Can Churches in a City Work Together?

This was the question that Jim, a friend and fellow pastor in my city, asked 15 folks around a table in 2017. This was the third question he asked, with building gusto, after receiving rousing and unified responses from his first two questions: “Who believes Fort Worth needs the gospel?” “YES!” “Who believes that church planting is a way that can happen?” “YES!” Then came the climactic moment: “Who’s ready to plant churches together?” …crickets. No response. The air was sucked out of the room. No one was ready to work together.

Churches in our city – perhaps like yours – are very territorial; there are philosophical and doctrinal divides that seem insurmountable in many leaders’ minds, and block any chance of collaboration before it even begins.