congregation and the local community?

While churches can serve as community hubs, it's crucial to establish clear boundaries on how people use the space. A church’s space does not need to become everything to everyone, and it's important to communicate this to both the congregation and the broader community.

“Who do you find inside and outside the church, and are they one and the same? Does the congregation reflect the community?”

I discussed the challenge of setting boundaries around the use of church space with Yulieth Ramos from Congregación León de Judáh in the South End neighborhood of Boston. When I asked how she would respond to people who believe the church should be open to anyone at any time because of its role as a sanctuary, she said the church is responsible for stewarding its space well for the sake of all who use it.

“What I said to one person who asked me that question was, ‘I understand that the church is open, but we have to take care of the space because we're using it every day,’” she said. “Even if someone wanted to stay overnight, we would have to do so much to ensure that this space remains safe in the evenings and still usable by the other people who share it during the day. While we are a church and we do want to help, we're not a shelter, and if someone needs one, we can help them find it. We have to set boundaries to ensure this place remains safe and accessible by all the groups that use it.”⁸

Churches are encouraged to stay true to their mission and vision while remaining flexible on implementation. Some congregations experience mission drift as they begin to evolve into nonprofits. One way to maintain a distinction between these roles is to establish separate entities and management to ensure that efforts to make the space more available for community needs don't overshadow the primary call to steward the congregation's spiritual life.

Community Partnerships

Developing strong community partnerships is a crucial opportunity for churches looking to maximize the impact of their properties. By opening their facilities to local organizations and community groups, churches can foster stronger ties within the neighborhood and enhance their ability to serve. These partnerships can generate additional revenue through space rentals, collaborative programs, or funding opportunities for innovative projects that benefit the entire community.

However, churches should carefully consider who they partner with and how these partnerships align with their values and theology of stewardship. Some churches may avoid collaborations with for-profit entities, while others might see such partnerships as a creative way to further their mission.

Regardless of the approach, if a church considers opening its space to its neighbors, it is essential to involve community stakeholders in shaping how the space will be used. Including community partners in the planning process not only ensures that the space is utilized in the most beneficial ways but also fosters a stronger investment in the space and its activities. This approach creates greater community buy-in, helping the church maintain its role as a vital and enduring presence in the neighborhood.

Preservation and Modernization

Balancing the need to preserve historic church buildings with the necessity of modernization is a challenge that presents significant opportunities for churches. Many church leaders are deeply concerned with how their properties can continue to serve future generations while maintaining their historical and architectural integrity.

"We're fixing that tower so that the next generation doesn't have to worry about it and can focus on something else,” Pastor Larry Kim of Central Square Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said. “Our job is to ensure that this remains a church, a place of worship for the next generation, and that it continues. When I watch our kids run around, have space to play, grow, and be discipled, I feel like it’s really been worth it—worth paying for the restoration of that window that gives sunlight to my kids as they’re being discipled."⁹

Pastor Lange from East Coast International Church in Lynn, Massachusetts, said he is passionate about leaving a legacy.

“All of our facility, building, and capital campaigns are called ‘Legacy,’” he said. “We're driving home this idea that all of this is for the next generation and the generations beyond that.”

Investing in energy-efficient upgrades, accessibility improvements, code compliance, and sustainable practices can reduce long-term costs and align with a church’s commitment to environmental stewardship. These updates can also make the space more welcoming and functional for a broader range of activities and community uses.

“We’re fixing that tower so that the next generation doesn’t have to worry about it and can focus on something else. Our job is to ensure that this remains a church, a place of worship for the next generation, and that it continues.”

— Pastor Larry Kim, Central Square Church

However, securing grants and funding for preservation projects can be challenging. Churches need to seek resources that support the physical upkeep of the building while allowing them at the same time to invest in the community and the people who use the space.

Working with experts in historic preservation and exploring innovative funding options—such as community crowdfunding or matching grants—can help congregations navigate this complex landscape. If a church does not already have a historic designation, exploring that option could unlock access to a pool of funding that would otherwise be unavailable.

It's critical to recognize the significant challenges involved in preserving historic spaces. There’s often a lot of red tape, and the specialized skills required for restoration are typically offered by only a few companies, meaning that the millions of dollars spent usually leave the local community.

To address these issues, it's essential to create accessible training and education as well as opportunities for emerging small businesses to build the capital needed to offer these services, thereby fostering greater equity within the preservation system.

Churches should also establish budgets for ongoing maintenance, preventative work, and future renovations, and develop plans for funding these needs.

The Church’s Stewardship Moment

As churches in Boston and beyond navigate the complexities of property management, there’s a unique opportunity for congregations to take the time to reflect on their approach to utilizing their space. The theology of a church’s decision-makers plays a crucial role in the stewardship of resources and assets. Aligning a congregation’s property with its mission—and finding sustainable ways to do so—is paramount.

While some congregations or denominations may have leaned toward protecting their assets for various reasons, this article presents a challenge to be more generous with the resources God has blessed them with for the benefit of the wider community and to consider how their buildings can be used not just as places of worship, but as dynamic resources that contribute to the shalom of the city. The decisions churches make today about stewarding these spaces will shape their legacies for generations to come.

“Be creative and take risks,” said Mr. Jarell from the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in downtown Boston. “I think that churches, in general, are at an interesting crossroads right now, where the traditional use of church space has diminished—we all know that. But there's an opportunity right now for churches to articulate a vision for how space can be used in a different and innovative way.”

“Be creative and take risks.”

— Matthew Jarell, Cathedral Church of St. Paul

Churches can begin that journey by asking themselves how they can leverage their assets, what causes they can support, and how they can galvanize their local neighborhoods.

“Can we inspire passion among everyone in our community—not just people that attend church on Sundays or have been parishioners for years and years, but also people that may have never thought to enter the doors of a church before?” Mr. Jarell said.

As he considered the Cathedral’s role in the life of the city over the past few years, Mr. Jarell reflected on how much has changed downtown since the coronavirus pandemic. There was little conception of what life would be like. But the aftermath presents new possibilities.

“Through this process of everything crumbling and falling apart, and things changing, and the world morphing into something new, we have an opportunity to reshape what the life of our city looks like,” he said. “These sacred spaces in time are liminal moments, and we're in one right now. The opportunity is there, so seize it.”

 

---

 

1. Mathew Jarell, interviewed by author, September 29, 2023.↩︎
2. Kurt Lange, interviewed by author, November 3, 2023.↩︎
3. Partners for Sacred Places, “The Economic Halo Effect of Historic Sacred Places,” Sacred Places: The Magazine of Partners for Sacred Places, The National Report, 2016, https://sacredplaces.org/info/publications/halo-studies/, accessed October 3, 2024.↩︎
4. Davie Hernandez, interviewed by author, August 29, 2023.↩︎
5. Daniel Chan, interviewed by author, September 20, 2023.↩︎
6. Marc Levefre, interviewed by author, November 10, 2023.↩︎
7. Partners for Sacred Places, “The Economic Halo Effect of Historic Sacred Places,” 5.↩︎
8. Yulieth Ramos, interviewed by author, August 30, 2023.↩︎
9. Larry Kim, interviewed by author, October 11, 2023.↩︎

Four Ways Churches Use Their Space for Economic Empowerment

Four Ways Churches Use Their Space for Economic Empowerment

by Saranya Sathananthan, Researcher in Residence

In light of the city's needs, there are unique opportunities for churches to partner with civic leaders, developers, nonprofits, and other stakeholders to further Boston's economic empowerment and vitality. Churches can leverage the underutilized spaces in their buildings for use as commercial kitchens, early childhood education such as daycare centers and schools, affordable housing, and spaces for the arts.

Beyond the economic impact, churches also have the potential to serve as vibrant community hubs and cultural centers, addressing a wide range of local needs. This opportunity allows churches to expand their role beyond spiritual nourishment to include social, educational, and cultural engagement. Some churches have successfully transformed their properties into dynamic community centers offering various services, from food pantries and after-school programs to cultural events and neighborhood meetings.

1. Commercial Kitchens

Many churches have large kitchens with various appliances and accessories that remain underutilized for most of the week. Occasionally, congregation members use these spaces to prepare food for church events or partner with nonprofits to cook meals for distribution or soup kitchens. However, many of these kitchens are not licensed, limiting their use. Imagine the significant economic impact of investing in transforming these kitchens into licensed commercial kitchens.

Food served at public events must be prepared by businesses operating out of licensed kitchens, with the appropriate permits for food handling. Boston has a limited number of shared commercial kitchens where caterers can legally cook for events. Churches offering these spaces to community members would provide crucial support to small businesses needing such facilities throughout the city.

However, running a licensed shared kitchen involves navigating considerable regulatory red tape. Therefore, churches would need to partner with individuals or businesses experienced in this area and develop a partnership where the business operates out of the church space. This collaboration could unlock new opportunities for both the church and the community, contributing to local economic growth.

Fig. 1 A commissary kitchen operating out of First Baptist Church Jamaica Plain.

Fig. 2 A commissary kitchen operating out of First Baptist Church Jamaica Plain.

2. Early Childhood Education (Daycares and Schools)

The cost of childcare in major cities like Boston is staggering. The average weekly daycare cost in 2023 was $321, up 13% from $284 in 2022, which can amount to over $1,500 per month¹—if you're fortunate enough to find it that low here in the city. Families often have to tap into savings and rely on both household incomes to cover these expenses. Parents face difficult decisions about whether it's even worth it for both to return to work, as much of their income goes directly to childcare costs.² The issue is compounded by the limited supply of childcare options, leading to lengthy waitlists, sometimes extending for a year before the child is even born.

In the United Kingdom, many churches have stepped in to provide childcare services, offering much-needed support to families.³ For churches in Boston, creating affordable daycare or a private preschool could be a meaningful social enterprise, especially if there are individuals within the congregation who have the knowledge and passion for running such an initiative. Alternatively, churches might consider partnering with individuals or organizations interested in starting their own school or daycare, provided they share similar values—even if the focus is not on Christian education.

There are, of course, regulatory restrictions to consider, such as compliance with building codes. However, by working closely with a school or daycare partner, churches can either collaborate to make the necessary changes or include those requirements as part of the agreement, ensuring that the partner is responsible for compliance. While some churches may have dedicated spaces for a school or daycare, utilizing shared or multi-use spaces is becoming more common—especially in urban settings. What works best will depend on the needs of both the church and the childcare provider, and it will likely require some compromise to find a solution that benefits everyone involved.

Fig. 3 Entryway to a sanctuary that is used as a preschool during the day at First Baptist Church of Jamaica Plain.

Fig. 4 Entryway to a sanctuary that is used as a preschool during the day at First Baptist Church of Jamaica Plain.

3. Affordable Housing

The 2023 Greater Boston Housing Report Card, produced by the Boston Foundation, highlights a growing crisis. An increasing number of residents across all income and education levels are leaving the region due to skyrocketing housing costs for rentals and homeownership. The existing housing supply does not meet the demand. And Massachusetts lags behind other states in producing more housing—particularly housing that is affordable to middle- and low-income individuals and families.

The Metro Mayors Coalition, which comprises 15 municipalities in Massachusetts, has set a goal to produce 185,000 new housing units between 2015 and 2030 to address this imbalance. However, Boston remains one of the most expensive rental markets in the nation, and the disparities across racial lines are significant according to the housing report card: “Black and Latino families are still far less likely than White or Asian families to own homes in Greater Boston.”⁴ The report also examined affordability, defining a household as "cost burdened" if it spends more than 30% of its income on housing. The findings were stark: “The majority of renter households in Greater Boston earning less than $75,000 are cost burdened. Overall, about half of renters and a quarter of homeowners in the region are cost burdened.”⁵

Imagine if churches could help address this issue by creating affordable housing for renters and homeowners in Boston, particularly for those most vulnerable to being financially pushed out of the city. The income saved by residents through church-created affordable housing could significantly contribute to the city’s economic vitality in numerous other ways. For churches open to exploring this non-traditional option, partnering with developers to create affordable housing on their properties is a viable path. Some churches in Greater Boston, such as East Coast International Church in Lynn, Massachusetts, and St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Roxbury, Massachusetts, are already doing this. While it's not easy—requiring access to various city, state, and federal incentives and working with mission-oriented developers rather than purely profit-driven ones—it can make a substantial impact.

For churches where working with developers and funding agencies feels too complex or misaligned with their values, there are other ways to provide affordable housing. Several churches in Boston still own other properties, such as parish houses, which were traditionally used to offer free or low-cost housing for clergy and their families. Many are considering using these parish houses or other properties to provide housing for vulnerable groups. For instance, Restoration City Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts, operates Jasmine’s House, which offers a haven for women rebuilding their lives after being trafficked. Other churches use parish houses as temporary housing for migrants and refugees. There are numerous possibilities.

Moreover, many parachurch ministries actively seek housing for the different groups they serve. This situation presents an excellent partnership opportunity for churches to make their housing assets available for ministry purposes, further extending their impact on the community.

4. Spaces for the Arts

Many major cities are committed to funding the arts. In Boston, significant investments have been made to ensure an equitable recovery for the arts and culture sector following the coronavirus pandemic, supporting everything from theater and dance to public art and libraries. In fiscal year 2023, the City of Boston allocated $25 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to bolster arts and cultural activities in downtown Boston and neighborhoods across the city as part of their community revitalization efforts. While ARPA funding has concluded, opportunities for the arts continue to thrive.⁶

Imagine artists using church spaces as studios, galleries, rehearsal spaces, and performance venues. Church communities sometimes undervalue artists, yet they contribute immensely to the cultural vitality of our neighborhoods.

See "Christian Creatives and the Church"

There are numerous opportunities for churches to collaborate with local artists and even co-apply for funding to support public art initiatives. By utilizing non-traditional spaces, such as church properties, for artistic endeavors, churches can create vibrant cultural hubs that benefit and positively impact the community.

Fig. 5 Performance of Benjamin Brittain's "The Prodigal Son" by Enigma Chamber Opera in February 2024 in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul’s sanctuary in Boston. According to the church, part of its strategic plan is to “strengthen the civic fabric by hosting events at the intersection of arts, education, and faith that bring together a wide range of people and address relevant issues of our time.” Photo credit: Rev. Amy McCreath 

Fig. 6 The future location of The Center for Faith, Art, and Justice at First Baptist Church of Jamaica Plain in Boston. This space was destroyed by a fire in 2005, and efforts are underway to fundraise to complete its restoration. 

Fig. 7 The renovated sanctuary will feature a gallery space. Rendered images courtesy of First Baptist Church of Jamaica Plain. 

Fig. 8 The renovated sanctuary will feature a gallery space. Rendered images courtesy of First Baptist Church of Jamaica Plain. 

By leveraging their properties in these strategic ways, churches can play a vital role in the economic vitality of their neighborhoods. When cities invest in church spaces, it creates a win-win situation, enabling churches to continue their presence and contributions to the community.

These are only a few opportunities I see having potential for impact. But it’s important to note that the first step before launching into any of these paths is for church leaders to begin these conversations with community stakeholders and city leaders to discern where there is momentum for collaboration and building something new together. It may take years before anything visible is accomplished, yet those relationships built from the onset are foundational for long-term success.

---

 

1. Care.com Editorial Staff, “This is What Child Care Costs in 2024,” 2024 Cost of Care Report, CARE, Jan. 17, 2024, https://www.care.com/c/how-much-does-child-care-cost/.↩︎
2. Kristi Palma, “Child Care Expenses are Crippling, Say Boston.com Readers,” Boston.com, March 2, 2023, https://www.boston.com/community/readers-say/child-care-expenses-are-crippling-say-boston-com-readers/.↩︎
3. Hope Together, “Talking Toddlers,” (Research Report), 2020, accessed October 3, 2024, https://www.hopetogether.org.uk/Publisher/File.aspx?ID=257900.↩︎
4. Sonia Gupta and Sandy Kendall, eds., “The Greater Boston Housing Report Card 2023 with a Special Analysis of Community Land Trusts,” The Boston Foundation, 2023, 32, accessed October 3, 2024, https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/reports/2023/november/2023-greater-boston-housing-report-card.↩︎
5. Gupta and Kendall, “The Greater Boston Housing Report Card 2023,” 40, https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/reports/2023/november/2023-greater-boston-housing-report-card.↩︎
6. “Strengthening Arts and Culture,” City of Boston: Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture. July 1, 2022, https://www.boston.gov/departments/budget/strengthening-arts-and-culture.↩︎

Boston Church Directory

The Boston Church Directory lists Christian churches located within the city limits of Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge.

The Directory may be used for developing relationships between members of Boston's Christian community; referrals; finding a church home; research in church planting; and other scholarly, relational, or spiritual purposes.

Contact Rudy Mitchell, Senior Researcher

Contact Rudy Mitchell, Senior Researcher

Nurturing Black Church vitality

Nurturing Black Church vitality

Black churches in Boston embark on long-term learning initiative   

by Hanno van der Bijl, Managing Editor, Applied Research & Consulting

The Boston Black Church Vitality Project (BBCVP) at the Emmanuel Gospel Center is kicking off its Thriving Initiative with a cohort of ethnically and denominationally diverse Black churches that are located in four predominantly Black neighborhoods in the city. 

These past few years, churches have faced a compounded crisis without the most essential part of their legacy — the ability to gather, fellowship, pray and worship together. Many Black churches are still grappling with the challenges extended by prolonged closure. 

The convening of a cohort committed to learning, growth, and collaboration during times when Christian community has become increasingly siloed due to the isolating effects of the pandemic is a testament to the resilience and dedication of Black pastors in the city.

The initiative is a three-year process rooted in learning, discerning, and doing ministry. Participating churches will examine their mission and values in light of shifting social and cultural landscapes in Boston. 

“We’re not here to save anybody. We’re not here to fix anybody. We’re not here to tell anybody what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. That’s not the goal,” said Dr. Emmett G. Price III, CEO of the Black Christian Experience Resource Center and Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. “The goal is to bring folks together, who are already doing the work in powerful and meaningful ways, so that you can share best practices with each other.”

“The goal is to bring folks together, who are already doing the work in powerful and meaningful ways, so that you can share best practices with each other.”

— Dr. Emmett G. Price III

By deploying tools such as interview guides, congregant surveys, and ministry inventories that BBCVP designed to support churches in understanding the needs and perspectives of congregant and community stakeholders, the cohort will lead in a learning endeavor that seeks to model the work of reflection that is essential in order for the Church to remain relevant and vital. 

“Nobody really wants to talk about what happens on the ground in Boston, because Boston doesn’t fit into the phenotype of the quote-unquote Black Church in the nation — you know that better than anybody else,” Dr. Price said, addressing cohort participants. “So, here’s our opportunity to come together and talk about what vitality and thriving looks like, and not to wait for other people to come tell us about ourselves.” 

Through online articles, reports on what is being learned, videos, and data visualization, the BBCVP project will share these stories of innovation, successful strategies, and effective use of leverage points that exemplify models of prophetic leadership, community care, spiritual formation, and the pursuit of justice. 

“For us to prepare as the Black Church — broadly defined, narrowly defined — we need data. We can’t just keep doing things on a wing and a prayer,” said Rev. David Wright, executive director of BMA Tenpoint. “We want to gather hard data so that we can assess what’s happening and then begin to prayerfully make plans so that we can prepare for the future.”

“We want to gather hard data so that we can assess what’s happening and then begin to prayerfully make plans so that we can prepare for the future.”

— Rev. David Wright

The cohort is made up of a diverse group of church leaders that includes Black Americans, Haitians, Nigerians, and St. Lucians. And the diverse list of churches represents historic neighborhoods in the city, including Dorchester, Hyde Park, Mattapan, and Roxbury.

“We understand that the Black Church is not monolithic,” said Jaronzie Harris, program manager at the BBCVP. “So, I’m excited to hear what kinds of conversations are coming out of that exchange, what we have to learn from each other, what we have to share with each other.”

“I’m excited to hear what kinds of conversations are coming out of that exchange, what we have to learn from each other, what we have to share with each other.”

— Jaronzie Harris

During the first cohort meeting, pastors and church leaders shared their excitement about the project as well as the places they’re already witnessing vitality.

Mount of Olives Evangelical Baptist Church is addressing food insecurity and digital literacy as well as providing community education on COVID-19 and distribution of personal protective equipment, said Rev. Dr. Joel Piton, senior pastor of the Hyde Park church.

Twelfth Baptist Church in Roxbury is also focused on communal care with peace walks, a preschool and after-school program, as well as a food pantry and vaccination center. In addition, the church provided financial resources for families negatively impacted by the lengthy U.S. federal government shutdown in late 2018 and early 2019.

“What’s deep in my heart is the proactivity of the gospel,” said Rev. Willie Bodrick II, senior pastor at Twelfth Baptist Church. “I think it is the framework in which Jesus presents to us how we should manifest our words and the words of ministry into the actions of people’s lives.” 

“What’s deep in my heart is the proactivity of the gospel. I think it is the framework in which Jesus presents to us how we should manifest our words and the words of ministry into the actions of people’s lives.”

— Rev. Willie Bodrick II

TAKE ACTION

The Thriving Initiative is generously funded by the Lilly Endowment. For more information, visit blackchurchvitality.com.

Ethiopian Churches in Greater Boston [map]

Ethiopian Churches in Greater Boston [map]

Map of Ethiopian Churches in Greater Boston. Data source: Emmanuel Gospel Center's Boston Church Directory, 2017. Click for interactive map.

Mekane Hiwot St. Michael Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Boston, MA

Ethiopian Evangelical Church, Boston, MA.

Boston Ethiopian Christian Fellowship, Cambridge, MA

St. Gabriel WelidetaLemariam Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Brookline, MA

Ethiopian Christians in Greater Boston: Diverse Journeys

Ethiopian Christians in Greater Boston: Diverse Journeys

by Steve Daman

Bostonians celebrate Ethiopians each year when runners sprint up Boylston Street to the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Ethiopians took first place in the men’s open four times in the last ten years. In 2016, Ethiopian men took the top three spots, and Ethiopian women took the top two spots in the men’s and women’s open, respectively.

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press, April 18, 2016.

But many Ethiopians in Boston have also been running another good race—that of keeping the faith. 

Boston is home to 9,000 to 12,000 Ethiopians. And like other immigrant groups, Ethiopians Christians have planted various expressions of Christian churches in and around Boston, serving the needs of Ethiopians here today. 

Map of Ethiopian churches in Greater Boston. Data Source: Emmanuel Gospel Center's Boston Church Directory, 2017. Click to go to interactive map.

Ethiopian Christianity Today

"[Ethiopia] has maintained its long Christian witness in a region of the world dominated by Islam. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church currently has a membership of around forty million and is rapidly growing,” according to a 2017 history of the Ethiopian Christian church. Western missionaries also planted Protestant churches among the Ethiopians starting as early as 1634.

Religion in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is 55% Christian: 34% Orthodox, 16% Protestant, 2% Independent, 0.5% Catholic. Data for Ethiopia from World Christian Database, 2017.

In Ethiopia today, more than half the population identify as Christian, including Orthodox, Protestants, Independents and Catholics. The Ethiopian churches in Greater Boston reflect this diversity, with about a half dozen each of evangelical and orthodox churches and one Catholic congregation.

Leader Profile

Workneh Tesfaye - pastor and church planter with Missions Door

Workneh Tesfaye grew up in a Coptic Orthodox family in Ethiopia. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, today Pastor Workneh is a Boston-based, church-planting missionary with Missions Door.

Back in 2008, a group of eight family members began to meet regularly every Sunday afternoon to pray for and raise support for orphans in Ethiopia. By 2011, as this group continued to grow, Pastor Workneh followed God’s direction to plant a new church out of this gathering—the Emmanuel Disciples Church—which continues to hold services in the EGC building in the South End.

Boston Ethiopian Christians 

The Ethiopian church in Boston is colorful, diverse, and rich with history, tradition, faith and service. The 2017 revision of “The Story of the Ethiopian Christian Community in New England” explores questions such as:

• What is life like for Ethiopian Christians in Boston?

• What are the biggest challenges they face in the U.S.?

• What are the areas of opportunity for ministry in this region?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Hundreds of biographical stories on Ethiopian Christians throughout history.

A comprehensive recent history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Stories of how God has been growing his Church among many people groups and ethnic groups in New England.

Take Action

Connect

Connect

 

How are we doing?

From the Bible Belt to Boston: What God's Doing in New England

From the Bible Belt to Boston: How God’s Moving in New England

by Kathryn Hamilton

Do the numbers lie?

In the most recent “post-Christian” study by Barna Group, a research organization focused on the intersection of faith and culture, Boston ranked 2nd among “The Most Post-Christian Cities in America: 2017.” In fact, eight out of the top 10 are located in the Northeast, five of which are located in New England.

To qualify as “post-Christian” for Barna’s study, individuals had to meet nine or more of Barna’s 16 criteria that indicate “a lack of Christian identity, belief and practice, including, individuals who identify as atheist, have never made a commitment to Jesus, have not attended church in the last year or have not read the Bible in the last week.”

https://www.barna.com/research/post-christian-cities-america-2017/

As I reflect on my two months interning for EGC and prepare to return home to my “Bible-Belt” town in West Texas, I find myself a bit baffled, as my experience has been far from spiritually dry and Godless.

“Saying you’re a Christian in Boston is weighty. There is no cultural norm influencing your religious affiliation. ”

Knowing the Lord was calling me to Boston, it was seeing numbers Barna posted in 2015 that sparked my initial interest – that Boston ranked 4th among the top dechurched cities. However, as I settled into my temporary home in Cambridge and plugged into a local church there, I was in awe of how “Christian” the Christians in the Boston area were.

Cultural Christianity is prominent in my region of Texas. You grow up “Christian,” go to church on a regular basis (or at least on Christian holidays) and hold to what you consider “good Christian morals.” You hear the Gospel preached so much that the meaning numbs and you fall prey to the comfort and ease of day-to-day life.

Let me disclaim, this is a broad generalization. I'm where I am spiritually because of devoted and loving Christian parents and mentors that demonstrated the hands and feet of Jesus. I generalize the culture of the Bible Belt to make the point that saying you’re a Christian in Texas and saying you’re a Christian in Boston can reveal starkly different fruit. Saying you’re a Christian in Boston is weighty. There is no cultural norm influencing your religious affiliation. You’re a Christian because you choose to follow and live for Jesus.

The Christian community that I have found here in Boston is unlike anything I’ve seen or experienced before. The community seen in the early church of Acts is still alive, and, from my experience, flourishing. It’s small but strong.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47 has been my Boston.

Where I thought there was going to be nothing but pluralistic, moral relative doctrine, I have found sound, Gospel-oriented teaching. Where I expected to see scattered believers, I have seen great unity. Where I knew social injustices and needs to be present, I saw the church on the front lines. Where I expected to be a lone believer and disheartened by the lack of believers, I’ve been the one nurtured and influenced.

“Where I expected to see scattered believers, I have seen great unity. Where I knew social injustices and needs to be present, I saw the church on the front lines.”

So if Boston Christian community is anything like the early church, the Lord is going to “add to their number daily” those who are being saved.  

I’m sure that Barna’s numbers are accurate, and that Boston is in fact one of the most post-Christian cities in America. But as church planters who come to Boston because of that number partner with and learn from the Christian vitality already here, the fruits of both their labors are multiplying.

Seeds are being sown on good soil in Boston, and a revival is growing roots.

RESPOND

Are you from the Bible Belt? Do you agree? Disagree? Have a different experience? I'd love to hear from you! 

Share Your Thoughts

Contact Kathryn

Are you interested in internships with EGC? We have volunteers, interns, associates, and fellows working with us each semester.

Inquire

Inquire about Internships

About the Author

Kathryn Hamilton is a Summer 2017 Communications BETA at EGC. She graduates in 2018 with an Advertising and Public Relations major from Abilene Christian University. Growing up in the church in Dallas and Abilene, TX, she developed a heart for missions among unreached people groups. After graduation, she plans to work in the non-profit sector or with corporate social responsibility. In Boston, she has enjoyed the diverse culture, the "T", lots and lots of J.P. Licks and, of course, the people. 

The Chinese Church in Greater Boston

The Chinese Church in Greater Boston

by Dan Johnson, Ph.D., and Kaye Cook, Ph.D., with Rev. T. K. Chuang, Ph.D.

From just two Chinese churches in greater Boston 50 years ago, the number has grown to more than 25 congregations serving an expanding Chinese population. The growth of the Chinese church in and around the Boston area is something to celebrate. Its strength and integrity, and the quality of its network—unified for prayer, for youth and college ministry, and for international missions, among others—stand as a model for other immigrant churches and indeed for other indigenous churches as well.

Click to open interactive map

What does the Chinese church in Boston look like? What are the strengths and weaknesses as well as the clear opportunities and threats that face these churches at the start of the 21st century?

Students and immigration

In 2016, as many as 350,000 students and visiting scholars from China were actively working in the U.S., a population that dwarfed the number who came from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Over 30% of all international students studying in the U.S. are from China, according to the Institute of International Education (www.iie.org). Not surprisingly, thousands of these are regularly drawn toward Boston-area colleges and universities, as well as to the opportunities available to them in the region’s “knowledge economy.” The 2010 U.S. Census found that the Chinese population of the greater Boston area numbered nearly 123,000, some two and one-half times as many as were present just 20 years before.

Of these, it is estimated somewhere between 5% and 8% identify as Christian. Many of the Chinese newcomers to the area each year are already Christian when they arrive, in which case the Chinese church provides them a primary community to ease the transition to life in a new place. The others are generally quite open to the Christian message. Indeed, to this day Chinese students are routinely found to be the most receptive group to Christian outreach efforts on local campuses. As a consequence, this influx of new immigrants and students from China has brought significant numeric growth to the Chinese church over the last 25 years. Most notably, most of the established Mandarin-speaking congregations experienced 20-80% growth over the decade of the 1990s. Such growth has generally plateaued since then, but new church plants have continued apace.

Church planting

Chinese Church of Greater Boston

Since 1990, more than fifteen new Chinese churches have been planted, mostly Mandarin-speaking, and mostly serving small, geographically distinct communities and congregations. From a mere two Chinese churches in the entire region 50 years ago, today the Chinese church in the greater Boston area includes more than 25 separate congregations. The steady stream of newcomers from mainland China has also reshaped the character of the Chinese church in the region. The most obvious change is the shift from predominantly Cantonese-speaking congregations to predominantly Mandarin-speaking ones.

As noted, most Chinese church plants over the last 25 years have been established to serve newly settled Mandarin-speaking communities. In a few other instances, older churches that originally served Cantonese-speakers have seen their ministries to the Mandarin-speaking community expand dramatically while their Cantonese populations have dwindled or disappeared altogether. This transformation is more than just linguistic in nature. The Mandarin-speaking newcomers from mainland China are mostly first-generation Christians and new converts. Their formative experiences were generally in a more materialist, atheistic culture, and they often identify primarily with the values and orientations of the academic and professional cultures in which they are immersed. This general lack of church experience has made basic biblical education and discipleship a more pressing need in the congregations that serve them. The fact that very few are ready to step into leadership and ministry roles in the church also creates a gulf between the new generation of Chinese Christians and the established church leadership. By virtue of their formal theological training, deep spiritual commitments, and long habituation in the relatively more developed Christian communities of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States, church leaders in Boston’s Chinese communities often find it harder to connect with the felt needs and mentality of their newest congregants. The challenge is made even more difficult by the fact that many of Boston’s second-generation Chinese Christians, who might otherwise be there to welcome these newcomers into the Chinese church, have chosen instead to become members of American or Asian-American churches.

These social dynamics provide the backdrop for the analysis that follows of the current state of the Chinese Christian church in the greater Boston area. Beyond its identifiable strengths and weaknesses, and the clear opportunities and threats that it faces, is the simple realization that this is a seventy-year-old church undergoing a significant growth-induced transformation.

STRENGTHS

Interchurch collaboration

One of the greatest strengths of the Chinese church in the Boston area is that the various churches that comprise it mostly get along and have forged important collaborative relationships. The largely non-denominational character of the churches has minimized theological frictions between them, and the numerous personal ties between individuals across congregations—often forged in common spaces, such as the Boston Chinese Bible Study Group at MIT—help to smooth inter-congregational relationships more generally. The collaborative efforts that have resulted include regular prayer gatherings, shared missions programs, joint sponsorship of career missionaries, evangelistic meetings, and a gospel camp. Such programs are often initiated and organized by individual churches and then opened up to other area churches, as the Chinese Bible Church of Greater Boston (Lexington) did for many years with its annual gospel camp. The fact that even the largest churches in the community (including the Boston Chinese Evangelical Church and CBCGB) have been willing to sponsor and participate in such joint efforts has gone a long way toward ensuring their success.

Cultural centers

The Chinese church also serves as a primary reference group for many newcomers to the area, as they have become some of the most active and well-organized social institutions within the Chinese community. Many new immigrants naturally turn to the church for help. The familiar language, cultural references, and social structures they encounter in the church are key factors in securing their sense of identity when all else around them is unsettled. The larger churches’ programs for children and youth also attract immigrant families.

An ethic of evangelism

Another strength of the Chinese church in the area is the ethic of active evangelism that has long been cultivated in its constituent congregations. For many years, this ethic has animated large-scale, seeker sensitive programs that have encouraged and enabled church members to put it into practice, aggressively evangelizing their kinspeople. Many of these programs—such as the CBCGB’s annual gospel camp—have since disappeared, and it remains an open question whether the evangelistic focus of the church can be sustained in their absence. Nonetheless, the inspiring heritage of evangelistic activity is itself a strength of the Chinese church in and around Boston.

A place for Mandarin-speaking immigrants

Lastly, the very fact that so many Chinese churches in the area were either founded to serve Mandarin speakers or have since developed vibrant ministries for the Mandarin community is a significant strength. Not every Chinese community around the world is so prepared to welcome and minister to the steady stream of Chinese immigrants from the mainland that inundates them today. The Boston area’s dense network of Mandarin-speaking churches marked by an intellectual richness and a strong professional class leaves it well positioned to meet the needs of the future church in Boston.

WEAKNESSES

Cultural Isolation

Historically, a lack of interaction with people who are not Chinese has probably been the most significant weakness in the Chinese church in and around Boston. The founding members of the most established churches have minimal contact, if any, with the non-Chinese community. Moreover, Chinese churches have rarely tried to hold joint events with other groups, with CBCGB being the one noteworthy exception. Such isolation from the surrounding society has been an obvious problem for the further development of the Chinese churches. This problem has abated somewhat, however, with the infusion of a larger professional class into the church over the last 25 years. This population generally has stronger ties to the secular professional networks in which they are immersed than to the ethnically-rooted churches they happen to attend.

Yet with this more worldly orientation comes the other problem of a widespread shallowness in the understanding of and commitment to the historic Christian faith. The church is in dire need of addressing this problem through basic Christian education and discipleship.

The generational divide

Another weakness besetting the established Chinese church is the deepening of the generational divides that separate older from younger Christians, first-generation immigrants from second-generation, and so on. While such divides have always been present, in recent years they have grown in ways that lead to the exodus from the Chinese church of those who were brought up in it. As noted, many of those who leave find their way to American churches that seem to address their needs more effectively. Many others, however, end up leaving the church altogether.

Small churches

Lastly, the problem of small congregational sizes hampered by resource constraints remains as prevalent today as ever. While the explosive growth of the last 25 years clearly benefited a handful of churches, the emergence of smaller congregations with an emphasis on ministry to their particular local communities has left many vulnerable. More than half of the Chinese congregations have less than 100 attendees, and these struggle financially with limited personnel. Many of them face such problems as a lack of volunteer workers, limited or no youth and children’s programs, and the difficulty of reaching a minimum threshold size to sustain growth. For some, it is challenging enough to remain viable. In this respect, a revival of the spirit of collaboration among the Chinese churches, with conscientious participation by the larger churches in the area, may be a key to the continued survival of these vital congregations.

OPPORTUNITY

Immigration continues

The steady and deepening stream of Chinese immigration from the mainland shows no signs of slowing in the coming years. The educational environment and the high-tech job market in the area will continue to attract many, providing an ongoing inflow of immigrants. Some of these newcomers are eager to attend a church, but many are not. Given the numbers, the proliferation of Chinese churches over the last few decades may continue, but careful observation and strategic planning will be needed to identify emerging pockets of Chinese newcomers who could be well served by a local Chinese church.

Changing cultures and thought systems

The arrival of more recent groups of graduate school students, scholars, and other professionals pose new challenges based on their distinctive generational experience and worldview. The factors that led many Chinese radicals of an earlier generation to explore and embrace Christianity—namely, the simple impulse to distance oneself from Maoism and communism, or the desire to secure an identity and existential anchor by identifying with “Western” institutions and thought systems, or even the hope of getting ahead in the modern world by adopting ways of thinking that are more prevalent outside China—have all been undermined in various ways.

The Chinese immigrants of today have grown up in a consumerist society that understands itself to have arrived, fully modern and ready to conquer the world. To the extent that such a mindset generates less of a felt need to turn to God, we might expect the boom in Chinese conversions to Christianity in the years following the Cultural Revolution and the massacre in Tienanmen Square will slow. Yet the Chinese church should seize it as an opportunity to develop new ways of sharing the Gospel so that it will be heard by those who have new ears.

Collaborative missions and outreach

Finally, the opportunity still remains for the Chinese church in greater Boston to develop a more aggressive, coordinated missions strategy that reaches beyond New England. These churches have a history of joining together for small-scale, collaborative missions programs, both short-term and long-term. Their initiatives include the now 20-year-old “Boston to Beijing” program for sending teams to teach English in mainland China, short-term missions/outreach groups working in England, and the joint sponsorship of career missionaries by multiple congregations. While all of this represents a good start, more can be done. Especially in light of the common passion of new converts to share their faith with others, a more deliberate mobilization of the Chinese churches to engage missions efforts in China and among the Chinese diaspora could help to draw those new converts more deeply into the activities of the church. Of course, when it comes to engaging in missions work or establishing relationships with churches in communist China, the larger the effort the more carefully its participants must tread. Even so, the opportunities for mutual support, growth, and understanding are too significant to pass up.

THREATS

Curiously, the most significant threats facing the Chinese church in the Boston area may be those imported from mainland China. The general lack of theological training within the Chinese house church movement and the prevalence of Buddhist, Taoist and folk religious traditions in most areas served by the house church make it a potential breeding ground for syncretistic beliefs and practices that can lead their followers away from the historic Christian faith. Insofar as many immigrant Christians from house churches on the Chinese mainland are incorporated into local congregations, the potential exists for such problematic religious understandings to gain a foothold here. While the generally high level of education in the Boston Chinese church of today perhaps mitigates this possibility, it is nonetheless a matter that warrants vigilance.

CONCLUSION

The growth of the Chinese church in and around the Boston area is something to celebrate. Its strength and integrity, and the quality of its network—unified for prayer, for youth and college ministry, and for international missions, among others—stand as a model for other immigrant churches and indeed for other indigenous churches as well. Although the Chinese church is relatively isolated from those around it, its impact is significant. Its unique history in a world educational hub and key center of the early evangelical missions movement has meant mature leadership in a world-wide Chinese church that is relatively young and whose leadership is often relatively untrained. Its extensive growth out of local campus Bible study groups gives it access to a more professional population that poses unique challenges but also unique opportunities. Add in the fact that it has unparalleled opportunities to reach with the necessary care and discretion into mainland China—one of the largest and most receptive populations for evangelical outreach today—and it is clear that the Chinese church in the greater Boston area is poised to play an outsized role in shaping the future of the church world-wide.

_________

by Dan Johnson, Ph.D., and Kaye Cook, Ph.D., both of Gordon College, with T. K. Chuang, Ph.D., former senior pastor, Chinese Bible Church of Greater Boston. This chapter was originally written by T. K. Chuang and published as part of Emmanuel Gospel Center’s New England’s Book of Acts (2007). Extensively updated in 2016 by Dan Johnson and Kaye Cook in conversation with Rev. Dr. Chuang.

_________

More resources:

Map. For an interactive map of Chinese churches in Greater Boston, click here.

Church listing. For a listing of Chinese churches in Greater Boston, click here.

Greater Boston Chinese Church Listing

About. This listing shows churches in Greater Boston that hold services in Mandarin or Cantonese, or otherwise strongly identify with the region's Chinese population. Last update: March 2017.

Map. For an interactive map of Chinese churches in Greater Boston, click here.

Study. Read a 2016 analysis of the current status of the Chinese church community in Greater Boston, posted here.

Church Directory. You may also be interested in our online Boston Church Directory, with listings for Christian churches in Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Updates. Help us keep these data current by letting us know about corrections and updates. Write Rudy Mitchell by clicking the Contact EGC button on this page, or call (617) 262-4567 during regular business hours.

Church/Address	Pastor/Phone	Website/Languages Year Founded
Boston Chinese Church of Saving Grace 115 Broadway Boston, MA 02116-5415	Pastor Kai P. Chan (617) 451-1981	http://www.bccsg.org Mandarin, Cantonese, English 1985
Boston Chinese Evangelical Church – Boston Campus 249 Harrison Ave. Boston, MA 02111-1852	Rev. Steven Chin (617) 426-5711	http://www.bcec.net/ Cantonese, English, Mandarin 1961
Boston Chinese Evangelical Church – Newton Campus 218 Walnut Street Newtonville, MA 02460	(617) 243-0100	Cantonese, Mandarin, English 2003
Boston MetroWest Bible Church 511 Newtown Road Littleton, MA 01460	Acting Pastor Elder Mingche Li (978) 486-4598	http://www.bmwbc.org Mandarin, English 2010
Boston Taiwanese Christian Church 210 Herrick Road Newton Centre, MA 02459	Rev. Michael Johnson (781) 710-8039	https://sites.google.com/site/bostontcc Taiwanese, English 1969
Chinese Alliance Church of Boston 74 Pleasant Street Arlington, MA 02476	Dr. Peter K. Ho (781) 646-4071	Cantonese 1982
Chinese Baptist Church of Greater Boston 38 Weston Avenue Quincy, MA 02170	Rev. XiangDong Deng (617) 479-3531	http://www.cbcogb.org/ Mandarin, Cantonese, English 1982
Chinese Bible Church of Greater Boston – Lexington Campus 149 Old Spring St. Lexington, MA 02421	Pastor Caleb K.D. Chang (781) 863-1755	https://www.cbcgb.org/ Mandarin, English 1969
Chinese Bible Church of Greater Boston – City Outreach Ministry 874 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02215	Rev. Dr. JuTa Pan (617) 299-1266	https://www.cbcgb.org/com Mandarin 2010
Chinese Bible Church of Greater Boston – Cross Bridge Congregation 149 Old Spring St. Lexington, MA 02421	Pastor David Eng (781) 863-1755	http://www.crossbridge.life/ English 2016
Chinese Bible Church of Greater Boston – Metro South 2 South Main Street Sharon, MA 02067	Rev. Dr. Wei Jiang (781) 519-9672	http://ccbms.org/ Mandarin, English 2011
Chinese Bible Church of Greater Lowell 197 Littleton Rd #B Chelmsford, MA 01824	Pastor Peter Wu (978) 256-3889	http://cbcgl.org/ Mandarin, Cantonese, English 1989
Chinese Christian Church of Grace 50 Eastern Ave. Malden, MA 02148	Rev. He Rongyao (781) 322-9977	http://maldenchurch.org Mandarin, Cantonese 1993
Chinese Christian Church of New England 1835 Beacon St. Brookline, MA 02445-4206	(617) 232-8652	http://www.cccne.org/ Mandarin, English 1946
Chinese Gospel Church of Massachusetts 60 Turnpike Road Southborough, MA 01772	Pastor Sze Ho Lui (508) 229-2299	http://www.cgcm.org/ Mandarin, Cantonese, English, Taiwanese 1982
Christian Gospel Church in Worcester 43 Belmont Street Worcester, MA 01605	Rev. Daniel Shih (508) 890-8880	http://www.worcestercgc.org Mandarin, English 1999
City Life Church – Chinese Congregation 200 Stuart St. Boston, MA 02116	(617) 482-1800	http://www.citylifecn.org/ Mandarin 2002
Emeth Chapel 29 Montvale Ave. Woburn, MA 01801	Rev. Dr. Tsu-Kung Chuang (978) 256-0887	https://emethchapel.org Mandarin, English 2002
Emmanuel Anglican Church (Chinese) 561 Main St. Melrose, MA 02176	(718) 606-0688	http://www.emmanuelanglican.org/ Cantonese 2014
Episcopal Chinese Boston Ministry 138 Tremont St. Boston, MA 02111-1318	Rev. Canon Connie Ng Lam (617) 482-5800 ext. 202	http://www.stpaulboston.org/ Mandarin 1981
Good Neighbor Chinese Lutheran Church 308 West Squantum St. Quincy, MA 02171	Rev. Ryan Lun (617) 653-3693	https://gnclc.org Cantonese, Mandarin 2013
Greater Boston Chinese Alliance Church 239 N. Beacon Street Brighton, MA 02135	Rev. Frank Chan (617) 254-4039	https://gbcac.net/ Cantonese, English 1986
Greater Boston Christian Mandarin Church 65 Newbury Ave. North Quincy, MA 02171	Rev. Paul Lin (720) 840-0138	http://www.gbcmc.net/ Mandarin, English 2012
Lincoln Park Baptist Church 1450 Washington Street West Newton, MA 02465	Rev. Jie Jiao (857) 231-6904	http://www.lpb-church.org/ 2007 (1865, English congregation)
Quincy Chinese Church of the Nazarene 37 East Elm Ave Quincy, MA 02170	Rev. Sze Ho (Christopher) Lui (617) 471-5899	2003
River of Life Christian Church in Boston 45 Nagog Park Acton, MA 01720	Rev. Jeff Shu (978) 263-6377	http://www.rolccib.org 2006
Saint James the Greater 125 Harrison Ave. Boston, MA 02111	Rev. Peter H. Shen (617) 542-8498	Cantonese, English, Mandarin 1967
Taiwan Presbyterian Church of Greater Boston 14 Collins Road Waban, MA 02468	Rev. David Chin Fang Chen (617) 445-2116	http://www.tpcgb.org Taiwanese 1991
Wollaston Lutheran Church - Chinese Congregation 550 Hancock Street Quincy, MA 02170	Rev. Richard Man Chan Law (617) 773-5482	http://www.wlchurch.org/cm/ Cantonese, English, Mandarin (translation) 1989

New England's Book of Acts

WHAT IS IT?

New England’s Book of Acts is a publication of the Emmanuel Gospel Center (EGC) that captures the stories of how God has been growing his Church among many people groups and ethnic groups in New England.

WHERE IS IT?

An online version of the book is available here.

HOW AND WHY WAS IT WRITTEN?

Intercultural Leadership Consultation 2007

Between 2000 and 2007, EGC collaborated with various church groups and leaders to compile stories, articles, and resources that help tell the story of what God is doing in New England. Then on October 20, 2007, EGC convened the Intercultural Leadership Consultation, a one-day conference to share the stories captured in New England’s Book of Acts. Four hundred leaders from over 45 ethnic and people groups around New England gathered to learn and celebrate. These included Christian leaders who were Puerto Rican, Colombian, Haitian, Brazilian, Czech, Egyptian, Malawian, Ugandan, Ghanaian, Liberian, Indian, Bengali, Indonesian, Filipino, Cambodian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mashpee Wampanoag, and Massachusett Natick Indian. Each participant was given a copy of the book.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Updates. In the ten years since publication, there has been some limited updating and editing to the material, and yet, as time goes by, these organic church systems continue to grow and change, so there are many more stories to be told. As these stories are updated, they will be made available here.

We are currently working on these updates, which will be posted soon. When they are posted, we will add the links:

• The Chinese Churches in Greater Boston

• The Story of the Brazilian Church in Greater Boston

• The Story of the Ethiopian Christian Community in New England

WHAT’S IN THE ORIGINAL BOOK?

Section One

Section One provides an overview of some of the ways God has worked among people who came to Boston and New England and offers a framework to guide our thinking. Research on past revivals and the current Quiet Revival help us gain perspective and look forward to what God will continue to do here. Hopefully, these articles will expand our vision of the Kingdom of God here in New England.

Some of the topics covered in Section One are:

• Seeing the Church with Kingdom Eyes

• What is the Quiet Revival?

• History of Revivalism in New England

• Five Stages of Sustained Revival

Additional helpful resources along this line are:

• Understanding Boston’s Quiet Revival (2013)

• The Quiet Revival: New Immigrants and the Transformation of Christianity in Greater Boston (2014). Basing much of her research on New England’s Book of Acts, Marilynn Johnson, professor of history at Boston College, has written a 28-page paper on the Quiet Revival which was published in Religion and American Culture, Summer 2014, Vol. 24, No. 2. To read it online, click here.

Section Two

Section Two gives examples of how God is at work among the churches of New England. Many of these 24 reports were written by leaders from within the various groups. Others were produced by the Applied Research staff at EGC. This section also includes reports on multicultural churches, international student ministry, and more. Of course not every church or ministry group has been mentioned in this publication. However, there is enough information for users to connect with many various streams, and inspiration to develop stories on those that are not mentioned here. We would love to hear from you if you pursue research on another group among New England’s church streams.

Section Three

Section Three offers a rich selection of articles on topics like leadership development, evangelism, church planting, youth and second generation ministry, diaspora ministry, and social ministries. Some of these selections describe models of ministry in these areas, while others give nuggets of wisdom from experienced leaders. We hope those who also face similar challenges in developing leadership, reaching youth, and meeting other needs, can use these ideas and models.

TAKE ACTION

Questions? If you have questions about New England’s Book of Acts, don’t hesitate to be in touch. Or if you would like to help us continue telling the story of God’s work through the various people streams in New England, we would love to hear from you.

Contact Us

Contact Us

The Story of the Brazilian Church in Greater Boston

The Story of the Brazilian Church in Greater Boston

by Kaye V. Cook, Ph.D. and Sharon Ketcham, Ph.D.

an updated analysis based on work done previously by Pr. Cairo Marques and Pr. Josimar Salum in New England’s Book of Acts, Emmanuel Gospel Center, 2007

Brazilians in New England

About 30% of all Brazilians living in the U.S. reside in New England (approximately 68,197 Brazilians according to the Boston Redevelopment Authority, 2012), and Portuguese is the third most spoken language after English and Spanish in New England (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). Brazilian churches in the Boston area are strikingly dynamic, and there is significant turnover in pastors as well as attendees, often because individuals go back and forth to Brazil.

What are the strengths and opportunities of the predominant Brazilian-speaking churches in Greater Boston today? Before we answer that question, we need to consider the roots of Boston’s Brazilian church community.

History and Contemporary Context

The history of Brazilian churches in Boston is very much shaped by the context of Brazil. Historically, the dominant religion in Brazil is Catholicism, which was the religion of the Portuguese settlers (Juergensmeyer & Roof, 2012). However, fewer people in Brazil today report being Catholic than in previous generations. Whereas more than 90% of Brazilians reported being Catholic as recently as 1970, 65% reported being Catholic in the 2010 census (PEW, 2013).*

The largest Pentecostal church group in Brazil is the Assemblies of God (Assembleias de Deus) with more than 23 million members (Johnson & Zurlo, 2016). Spiritualist religions, which emphasize reincarnation and communication with the spirits of the dead, are also common. More recently, Protestantism―especially Pentecostalism―has had a major impact with 22% reporting being Protestant as of 2010 (Pew, 2013). The earlier Protestant influence was a result of missionary work and church planting, but most of the major Protestant denominations now have an indigenous presence in the country (Freston, 1999) and today’s Brazilian Protestant church is strikingly indigenous.

Pentecostals in Brazil resist typology because of their rapid growth and diversity. The historical Pentecostals (primarily those growing out of missionary endeavors such as those by the Foursquare Church) emphasize the Holy Spirit, the Spirit’s manifestations in gifts, separation from the world, and a high behavioral code. NeoPentecostals such as participants in the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, a denomination which was established in 1977, continue to emphasize the Holy Spirit, especially healing and exorcism, and make connections between Christianity, success, and happiness. NeoPentecostals may also move away from a separatist worldview and strict behavioral standards and toward increased cultural integration, and some emphasize prosperity rather than a central focus on Christ and the Bible (Juergensmeyer & Roof, 2012). The movement toward greater cultural integration has opened doors for political activity (Freston, 1999). There is debate however about whether NeoPentecostalism can be reliably distinguished from Pentecostalism (Gedeon Alencar, personal communication, 3 October 2015). Some also suggest that PostPentecostalism is the preferred term for those who operate in a way that is similar to a business, emphasize cultural integration, and bypass the traditional elements of Pentecostalism such as the “central focus on Christ and the Bible,” focusing instead on a prosperity gospel (Juergensmeyer & Roof, 2012, p. 159).

Pentecostals (including NeoPentecostals) comprise 85% of the Protestants in Brazil (Juergensmeyer & Roof, 2012). Five years following the 1906-1909 Azusa Street revivals, the rapid expansion of Pentecostalism reached Brazil through Swedish Baptist missionaries (Chesnut, 1997). Due to urbanization and the growth of the mass media (Freston, 1999), there was simultaneous growth among Pentecostals in the North (Belem) and Southeast (São Paulo) regions. Much of the recent growth in Brazil is accounted for by six denominations, three of which are of Brazilian origin: Brazil for Christ, God Is Love, and the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (Freston, 1999).** The most rapid recent growth in Brazil among Pentecostals is due to growth in the Foursquare (or Quadrangular) Church, Brazil for Christ, and God Is Love (Juergensmeyer & Roof, 2012).

According to the IBGE Census, in 2010 there were almost 4 million Baptists in Brazil represented by the Brazilian Baptist Convention (affiliated with the U.S. Southern Baptist Convention) and the National Baptist Convention (Renewalist Baptists). In addition, Reformed churches were common such as the Presbyterian Church of Brazil, the Independent Presbyterian Church, and the Renewed Presbyterian Church. Adventists, Lutherans, and Wesleyans were also represented.

Baptists

According to Marques and Salum (2007), Pastor Joel Ferreira was the first Brazilian Minister to start a Portuguese-speaking church in New England. No interviewee knew of an earlier presence. Pastor Ferreira was a member of the National Baptist Church in Brazil and planted a Renewed Baptist Church in Fall River in the early 1980s that grew to about 500 members (Marques & Salum, 2007), also called the LusoAmerican Pentecostal Church. Pastor Joel returned to Brazil in 1991 and later returned to the U.S. where he recently died. Today there are several (perhaps 6-9) churches in Massachusetts that were born from this pioneer church.

Several renewal Baptist church groups exist in New England, including the Shalom Baptist International Community in Somerville led by Pr. Jay Moura and the Igreja Communidade Deus Vivo led by Pr. Aloisio Silva.

American Baptist Churches began a new church-planting movement in Boston in 1991 and planted primarily renewal churches (Marques & Salum, 2007). This movement gained force from 2001 to 2004 when about 20 new Brazilian Portuguese churches were planted in Massachusetts and Rhode Island under the New Church Planting Coordination led by Rev. Lilliana DaValle and Pr. Josimar Salum. This forward movement stalled due to issues of church doctrine. Another group of churches that were established with Baptist connections are the Vida Nova churches including Igreja Batista Vida Nova in Medford (Pr. Jose Faria Costa Jr) and Igreja Batista Vida Nova (Pr. Alexandre Silva).

The Southern Baptists also planted many churches since 1995. There are about 30 of these churches in New England, including the Portuguese Baptist Church in Inman Square, Cambridge (Pr. Silvio Santos), the Celebration Church in Saugus (which was in Malden and Charleston under the direction of church planter Pr. Joe Souza), and the First Brazilian Baptist Church of Greater Boston (also known as the Lovely Church) with Pr. Antonio Marques Ferreira.

Assemblies of God

The first Assembly of God churches in Boston were established by Ouriel de Jesus. He was invited by Pr. Alvacir Marcondes to Somerville in 1985, and under his supervision the Assemblies of God denomination in the U.S. experienced tremendous growth. After September of 2001, Pastor de Jesus said he received a message from God to lead a great revival and began holding revival meetings all over the country and world. Currently, he is the pastor of the World Revival Church in Everett, which now has over 70 congregations throughout the U.S. and in 17 other countries with a membership exceeding 15,000.

Despite Pr. Ouriel’s success at leading revivals and church growth movements, his ministry has been accompanied by a great deal of controversy. As a result, in 2002, the church was expelled from the Assemblies of God denomination in both the U.S. and Brazil. The mother church and those he planted are no longer allowed to call themselves Assemblies of God and instead have taken the name The World Revival Church, later adding “Boston Ministries” (Pinto-Maura & Johnson, 2008). These churches continue to exist under Ouriel’s leadership.

There are 36 Brazilian Assemblies of God churches in Massachusetts, including Igreja Vida Assemblies of God (Pr. Salmon Silva) and Mission Assembly of God (Pr. Joel Assis).

Presbyterians

Several Presbyterian churches are in the Boston area. Christ the King church in Cambridge was established in the early 1980s by Pr. Osni Ferreira, who had a multicultural vision. Several additional Brazilian Presbyterian churches have been planted by this church, including New Life Presbyterian (Framingham), Bethel (Marlboro), and Christ the King (East Boston).

Church of Christ

In 1984, the Church of Christ established the Hisportic Christian Mission (HCM) in East Providence, Rhode Island, led by Rev. Wayne Long with the vision to reach Portuguese-speaking people in New England (Hisportic stands for Portuguese as Hispanic stands for Spanish). In 1990/1991 Rev. Aristones Freitas and Josimar Salum planted the first Brazilian Church in Worcester, Mass. Today there are about 46 churches that have been established through the HCM, of which 26 are in Mass., an additional 10 are in other New England states, and three are in Brazil.

Independent churches. The Foursquare Gospel Church arrived in 1991 and now has several churches throughout New England. These include the Communidade Brazileiro of Framingham, PenteBaptist (Pr. Dimitri Grant) and Malden Portuguese Foursquare Church (Pr. Cairo Marques).

Strengths and Opportunities for the Brazilian Churches in Boston and New England

Strengths

The strengths of the Brazilian churches are many. Some churches have numerous young people, many pastors are committed to preaching the Gospel, and large numbers of lay people who fill these churches take seriously their responsibility to know the Bible and to serve Christ. Brazilians as a group are well-accepted in the community. We heard stories which indicate that this is not always true for individuals, particularly with regard to immigration, but we also saw newspaper articles extolling the benefits that Brazilian churches have brought to the community! Brazilian churches can and often do reach out to contribute to their larger communities.

Nevertheless, there are many challenges, including the language barrier, how immigrants can participate in the larger culture and retain their Brazilian culture, immigration issues, and high levels of turnover among church attendees, in part because of immigration. In a series of interviews conducted in 2015, virtually everyone mentioned the challenge of finding affordable meeting space. Many churches do not have their own buildings, and, if they do, they struggle to maintain them. Renting space is increasingly expensive, and there are often problems parking near urban churches. Difficulties surrounding meeting together, an essential aspect of being a church, results in significant stress in the community.

These churches have other struggles as well. Converting new people to Christ is often hard. There is a need to raise up new pastors, because many pastors have been in the U.S. for several decades. It can be difficult to recruit young people to such a challenging ministry and one focused specifically on the Brazilian community.

Some challenges come from outside the churches and others from within. Networking among Brazilian pastors is challenging even though there are some groups that meet regularly, including BMNET (Brazilian Ministers Network), Brazilian Prayer Network of Boston, and Pastors Fraternal Union in Fall River. When asked during an interview to name the single thing that would be most helpful to them, pastors frequently said that they would like better contact with other Brazilian pastors. Nevertheless, multiple factors can limit opportunities for networking:

• Journeyman pastors work a full-time job in addition to pastoring and lack time for networking.
• Instability in church membership as members return to Brazil contributes to pastor overload and burnout.
• Pastors may compete among themselves for church members.
• The needs of first, second, and third generation immigrants are difficult to navigate. For example, churches struggle with whether to have services in English or maintain evening services as in Brazil versus the American way of holding morning services.

Opportunities

The opportunities for growth and change are many. Among them are these:

1. The Brazilian population in Massachusetts is estimated by the 2005 census to be approximately 84,000 individuals, many of whom are not in church. There is great potential for church growth within (and outside) the Brazilian population.

2. Brazilian churches can get more involved with the local and global realities, e.g., by supporting other church efforts such as limiting human trafficking.

3. They can perhaps better educate their members about the problems with the prosperity gospel, and the financial abuses that are too often perpetrated against church members (including the Ponzi scheme called Telex Free in which some pastors participated).

4. They need to strategize for the future, as more and more of their members speak English and either ask for changes in Brazilian churches, or leave for English-speaking churches.

The Brazilian churches have much to teach the larger community. Church planting appears to be a primary focus for Brazilian Christians and virtually every church visited had either already engaged in church planting or hoped to at some point. Many churches also feel called to send out missionaries. Even though we were unable to get an estimate of the number of missionaries commissioned, anecdotal evidence suggests that there are surprisingly many missionaries from these churches. And finally, at least one of these churches feels called to minister not just in their local community but around the world. In a church community that was itself not financially flush, the church has supported orphanages in Brazil and dug a much needed well in a needy community without a church, while also supporting ministries in Africa. This level of commitment is remarkable and challenging to mainstream American churches.

In conclusion, the size, energy, number of young people, and commitment to church growth in Brazilian churches should inspire the Global Church. The needs are great, and the opportunities are many for serving those engaged in these impressive churches and for ministering together in the larger community.

Endnotes

*Johnson and Zurlo (2016) report approximately 76% Catholics and 28% Protestant. These numbers refer to the percentage of all Brazilians and demonstrate that some Brazilians claim dual affiliation or membership in more than one community of believers. By their estimate, the number of dually affiliated believers is 13% of Brazilians, many of whom claim to be both Protestant and Catholic. Their estimate is based on an effort to provide a more precise estimate than the 2010 census, in part by collecting information from additional sources than the census and in part by allowing individuals to report belonging to more than one religion.

**The remaining three churches are the Assemblies of God, the Four-Square Church, and the Christian Congregation (Freston, 1999).

References

Boston Redevelopment Authority. (2012). New Bostonians 2012. BRA Research Division Analysis.

Chesnut, R. A. (1997). Born Again in Brazil: The Pentecostal Boom in Brazil: The Pentecostal Book and the Pathogens of Poverty. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.

Freston, Pl. (Jan-Mar, 1999). “Neo-Pentecostalism in Brazil: Problems of Definition and the Struggle for Hegemony.” Archives de sciences sociales des religions. 44E, No 105, p. 145-162.

IBGE (Institute Brazileiro de Geografia e Estatistica) (2010). Census. http://censo2010.ibge.gov.br/en/ censo-2010 Accessed 6.27.2015.

Johnson, T. M., & Zurlo, G. A. (Eds.) (2016) World Christian Database. Leiden/Boston: Brill. Accessed at worldchristiandatabase.org/wcd on 1 January 2016.

Juergensmeyer, M., & Roof, W. C. (Eds.) (2012). Encyclopedia of Global Religion. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Marques, C., & Salum, J. (2007). The Church among Brazilians in New England. In R. Mitchell & B. Corcoran (Eds.), New England’s Book of Acts. Boston: Emmanuel Gospel Center.

Pew Research Center (2013). Brazil’s Changing Religious Landscape. http://www.pewforum.org/2013/07/18/brazils-changing-religious-landscape/ Accessed 6.28.2015.

Pinto-Maura, R., & Johnson, R. (2008). Abused God. Maitland FL: Xulon Press.

U.S. Census (2009). ActivitiesUpdate_June09. Accessed on 8.2.2015 from http:// www.henrietta.org/index.php/doccenter/2010-us-census-documents/6-june-2009-census-2010-activities-update/file

This essay updates the story of the Brazilian Church in Greater Boston as told in New England’s Book of Acts (2007), originally published by the Emmanuel Gospel Center in preparation for the October 2007 Intercultural Leadership Consultation. The earlier version was written by Cairo Marques and Josimar Salum, and work on the current document began by talking with them as well as 45 other Brazilian pastors and lay people in the Greater Boston community. Their observations are integrated into the comments above. —Kaye Cook and Sharon Ketcham, February 24, 2016.

__________

See the original 2007 article on the origins of the Brazilian church movement in New England in New England’s Book of Acts.