Pathway and KCCM: A Story of Legacy

by Ben Tobias & Jacob Clagg

The metrics for succeeding at God’s mission may look different in different contexts and for different churches. Two CGGC churches are challenging what success looks like against the conventional metrics.

In the northwestern part of Toledo, Ohio, resides a small church that fully intends to leave a massive legacy. When we talk about legacy, the implication is one of death and dying. But Pathway Community Church of God is very much alive. Their legacy planning started about five years ago when the sudden closure of another church moved them to action. Pathway didn’t want to close, as Earnest Hemingway put it, “Gradually, and then suddenly.” Pathway has set out to plan for how they are going to move into the future, whether that means renewed growth, or more decline. More importantly, Pathway’s legacy plan means they are prepared now, more than ever, to have an impact on their community. Current Pastors Linda and Jim Davison talked extensively about their legacy plan, all that it entailed, and now that it’s finished, what they plan to do next. “We’ve got a hundred-year anniversary coming up in 2024,” said Pastor Linda, “and we are going to celebrate that.”

Birthed in 1924, Pathway has seen growth through some of the United States and Toledo’s, specifically, hardest days. Indeed, the church produced leaders throughout the denomination and has had an impact that was disproportional to its size. Pathway often supplied students and professors to Winebrenner Seminary and became a place where graduates could explore their own ministries.

The decline for Pathway started in the post-war period, as it did for both churches and whole denominations. Part of the legacy plan, “Phase 1,” as the Davisons call it, was to collect, document, and digitize the entirety of Pathway’s history. Doing this over the course of a year or two undoubtedly provided the Davisons with a condensed snapshot of Pathway’s nearly 100-year history. Such a task gives a broad perspective that probably few pastors have of their church. While Pathway is a small church now, there is a real appreciation for the history therein. This is to say that Pathway’s story of legacy is one that aims to see its impact grow not only in spite of its decline, but because of it. Rather than hold on to resources that it can no longer use, Pathway is inspired by its own history and is determined to continue blessing its community, other organizations, and even other churches with resources no longer needed for the current ministry.

“We are focused on working to the benefit of others. It is and always will be an active congregation. We want to go as long as we possibly can.” – Pastor Jim Davison

So, what is Pathway doing? Well, nearly everything you might expect from a church many times its size. Routinely Pathway holds food collections to feed their neighbors, and they have drives to collect items for their local schools, both in Findlay and in Toledo. Pathway doesn’t just do handouts; they show up, volunteering to read for the children of these schools. In similar fashion, for Operation Christmas Child, they produce 60-100 boxes. Materials they no longer need are given away to churches that do. Their puppet ministry was no longer active, and so now a church in Oregon, Ohio, puts it to good use.

Perhaps Pathway’s most meaningful investment is also its most unorthodox. In 2014 a small family church called Kingdom Community Christian Ministries (KCCM – Currently led by Pastor Irene Blue) lost the space they were using for their Sunday services, and an agreement was struck between KCCM and Pathway to use Pathway’s building. The two services would be at separate times. KCCM would donate for the use of the building, and they would have access to a secure place to worship and do ministry. In our last issue of The Global Advocate, we explored different ways churches could reimagine their worship spaces for the community. It might not mean people come to worship at their service, but it might mean that they come closer to God. Pathway is a perfect example of how to utilize a worship space for God’s kingdom outside of just bringing people to church.

It should be noted that the churches have many differences, which undoubtedly could have prevented the burgeoning relationship. The worship style is different, both the songs they play and the instruments they use. They have different liturgies, different structures, and different sermon styles. Of course, it goes beyond the typical debate of traditional or contemporary, because on top of that are the different demographics between both age and race.

None of the aforementioned factors stood in the way of what has ultimately become a reciprocal and mutually beneficial relationship. There may have been hesitancy at the start to engage the other in what is essentially inter-cultural ministry, but you wouldn’t know it now. Pastor Irene’s own view proves the case.

“Pathway has been so gracious to allow us to use the space. I try to leave the space better than when I found it. There is relationship there. There is mutual care and concern. We’ve got Bob (a leader at Pathway) on our prayer list right now. We care.”

For Pastor Irene, the relationship has been powerful. “Having the support of seasoned pastors and an established ministry… All of that has been priceless.” Likewise, Pastor Irene has recently graduated from seminary, so she values the wisdom that Pastors Linda and Jim are able to offer her, and she views them as both mentors and peers.

Pastor Irene Blue

Almost all their holiday services are held together, from Christmas to Easter, and likewise, summer picnics and other events are held in tandem. If church leadership needs time away from a service, the churches combine for a Sunday. It’s easy to see how this model could be a boon for smaller churches that may not have a backup pastor able to fill in.

What Pathway probably didn’t expect, but certainly supported, was the outreach KCCM would begin in the building. Every month KCCM hosts a grief support group called Healing Hearts. The support group has recently been helping the community work through the shocking gun violence and opioid crisis in Toledo by bringing in speakers who have been personally affected. The turnout for the group is sometimes more than double that of both congregations combined.

Through the lens of legacy, Pathway sees KCCM and their ministries as part of their legacy too. It’s all a part of what God is doing through Pathway and how He’s leveraging even small churches who don’t always meet the traditional metrics for success. Indeed, leadership from both churches are gradually exploring what it might look like to formally become one church and, in the meantime, how they can continue to do ministry together that helps bring about God’s kingdom.

When asked if Pathway or KCCM had any advice for churches who might want to try doing co-operative ministry, Pastors Linda and Irene offered this:

“Be open to opportunities that are already present. We have a great opportunity with KCCM. Longevity could be a piece of that, yes, but just the enrichment of two seemingly different congregations. It’s ‘what are we doing together to make an impact for the kingdom of God.’” – Linda Davison.

“I would encourage anyone if you’re starting out and you don’t have a building… why commit yourself? Why? Especially in this post-pandemic, clearly unchurched generation that we are entering into. Find a way to align with an established ministry where everyone is benefitting from the relationship, financially and collectively.” – Irene Blue

We hope that Pathway doesn’t just make it to their 100 th anniversary. We hope that together, with KCCM, they have 100 more.