Suing for Reconciliation | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

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Christianity Today, June, 2008

Suing for Reconciliation

Struggling congregation alleges the denomination sold its sanctuary unlawfully.

Paul Asay | posted 5/12/2008 09:15AM

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A small Chinese congregation in Colorado Springs is suing the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) for proceeds from the sale of its sanctuary—and, perhaps, for an explanation.

Chinese Alliance Church of Colorado Springs (CACCC) completed the purchase of its storefront property in 2002. However, denominational bylaws allowed the C&MA to seize the property in 2006 and sell it to a karate studio in 2008 for $550,000.

According to Richard Hammar, editor of Church Law & Tax Report, most churches own their own worship space. However, some hold it in trust for their parent denomination. C&MA bylaws state that a congregation's claim to property depends on its standing within the denomination.

The trouble for CACCC began in 2001, according to court documents. Congregants began to leave the church, and giving dropped. When the church failed to file an annual report with the State of Colorado in 2003, if was officially dissolved as a nonprofit entity. Three years later, the C&MA's Mid-America District downgraded the church's status from "accredited" to "developing"— a change that forfeited the congregation's right to its property.

Angelique Kwok, one of the plaintiffs in the church's civil suit, filed this March in Colorado Springs, said she wonders if the entire saga was a pretense for the denomination to get its hands on the church's valuable property.

The C&MA, which is based in Colorado Springs and includes about 2,000 churches, declined requests for comment.

"We have conflict," Kwok said. "Every church has conflict. Are you going to close them down one at a time?"

Robert B. Kruschwitz, director of the Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, said that satisfying a denomination's procedures doesn't necessarily lead to a fair outcome. Kruschwitz said the C&MA may have been better served by coming to a "compassionate understanding" with the church's members and reimbursing them with some of the proceeds from the sale.

According to Hammar, the Colorado Springs court is unlikely to overturn denominational bylaws. He said the Supreme Court has urged religious groups to adopt provisions that resolve property disputes "without the need for judicial intervention."

Kwok continues to hope for such resolution. "I think both [the C&MA] and we are doing God's work, and Satan's between us now," she said. "We need to come to reconciliation."

Related Elsewhere:

Previous articles about lawsuits and churches are in our Politics & Law section.

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June 2008, Vol. 52, No. 6

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Displaying 1–5 of 10 comments

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May 22, 2008 11:26am

This is unfortunately a common practice in the C&MA, along with others. Most victims don't bring it to a lawsuit for the sake of the gospel, and the denomination knows this so they keep doing it. Just because they think it is legal doesn't make it right. Shame on the C&MA. Is money more important than souls? I guess a Karate store is better than a place of worship for them. I agree with Chuck D, "How sad."

Chuck D.

May 17, 2008 8:22am

I am very disappointed to hear this about the C&MA church. I am familiar with these procedures and "tactics" within the United Methodist Church in which I used to serve, but the C&MA.....how sad!

John

May 15, 2008 9:10am

Local church leadership needs to understand its responsibilities and the ecclesiastical structure under which it operates. No church is required to join a denomination, but once it does it agrees to the rules and to be under the authority of the leadership of that denomination. It is truly a tragedy for someone to file suit and force a good denomination like the C&MA to divert funds from ministries to lawyers. No organization is perfect, but if the congregants had put as much energy into growing their church as they are into humiliating the denomination, maybe it would not have come to this.

Pastor

May 14, 2008 8:15pm

This is not gossip. This is the truth and it hurts. Several Christians and pastors have had their spiritual lives damaged because of property grabs by denominations like the C&MA. There is no comment because they want this to be forgotten and not brought to ligt. Thank you CT for telling the truth!

DanS

May 14, 2008 10:08am

What this article fails to mention is the fact that for several decades small organized religious groups have sometimes acted the role of marauding pirates. Without 'church assets', these groups seek to seize buildings and fixtures from the unsuspecting--typically elderly congregations. Hopefully, justice will prevail.

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