How do you sell prosperity in an economic downturn? No, doing crusades in third-world countries is not an option.
It has been tough for churches. As a church-worker, I can tell you that straight up. When the jobs go, so does the giving. It's the man-made Circle of Life.
The obvious casualties are less programming and reduced spending. Pastoral staffers all around are rethinking priorities, and churches are having to make due with much less. The newsreels last week were dominated by one particular well known mega-church filing for bankruptcy (this church is also tightening it's belt to cut costs).
It's never fun when the church struggles.
So, what are we to do with weightier duties and lighter collection plates?
We need to go old-school: let's pray.
The re-examination of priorities is not a bad thing. Longevity and growth sometimes cloak disadvantageous bloat and waste. It is SO easy to justify foolishness with a "spiritual" stamp of approval, especially during times of plenty.
I think it is also important to understand that our duties to serve do not stop because our physical support does. In fact, more people need help. We may not be able to fill every fiscal gap, but we sure can do a Peter: let's give what we do have.
All in all, this time will pass, and negative as it seems, I believe it is an opportunity for the church to snatch back some relevance. Surreptitiously slipping in tithing material in the church program may get you temporary reprieve, but focusing on the God of Psalm 23 may be wiser.
Stay blessed.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Prosperity preaching... for the church.
10:00
Unknown
1 comments:
Great reminders, Tre. I was just studying Jeremiah 29, and did you know, that in verse 11, where it says God has a plan "to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (from the NIV), that word prosper is the word Shalohm, meaning peace? I thought that was pretty interesting.
If the church would turn to God, and walk in the peace that is promised to us, when things turn around in the economy our inclination should be to give away that excess, because we are at peace with what we have.
That's what was screaming out loud in my head when I read this anyway.
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