Review
“Tens of thousands of church buildings will close in the coming decades. Often, by the time these buildings are sold, much or all of their value will be consumed by lack of upkeep and unpaid debt—not an auspicious end. Gone for Good? brings together a wide array of authors helping congregational and denominational leaders to find better paths forward. I often felt as I read, ‘This chapter alone is worth the price of this book.’ An important resource!”
—Brian D. McLaren, author of Do I Stay Christian?
“Gone for Good? is a fantastic compilation of thought leaders and practitioners who love the church and community. It is well worth reading and serves as a guide for people looking to love their place and the church.”
—Leroy Barber, executive director of Neighborhood Economics, cofounder and director of the Voices Project
“Mark Elsdon has brought together a host of rich voices that summon the church to face honestly and hopefully the crisis that many congregations soon must and soon will sell their property. The urging of the book is to face the crisis honestly, to plan carefully, and to utilize bold imagination in deciding new faithful futures for the congregation. The strong advocacy here is to think afresh and in concert with all sorts of potential allies from the state to developers to philanthropists. The accent is on mission and the new ways in which faithful mission may be undertaken. This book is a welcome read, given the church’s much too long devotion to buildings that may no longer serve well.”
—Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary
“Gone for Good? is one of those books that grabs hold of you and turns you back toward the best of news: God is doing a new thing and we are invited to be a part of it. Where so many see failure, Mark Elsdon envisions possibility. He places what is often a lonely and isolated struggle into a larger context, affirming that even congregations whose buildings have become a worry and a burden may yet see visions and dream dreams. The diversity of perspectives is both inspiring and practical, challenging everyone who cares about the future of the human community to bring what we have to the table.”
—Anna Olson, author of Claiming Resurrection in the Dying Church: Freedom beyond Survival
“A pastor, a scholar, a philanthropist, and a developer walk into an empty church, and what do they see? Possibility. Hope. Community. Love. Mark Elsdon has gathered voices to address the question, What do we do with the gifts, assets, and community when the pews are no longer filled? Gone for Good? offers a pragmatic, theological, and grounded vision for the church and its leaders to grieve the change and celebrate what may emerge if we open ourselves to imaginative futures.”
—Patrick B. Reyes, author of The Purpose Gap
“Woven into the fabric of this book is a model for the work it invites. Gone for Good? is the result of collaboration, conversations, improbable friendships, wise and dissenting voices, and countless years of experience. Mark Elsdon and this team of brilliant, thoughtful, caring practitioners have created a powerful tool to ignite imagination around an issue that promises to both vex and propel the church for decades to come. We, in the church, cannot, must not, ignore the asset we have in our buildings and property, but we can’t do it alone. We need to listen, engage, learn, and experiment across sectors. Gone for Good? is exactly what we need to spark a new conversation, a new imagination, for what is possible.”
—Lisa Greenwood, president and CEO of Wesleyan Impact Partners and Texas Methodist Foundation
“Mark Elsdon understands that the church, writ large, is at a tipping point. After decades of unabated decline in both attendance and relevance in the United States, we are desperate to hear the words of a present-day prophet who can lead us to new life. Elsdon is that prophet. But he doesn’t stand alone atop a hill and call the masses to his door. Instead, he uses this book as a platform for a diverse group of national thought leaders to share their unique experiences and visions for the future. And while these visions are different, they are all clearly part of a wonderful tapestry that details a holistic, practical, and hopeful path forward. Elsdon issues a clarion call for churches to demonstrate courageously and selflessly how they can use their properties for good. Much more importantly, he urges them to view decline in numbers not as a death, but as an opportunity to bring new life to people and communities who are in desperate need of experiencing present-day manifestations of God’s healing mercy, grace, and love.”
—Dominic Dutra, author of Closing Costs: Reimagining Church Real Estate for Missional Purposes
“Elsdon’s book weaves together the numerous factors affecting church property and its evolving role in the lives of its communities. With a sensitivity to the complicated history of church buildings and their deep importance to the communities they serve, he brings together diverse voices to describe the decline of traditional church buildings and the essential social, economic, and spiritual functions they have provided. Crucially, Elsdon’s message is ultimately one of renewal, bringing to the forefront numerous ways in which church property can continue to fulfill these functions and its broader spiritual purpose even in new forms. A seminal work in these changing times of the church.”
—Audrey C. Price, associate director of the Religion & Society Program at the Aspen Institute
“Historic African American congregations often own substantial multigenerational assets in their communities and function as trusted intermediaries for civic engagement. However, in rapidly growing urban areas, many of these congregations are experiencing rapid change and development pressure. While these issues were already acute before 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated these challenges. Gone for Good? Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition could not have come at a more critical juncture. Many of these congregations need to make difficult decisions about the future of their ministry, the communities they have long served, and the property they have stewardship of.”
—Reggie Blount, executive director, Oikos Institute for Social Impact
“The tidal wave of change is already upon us as church buildings close by the thousands each year, which makes Gone for Good? essential reading for bishops, judicatory leaders, clergy, laity, and anyone concerned about community and sense of place. As a bishop, I’ve long held that the care of souls is deeply connected to the care of church buildings and the communities in which they are anchored. We may not have a compass or roadmap to navigate these current and future challenges, but offering theological and practical hope, the essays contained here can help us make thoughtful, just, financially prudent, and mission-minded decisions about the beloved sacred places left behind when the people have gone.”
—Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis
About the Author
Mark Elsdon lives and works at the intersection of money and meaning as an entrepreneur, nonprofit executive, and speaker. He is the author of We Aren’t Broke: Uncovering Hidden Resources for Mission and Ministry. Mark holds degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, Princeton Theological Seminary, and the University of Wisconsin School of Business. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with his family.
