A Looming Storm for the Church

Church finances can be a contentious topic. A frequently heard complaint is that “all the church talks about is money.” Some churches may get carried away. I know of a couple that visited a church and the pastor later made a home visit. This particular pastor brought a copy of the church budget for them to study. As an accountant, I like to study budgets, but this was too pushy for those unlike me. Probably it is an exaggeration that churches just talk about money, but there are some facts that we should know.

Money is often mentioned in the Bible. There are over 2300 verses that mention the money, wealth, and possessions. Jesus spoke about money roughly for 15% of his preaching and in 11 out of 39 parables.

Those not giving may feel guilty that they are not meeting God’s plan for finances.

People feel they can’t afford to give.

People give to Christian and other organizations but not to the church.

People misunderstand the spiritual gift of giving.

God wants all of His children to be givers. By following His plan, we will be abundantly blessed. As we discussed in a previous blog (God Said “Put Me to the Test), God uses finances to grow us as Christians. 

Prepare. Churches should prepare for a financial crisis. After living in Florida for almost 30 years, I know about preparation for a crisis.  Hurricanes are all too common to Floridians. Often, those who suffer the least in a storm are those who are prepared. As a form of preparation we recently installed hurricane windows throughout our house. When a storm approaches we take precautionary actions. Although the church in America faces many threats, there is a looming storm in the financial arena. Lacking mature, giving Christians, the church could dry up. 

 We live in a time of economic transformation in which many jobs may be eliminated. Other jobs may be downgraded. In short, the younger generations face personal economic instability. Also, there is a continuing massive retirement by the Baby Boomer generation. Boomers have sustained congregational giving for decades and now their income is declining as they retire. Many Boomers are not fully prepared for retirement as they pass their peak earning years. A church that does not teach God’s plan for individual finances may find itself unable to continue ministry. I was once part of a church in which there was little or no mention of church finances from the pulpit. That church suffered through some lean years, but fortunately it now appears to be on the right track.

Challenges. The previous century brought to the American people unprecedented prosperity. Despite our wealth, the average church giving in our churches is between two and three percent of income. Our society offers many options to spend our money. There is always something new to buy. Numerous parachurch organizations plead for our funds. These are, by and large, worthy causes. But they are not the church. Many  self-centered individuals may simply avoid being charitable and spend it on ourselves.

The storm goes even further for the local church. Not only are tithes and offerings threatened due to economic instability and reduced income, younger generations are less religious than their parents and grandparents. A study by done by Pew Research found that adults age 18-24 are less likely than older adults above age 73 to:

Identify as Christian 46% versus 80%.

Pray daily 27% versus 58%.

Attend religious services at least monthly 25% versus 49%.

Consider themselves religiously unaffiliated 43% versus 13%

Opportunities. New challenges bring new opportunities. Throughout the centuries the church has thrived by adapting its methods while maintaining its mission. The Industrial Revolution transformed our society. The invention of the automobile changed residential patterns. Our financial abundance has enabled us to travel and do other things with our newfound wealth. I would propose that churches follow the “4S” process.

Stewardship. The church has, by and large, failed to teach God’s plan of stewardship and the rewards that come with obedience. With average giving in the range of 2-3% of income we are failing God as Christians. Do not misunderstand me here. I am not advocating the “prosperity” gospel but am calling on churches and members to follow what God has decreed in regard to our tithes and offerings. God’s plan is not “name it and claim it,” but “give it and grow it.” And we will be blessed by God as we give.

Stay the course. Regardless of any solution, the church must remain true to its mission. But the world is changing and it must make preparations for the storm. Weather forecasts have reached the level of sophistication that we can prepare for many types of storms. The church can prepare for its storm. This could change what the church today looks like. But if it doesn’t prepare, some churches may disappear. The church universal is the Bride of Christ. Parts of that church may fall away, but the Church will stand.

Scrutinize. In preparing, the church must take a deep scrutinization of both the threat and its capabilities. It is no longer sufficient for churches to take the attitude that people will find them. We need to develop strategies to find, reach, and disciple the unsaved. 

Shape. This may entail creative shaping of the church to adapt to the crisis. Over the centuries the church has adapted to the storms. Many churches today no longer pass the offering plate. Churches don’t use hymnals as they once did. Many churches today stream their worship services across the globe. Sunday night services are largely a thing of the past. Many churches realized that having a building sit empty most of the week is a waste of resources and have opened the doors to other activities during the week. All of these represent adaptations to what they once did. The church must continue to adapt while remaining faithful to its mission. 

I’ve been actively involved in a church for over 75 years. My parents took me to church at least weekly. Once on my own, I continued this habit which became a lifestyle. I’ve been in a variety of churches. Some good and some not-so-good. I always sought out Bible-believing churches. Some churches I visited once, never to return. Despite some “bad apples” God’s church still stands. It will be here until we are all called home.

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All scripture is from then NASB unless otherwise indicated.

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