Yes in God's Backyard with Richard Reinhard

About this episode

Matt McGee interviews Rick Reinhard about the challenges and opportunities surrounding church closures and the redevelopment of faith-based properties.

In this episode of The Last Service Podcast, Matt McGee is joined by Rick Reinhard—consultant, urban planner, and national thought leader on the redevelopment of faith-based properties. Together, they dive deep into the reality behind the wave of church closures sweeping across North America and explore what congregations and communities can do before it’s too late. Rick shares his insights from decades of work in municipal planning, denominational strategy, and property reuse. From deferred maintenance and financial transparency to zoning laws and community partnerships, this conversation offers both sobering truths and practical hope. Whether you’re a pastor, church board member, city planner, or nonprofit leader, this episode will change how you think about the future of church buildings—and the mission they were built to serve. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why up to 100,000 churches may close in the next 20 years How deferred maintenance and denial quietly destroy congregations What churches can do now to redevelop or repurpose their property Why cities, counties, and community foundations must get involved What “YIGBY: Yes In God’s Backyard” means for affordable housing…

People in this episode

Host: Matt McGee

Guest: Rick Reinhard

Topics covered

• church closures
• redevelopment of faith-based properties
• community partnerships
• affordable housing
• property reuse

Keywords

• YIGBY
• NIMBY
• municipal planning
• denominational strategy
• financial transparency

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Last Service Podcast, Affordable Housing: YIGBY

Places: North America, Buffalo

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