Remember You’ve Got Mail? That late ’90s rom-com where a big chain bookstore moves into the neighborhood and slowly pushes out the small, cozy shop run by Kathleen Kelly? It wasn’t just about love and email—it was about what happens when something big and shiny overshadows something small and personal.
That same story plays out in cities all the time, especially in the church world. On one corner, you might find a storefront church—tight-knit, deeply rooted, and woven into the life of the block. Just a few miles away, there’s a mega church with thousands of members, a full media team, and influence that stretches far beyond Sunday morning.
Both are doing good work. But they often don’t talk to each other. They don’t share space, resources, or even stories. And that silence can feel like a missed opportunity.
In my latest research, I look at how these churches—big and small—might actually work together. Not by becoming the same, but by respecting what each brings to the table. I dig into zoning laws, visibility, and the ways churches are shaped by the neighborhoods they serve. But more than that, I ask: What would it take to build real unity?
Because when churches collaborate, they don’t just grow—they heal. They become more than buildings. They become bridges.
Read the full preprint: https://doi.org/10.31229/osf.io/kz7m4_v2