The Battle Over a Church Worth Millions

The Journal discusses the legal battle over the Central Church of Christ in Nashville, examining the phenomenon of "steeplejacking," where individuals take control of declining churches for financial gain. The narrative centers on Sean Mathis's takeover of the church, its subsequent renaming, and changes in its operations, which led to conflict with long-time members and the intervention of Amy Grant, the great-granddaughter of the church's founder. A legal battle ensued, based on a clause in the original deed that stipulated the property would revert to the founder's family if church services ceased. The settlement resulted in the Burton family regaining control of the building, with plans to turn it into a center for the homeless, while Mathis's group retained the parking lots and a portion of the sale proceeds.