This book had a wide variety of authors contributing their thoughts on this topic, but overall, I found it disappointing. The best essay in the book, I thought, was from the real estate developers. They had good, practical advice on zoning, realistic time periods needed, and other important considerations. The last essay, detailing a study on what philanthropy professionals might think on the subject of re-purposing church buildings, was fascinating. Answer: they haven't thought much about the subject at all. While church leaders may think lots about this topic, others are not.

Several authors of essays in this book came across as preachy, chiding church members to simply turn their properties over to disadvantaged groups who are thought to live in the vicinity of their church building. I think this presumes that most church members are affluent, white people attending churches in predominately poor neighborhoods. Frankly, this has not been my experience or observations. The question of what you might do with an unused church in an affluent area is not addressed in this book, but it should have been.

This book had lots of potential, but few new or interesting ideas.