Bishop Ebony Kirkland

ASSOCIATION For STOREFRONT CHURCHES Bishop Ebony Kirkland

determine the need for an alliance for small churches, a triangulation research methodology was employed to capture viable research findings. These methods consisted of the following: observational, qualitative and quantitative research. For the purpose of this study, small churches are characterized as having 3-150 members. The proposed alliance would provide the following: standardized pastorial training, financial resource information, economy-of-scale purchasing capabilities, national and regional educational conferences, and pastorial/ membership retirement benefits. In the initial phase of this project, observational research was conducted to examine the environment in which small churches existed and to assess their organizational and structural operations. Following that phase, 4 in-depth personal interviews were conducted among pastors of the target audience in the boroughs of Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan. Lastly, in the quantitative phase 30 pastors presiding over small churches were interviewed over the telephone. The salient findings indicated a need for such an alliance among small churches. Pastors cited an overwhelming need for educational, networking and fellowship opportunities as well as the need for insurance and retirement benefits. The overarching research implication was the need to bring pastors of small churches together in an alliance to educate, train and support their efforts to successfully preside over their respective churches. This would enable them to better serve their constituent members and their community at large.