Two Swiss evangelical organisations have published a new guide to help churches manage the growing demand from migrant and international congregations seeking places to worship.
The guide, released on August 19 by Freikirchen.ch and the Swiss Evangelical Alliance’s “interkulturell” working group, provides churches with a framework for assessing rental arrangements before allowing international congregations to use their buildings.
The initiative comes amid increasing demand for worship spaces, particularly in the greater Zurich area, where numerous international churches are seeking premises. The organisations said some rental arrangements have also resulted in disagreements over practical, financial and cultural issues.
The guide provides a checklist covering theology, legal structures, finances, building use, worship practices, cultural differences and communication. Each area is assessed using a traffic-light system, with green indicating that an issue has been settled, orange highlighting questions that require further discussion and red identifying potentially serious concerns.
Peter Schneeberger, president of Freikirchen.ch, said Swiss free churches were receiving many enquiries from international congregations and that the guide was designed to help both sides establish clear expectations before entering into agreements.
The term “international congregations” is used broadly in the guide to include migrant churches, ethnic and foreign-language congregations, diaspora churches and other international Christian communities.
The organisations frame the relationship between host churches and migrant congregations as more than a commercial landlord-tenant arrangement. The guide describes church buildings as something entrusted to congregations and encourages both sides to approach cooperation with mutual respect and responsibility.
It also establishes six ethical standards intended to apply equally to the host church and the international congregation.
Among the principles are guidelines on donations and financial contributions. The guide says giving should remain voluntary and should not be linked to promises of special blessings or threats of spiritual punishment. It also recommends that the size of individual donations remain private.
Membership is another area addressed by the guide. Congregations are encouraged to respect members’ freedom, ensure that people can participate in church activities voluntarily and allow members to leave without being subjected to pressure or condemnation.
The guide also warns against exclusive religious claims, including assertions that only one congregation possesses the full truth or that people outside a particular church are not genuine Christians.
Leadership standards focus on humility, accountability and openness to questions and criticism. Church leaders are advised against interfering unnecessarily in members’ private affairs, including marriage, employment, property and personal finances.
Child protection and safeguarding are also central to the guidelines. The document calls for appropriate care for children and young people, involvement of parents in significant decisions and a firm commitment against physical, verbal, sexual or spiritual abuse and other forms of abuse of power.
The checklist also addresses practical issues that can become sources of conflict between churches sharing the same premises.
Churches are encouraged to establish clear legal structures, identify responsible representatives and emergency contacts, maintain appropriate liability insurance and have safeguarding policies in place. A model rental agreement is included as an appendix.
Financial arrangements are another key consideration. According to information collected for the guide, monthly rent for weekly use of a sanctuary and adjoining rooms, together with two or three weekday events, ranged from 1,200 to 2,000 Swiss francs, excluding utilities.
The guide recommends that churches assess whether an international congregation can sustain the rental costs over the long term and agree in advance on responsibility for utilities, damage and payments.
It also advises churches to establish clear rules concerning keys, storage, technical equipment, cleaning, kitchens and permitted hours of use.
Cultural and worship differences are given particular attention. Congregations are encouraged to discuss language barriers, noise levels, children’s activities, family ministries and potential misunderstandings before signing an agreement.
The document even addresses practical questions surrounding worship, including the use of candles, communion tables and incense, as well as smells associated with meals or cultural celebrations.
Churches are encouraged to agree on how holidays, special events, weddings and funerals will be handled, particularly where several congregations use the same building.
The guide recommends appointing permanent contacts for both congregations, establishing communication channels and agreeing on a procedure for resolving disputes.
It also proposes two formal review meetings each year to assess the arrangement and coordinate plans for the following year.
Shala, the Swiss Evangelical Alliance’s intercultural officer, said the initiative was ultimately about encouraging communication between congregations.
The guide concludes with an assessment system that ranges from a strong basis for cooperation to a recommendation against renting where serious concerns remain.
Where numerous issues remain unresolved, the organisations recommend that churches seek references from previous landlords and discuss those references with the international congregation.
The document ultimately encourages both sides to consider whether their cooperation could become mutually beneficial rather than simply focusing on the immediate rental arrangement.
Freikirchen.ch represents 20 free church movements in German-speaking Switzerland, comprising more than 750 local churches and their diaconal ministries.
The new guide is intended to be adaptable to individual churches and local circumstances and is available for use without copyright restrictions.