A Church Gives Another Church It’s Church Building – this goes to show you we as churches shouldn’t compete with each other but help each other for the benefit of the Kingdom of God. Struggling South Knoxville Baptist Church and Growing City Church.
A Church Gives Another Church It’s Church Building
This happened right here in East Tennessee … South Knoxville. Instead of competing these two become one in unity. What a great way for a dying church to give to a thriving church in need. You can say this is a tale of two churches. City Church was a church looking for a permanent home. Pastor Richard Phipps of South Knoxville Baptist Church mentioned there are only a few people in service and mostly senior citizens. They maybe have 20 in attendance at Sunday Services.
The other church, City Church, is a growing church. It is led by Kent Bateman who just moved to the Knoxville area over a year ago. The did meet in the basement of a member’s house. Then they moved services to the Old City, part of Downtown Knoxville. They have been functioning as a mobile church.
We have to remember the building doesn’t make the church … we the people of the church make the church. By South Knoxville Baptist Church giving this church to City Church proves just that.
The reason South Knoxville Baptist Church gave the building to them, is because they could barely keep the building up or even pay the bills. So the Pastor Phipps turned to the Lord. It became a match made in Heaven. There is no doubt God had a hand in this pairing.
I think more dying churches should give over their property like that to a growing church.
The deed was transferd on Wednesday, August 15, 2018. City Church will slowly move into the new building and should be there within one year time. City Church also wants to kick off the new partnership with a fall festival and chili cook-off.
I pray God will bless this new church and many souls be saved.
Normally you hear of the old church selling its building and property. Rarely do you hear them give it away like South Knoxville Baptist Church did for City Church.