This morning on Twitter, @johnpanico posted a link to his article tying together, of all things: the recent bank bail-out and the proprosed auto industry bail-out, to the dire financial situation in his church. While he was specifically discussing the situation within his church; I found myself seeing many similarities in my own church.
Churches are, of course, made up of people – and when people are out of work, they do not have money to give, much less tithe: 10% of nothing is still nothing. When many in your congregation are struggling to keep their utilities on and food on the table, they become the ones in need. It should be the church step up to help: but what if the church is also financially strapped? If the church is wounded and bleeding, without funds to help themselves, much less care their congregation; what is to become of us all?! Is the government going to help? Well, of course not – and honestly, I would think it inappropriate for them to. There must be a solution to save the church.
Is there mismanagement within the church?
We have all seen and heard the stories of mega-preachers and churches raking in millions. I do not believe that God requires his children to live in poverty. I do believe it’s perfectly fine for us to prosper and be blessed! However, dire circumstances require swift and prudent actions; and I believe that cuttings costs across the board in the church budget should be one of those.
But what of those smaller churches where the Pastor does not make millions, and there is no large paid staff? There isn’t any excess fat to cut from many church budgets and Pastor’s are now required to seek employment outside the church, in addition to their pastoring duties. I believe that is a wise step to take, but what if that’s not enough to save the church itself from utilities being shut off and building payments not able to be paid. A Pastor working in employment outside the church may pay their own personal bills; but what of the church’s bills?
The Home Church Solution
For about three years, several years ago, my husband and I attended a small home church group. This was a group of Christians who did not have a church building, pastor salaries or budgets to approve – they simply met in the homes of those within this group of people who made up ‘the church’. This is the way church services used to be held and are still held this way around the world.
I know many churches have home groups during the week, to help people to connect better with one another and for study and fellowship. Why do we not go back to this model? No more building payments, utilities or any of that – just take whatever funds are collected and still use that to help those in the congregation and community, as the church is intended to do.
I know the cries of many will be;
‘But what of our _________ program; where would be have that?’
‘My home isn’t big enough, nice enough, etc… to have people over for a service.’
‘Our church will disband and fall apart if we don’t have a building.’
‘How can people find us if we don’t have a building?’
And the reasonings and excuses could go on and on. We need to remember we are in truly dire times. God is in control of all; He is still on the throne, and in case you haven’t read the end of the Book (aka: Bible), God wins. 
But that does not mean we will not go through hard times – as we are already. We need to stop living like spoiled children and start acting like mature Christians!
The church is made up of the body of believers: people. The church is not a building or specific location. The church is wherever the people are. We don’t need programs to have church. Our focus should be on Christ and the Word, not on all the fun things we can come up with to do – no matter how God-honoring they may be. When times are tough, and there isn’t money to pay for these programs, then they need to go.
If a congregation of believers were to go to the home church model; I am sure there would be some who would not like that and would go elsewhere to worship. But I have to ask myself, why? Are they afraid of a true, personal, intimate relationship with God without frills and programs? Perhaps it’s the change they fear. Change is here my friends – so we better get used to it and find a way to not only survive it, but thrive in spite of it.
Evangelism vs. The Greeter
One thing I see sorely lacking in the church as a whole today is evangelism. Most within the church are too busy to go out and witness to others, invite them to church and let others know they are welcome and encouraged to come worship and study God’s word with us.
Instead, we act as door Greeters who stand there and hand them the weekly bulletin and we believe that just because our building is there and we open our doors every Sunday morning, that should be enough. Well it isn’t.
God did not call us to be a passive witness for Christ; we are to be out actively seeking those who need Christ and reaching out to help them. We are to go to them, not sit around waiting for them to come to us. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-19′ Acts 1:6-8) In the home church it’s a bare bones, back to basics style of fellowship and witnessing. Isn’t this what God has told us in His word to do? If we go to them, go out in our community and engage people in conversation, or even hand out fliers or take out ads in the paper, we can still draw people to our home church groups. It will work.
Help Up – Not Bail-Out
The church, and the people who make up the church, do not need a bail-out or a hand out; they need a help up. Help up out of their dire circumstances, help up out of the quagmire of budgets, debt and bondage that is preventing the church from not just growing – but thriving. Until Jesus returns, there will be no hand-out or bail-out for the church; we have to help ourselves, so we can then help others.
If we keep doing what we’ve always done; we’ll keep getting what we’ve always gotten
Stagnant church growth and the inability to meet the budget is only part of the problems facing the church today. We need to get back to serious focus on God’s word, evangelizing, and in my opinion: home church groups could very well be the solution. Cut out the excess that is distracting us from our true calling as believers: to seek and save the lost and preach the word of God (2 Timothy 4:1-5), and to educate and mature the saved in the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:6-16).
The church needs to bail itself out of the mess we are in; not to lay blame, point fingers or get bogged down in pity, guilt or fear. We need to rise up and get about God’s business and do so by being wise with the resources we have, and letting go of buildings and things that have no earthly value.
“One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” Mark 10:21
What do you think about the status of the church today? Is your church struggling financially? Please post your comments below.
Hi Traci. I’m one of your new ‘twitterfriends’…in fact, that’s where I saw a link for this post.
I have to admit something. When I clicked over to read the post, I was certain that I would disagree with you. I was already growing a defensive argument in my head.
After you stated that the church should NOT receive a “bail-out” of sorts, my defensiveness dropped and I found myself agreeing with most of your points.
Living in the south, I have seen many churches struggle with money woes. I think that you put forth several plausible ideas and suggestions for churchgoers and clergy members to try and overcome the financial crisis that many of us are dealing with. Thank you for making me think about something that perhaps I have never thought about before!
Hi Christy – thank you for your comments. I have been told before that I ‘make people think’ through my writing. I believe that to be a good thing. At least I make it known where I stand.
Great job of tying it all together very eloquently! I look forward to seeing/reading more in the future.
Perhaps a guest post on my blog??
Blessings,
John
Hi John! It was your post that inspired this one, so thank you! I’d be honored to do a guest post for you.
In Him,
Traci
Hi Tracy,
Good points. We just received a letter from our Pastor to the whole congregation yesterday, reminding everyone to be faithful (i.e. tithing). My husband and I have always tithed fully but to get a letter like that kind of irked me. I know there are some people that don’t give at all but in all honesty, my church is probably in the hole. While not a megachurch, we have two services each Sunday morning with probably about 600 at each service. The building is mortgaged and relatively new and equiped with the finest sound equipment since our creative arts ministry is a highlight of the outreach ministries. We also added a new Community Center which has not yet been fully finished (converted). I know we must owe at least a million on that one. It begs the question…have they misspent the money. Your suggestions on home church are good and I’m with you that a church doesn’t need a building. My Pastor preaches evangelism all the time and its a great church and Pastor but…what is a church to do that’s million or two in debt mortgage wise? Its not as easy (from the church’s perspective) to just disband and home church. Is it having faith in God to have purchased those buildings or was it a poor choice? Who knows. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next year.
- Rose
Hi Rose – thanks for your comments. WOW – a church $1 million in debt.
I have to admit, that’s a bit alarming to me. Deuteronomy 28:15,43,44 refers to debt as a curse for not obeying God’s commandments. Consider this “Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.” Proverbs 22:7
If anyone, including a church, owes money – we become the servant of the lender. They truly do ‘rule’ over us in that we owe them money and if it’s not paid, they will garnish wages and try to extract their money any way they can. The stress of that alone is a lot to bear. If we only would heed God’s warnings on debt and avoid it: we would be blessed to greater degree.
Traci,
I have to agree wholeheartedly with what you have said. I think that there is too much emphasis on the “stuff” we can offer to people instead of on the One who died and rose again for our salvation. I love our church building, but you are right in saying that the Church is not a building, but a community of believers. Amen, Traci!
Thank you Traci,
Excellent points of truth. I, myself can relate. 85 percent of our assets in the church, could from my income. I believe in the church as the place God allows us to utilize our gifts, equip Christians for the Great Commission and fellowship with each other as the Great Commandment. We met in the home for bible study, and then later in an office space, and now in a small building. Everything has been paid for. We have to pay for church rental and utilities now. We have had to struggle to pay in recent months due to job loss, lower givings, and membership decline or should I say fluctuation. God always provides that we meet our needs. It is not easy, but God strengthens us to continue to do his will. I was bi-vocational for twelve years of the ministry and now I have entreprenuerships to help meet the needs. I would love for someone come and drop their lottery winnings, sweepstakes prize, or business tithes to my church to bail us out of financial strugglings and free us to reaching this low-income community we are serving. Be blessed