Across South Florida, congregations are confronting a hard numbers problem: rising costs, shifting demographics, aging facilities, and, in some cases, fewer people in the pews. A wave of foreclosures, property sales and mergers has put the issue in sharp relief. At the same time, pastors and church leaders say new tactics — from housing development and nonprofit partnerships to online giving — are helping churches remain anchors of community life
Trends
Local pastors say South Florida’s affordability crisis, demographic shifts and gentrification are reshaping who can attend and give.
“I don’t think it’s a church problem, per se. I would say it’s a South Florida problem. Context always influences culture,” said the Rev. Nathaniel Robinson III, senior pastor at Mount Hermon AMEC in Miami Gardens. He explained that as residents are priced out, congregations lose their financial base.
“If people are struggling, then the primary resource of contributions for a congregation, being the people, will most likely not sustain the ministry,” Robinson said.
Bernard Phanord, president and CEO of the Collective Empowerment Group (CEG), said the pandemic deepened financial instability.
“Since COVID, there’s been a great impact on membership,” he said. “Most ministries are very much dependent upon tithes and offerings. Once you have the reduction of membership, that’s a reduction of love, contributions and tithes that helps sustain those ministries.”
Gentrification and inflation, he added, push congregants farther away.
“You will see or have seen the impact of people simply not going to church as much… because they have to put food on the table. The cost of maintaining housing and stability sometimes causes them to not go to church.”…