The Tragedy of Old Zion Church
by Ralph E. Bauserman, Evangelism Consultant, General Board of Discipleship

Recently, I was driving along State Route 22 in the hill country of Southeast Ohio, and there it was! Sitting on the crown of a hill, as it had for more than one hundred fifty years, was the red brick building that once was home for the dear folks of old Zion Church. Sometime in the early 80's, its doors closed for the final time.

Old Zion Church will always have a special place in my heart. Some of my wife's ancestors sleep in the little cemetery beside the church building. It was those folks who took me in at age 22, accepted me as I was, nurtured me back to life, and set me on the journey of faith. It was there that my wife and I stood before the altar and took the solemn vows of marriage. Three years later, we stood before that same altar for the baptism of our first son. It was from that church family that I was called into the ministry, and that congregation sent Wilma and me forth with their love and blessings.

Zion Church was a part of a four-point circuit; and to be perfectly honest, not one of the churches had a sense of urgency about reaching the unchurched and making disciples. Quite frankly, in my case, I found Zion Church; Zion Church did not find me! Even in those days, all four of the churches were on their way down. At one point, we had a student minister who was quite visionary; and he challenged the four churches to consider merging, purchasing a high-visibility piece of property, constructing a new church building, and formulating a strategy for being in mission to the community. However, we quickly concluded that we did not need a pastor who was that visionary. We were much more comfortable with a chaplain. It was so easy to brush him off as a young "upstart from the seminary" who should not be blamed for having such lofty ideas! So, one day, the last hymn was sung, the last benediction pronounced, a few tears were shed, and the doors of old Zion Church were forever closed. The other three churches on the circuit have all declined to the point that nothing short of a miracle will turn the tide of the inevitable.

While Zion and the other three churches were rapidly declining, their communities were experiencing unprecedented growth! People are now fleeing our towns and cities, and it has become fashionable to live in the country. Mobile homes, doublewides, and houses are springing up all along our township and county roads. There are now more people residing in Madison Township than at any previous time in history; and it a fact that most (I say most) of those people are unchurched! The opportunities for the church to be in mission abound.

I hope by now you are asking, "How could one church die and three more be nearly dead in the midst of growing and expanding communities?" Although the answer to this question is somewhat complex, there are some fairly obvious reasons for this sad state of affairs: the churches had no vision for what God was calling them to do and be. There certainly was no sense of urgency for reaching the unchurched, and not one of the churches had any kind of a plan or strategy for being in mission. With these key elements for effectiveness missing, no church can even hope for a future.

The tragedy of old Zion Church is not that it was closed, but that it did not have to end that way! At your next council or leadership team meeting, would you dare to take an honest look at your church's vision, its mission, and its strategy for reaching people? Which direction is your church heading? Could your church follow in the path of old Zion Church?

Remember, the General Board of Discipleship stands ready to partner with the churches of your district in the great mission of reaching people and making disciples.

posted 5-17-02