On July 17 the members of the Glencarlyn Road Baptist Church, located in the Bailey's Crossroads area of Fairfax County, voted to give its considerable resources-building, property and assets-to Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church.
After 54 years of ministering to its community, GRBC will close its doors on Sept. 30, 2005. On Easter 2006, the former Glencarlyn facility will reopen as a “multi-site” location of Columbia Baptist Church. Columbia already worships in eight languages and 13 weekend worship experiences in two locations and plans to worship in four separate locations by the end of 2007.
With a declining membership primarily composed of older adults, Glencarlyn Road Baptist took the courageous step of allowing a sister church to continue its legacy of faithful ministry.
“This decision is about carrying on a witness for Christ in this location and community,” said Greg Loewer, GRBC's pastor for the past 17 years. “We humbly present our church facility as a Kingdom gift for Columbia to use for God's purposes.”
Some may question a decision such as this, but Columbia Baptist members view it as an act of generosity and faith. According to Columbia pastor Jim Baucom, “We are utterly humbled by the magnitude of this gift, an act of generosity we pray might result in many persons coming to know Jesus Christ on the mission field God has given us together.”
Both pastors agree that this is a critical moment for Christ's church in metropolitan Washington, as a multi-ethnic population swells while many congregations “inside the beltway” decline. As Pastor Baucom observed, “Considering the ballooning prices of real estate in this region were this local outpost of ministry [Glencarlyn] to be lost to God's Kingdom, it might never be recovered.”
It is Glencarlyn's hope and prayer that other declining congregations might be inspired by its example.
Special to the Herald