Church Anniversary and Founders Day: The purpose and focus is different

Founders Day or Church Anniversary?

Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 that His church would be founded on the revelation of who Peter said He was, which was "the Christ, the Son of the Living God." In Christian churches, you will hear about Founder's Day and Church Anniversary.

I have heard people say the names are interchangeable, but they are not. Taking a closer look, you will find that each has a different purpose. Both events celebrate the date a ministry began, but the intent of each is made clear in the name.

One celebration highlights the man or woman who founded the church, while the other acknowledges the total church history and everyone who contributed along the way.

As I was growing up, all churches in the community and beyond had anniversaries that celebrated the date the church was founded. The traditional method of observance was an evening service where a guest pastor presided and brought his choir and congregation along.

Church anniversaries acknowledge all contributions

There would be a meal either before or after the service, and all money collected during the offering went to the church treasury. Members would be asked to give at least $100 or whatever they could afford on this special annual day.

This once-a-year offering was used for whatever church expenses were not covered by tithes and offerings or designated for the building fund or some other church project.

There would be an anniversary booklet where congregants could place ads in memory of deceased loved ones who had belonged to the church. Pictures of current church members, organizations, and ministries would be included. A brief history of the ministry was usually included.

During the service, the church history would be read just before the sermon. Thanks would also be given to the Lord for allowing the church to go on for the specified number of years. Everyone would enjoy the message, food, and fellowship.

Founders Day focuses on the founder

A Founders Day observance celebrates the person who started the church. There are still special services with guest preachers, their choirs, and congregations.

The difference is that the message from the pulpit on Founders Day will not be about how the Lord has brought the congregants through 50, 100, or 150 years.

Those in attendance will hear how special the founder is, and without hsi vision, there would be no church. All money collected (above the regular offering) goes to the pastor, who may already be getting a salary and other financial perks.

In Word of Faith and Full Gospel churches I have attended, the visiting preacher will ask for a specific amount of money for the founder. I have watched as up to 20,000 is raised for a pastor in this one service.

The pastor and his wife are the recipients of all the accolades, while the members whose money, time, and talent were crucial to the success of the ministry are not recognized.

Every joint supplies

Even though a pastor may have founded a church, it took the money, time, and talent of the members who cleaned the building, ushered, cooked, sang on the choir, were secretaries, treasurers, deacons, officers, etc.

If church members had not served and sat in the seats, the founder would not have had a job. This is not to take away from a visionary but to shed light and critical thinking on the situation.

Whether you have a Church Anniversary or a Founder's Day celebration, the main focus in a Christian ministry should always be Christ. If he had not been crucified and resurrected, there would be no churches founded and no need for founders.