When churches merge
From an article by the Baptist Union
Following the merger of two Baptist churches in 2024, Pinner Baptist Church minister and Chair of the Board of the Evangelical Alliance, Manoj Raithatha has written a book, When Churches Merge, reflecting on all aspects of the process, including the covenant theology that underpinned it, as well as the practical realities. "It’s not a book for those seeking to replicate our model", he writes, "Rather, it’s written with the aim of ‘inspiring churches to talk to one another and to see what might be possible when we are prepared to pray, envision and work together.’" He continues:
As a church in North West London, we had been growing steadily in numbers over recent years, and had even given thought to the idea of having a second service. But in my view, we clearly remained some years away from that. We were a medium sized church with a number of empty chairs that still needed to be filled. This being the case, the idea of dramatically expanding our fellowship was not at the forefront of our minds, yet when the nudge came in 2023 to do it, there was no question that God was in it.
Around 15 years ago a couple from Hatch End Baptist Church (HEBC) visited an Anglican church I attended. Over coffee, I listened intently as the couple from HEBC shared their desire to see their fellowship grow numerically. Their numbers had continued to remain steady with little sign of change. As we discussed and prayed together, we came away with a strong sense that God might have connected us together. But what did it all mean?
Over the ensuing months, I connected with HEBC and linked them with another church who came and did a training day. Some years later, when I became the minister of Pinner Baptist Church (PBC) which was on HEBC’s doorstep, the same questions returned. And then it happened.
In March 2023, I woke up in the early hours with the word, "Revive" coming out of my mouth. Believing this to be of God, I got out of bed to kneel and pray. Things would become clearer a few days later when I found out that HEBC faced the real prospect of closure as their trustees were looking to step down. With this came a persistent challenge: As a Christian, who is part of the body of Christ, and therefore joined to one’s brothers and sisters worshipping elsewhere, what was I prepared to do?
Over the following months, the two churches prayed individually and collectively. Regularly meeting together in small gatherings as well as church meetings, the matter was properly discussed before a vote confirmed that we were on the same page. By God’s grace, we subsequently worked through the practical arrangements of becoming one church across two sites, something we would go on to celebrate at a merger service in October 2024.
When Churches Merge recounts our shared journey. The heart of the book centres on how "Covenant Theology" informed our thinking. This merger was not a take-over, but rather a coming together of God’s people who continue to choose to walk together under the Lordship of Christ. I cannot emphasise how important this element was to our thinking because it gave us the maturity to move beyond a protectionist view of church to a more kingdom-minded perspective.
The book is in two parts:
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"Our Merger Journey" - catching God’s vision for your locality through earnest prayer, and how mission unfolds through community and covenant.
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"Church Merger Reflections" - lessons learnt during the process.
The practical elements of any new initiative are very important. Getting these right is just as important as the other more ‘spiritual’ elements, and when we don’t, people get hurt. So serious consideration must be given to administrative and legal factors when a church is thinking about stepping out into something new, be it a church plant, merger or holding a second service.
When Churches Merge is written with the aim of inspiring churches to talk to one another and to see what might be possible when we are prepared to pray, envision and work together.
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From an article by the Baptist Union, 10/02/2026