The Economy and Children's Ministry

You can't go anywhere these days without hearing or seeing something about the economy. I'm no economist so I don't know if we're in a recession or not--or what the national implications will be from higher gas or food prices. I do know, though, that my family is tightening our belts and bargain shopping a lot more. So we're feeling the pinch!

What does a tougher economy mean for the church? I've heard of numerous people losing their jobs because budgets are tight so programs/staff are being cut. My heart goes out to those who are experiencing this disruption in their lives.

I've also heard that some "experts" are saying people may stop going to church altogether because of the high price of gas. Or that they might just choose a church closer to home instead of driving an hour to the "star" church they've been attending.

And perhaps I'm being cold, but I mean, give me a break! If people are going to stop coming to church because gas is too high, what are we as Christians coming to? Perhaps God is at work refining his church so that the truly committed remain. I wonder what could happen if a committed core of believers remains in the church and sets the world on fire. Maybe, just maybe, the high cost of gasoline is the fuel to ignite that fire.

And as far as families deciding to go to church locally instead of driving to the "star" church, I say "alright!" "Church" is so much more than just the weekly service. It's the community of believers during the week who fellowship with one another, serve together, and shine as the light in their community--that's hard to do from a distance. Could this be a refining fire from God to strengthen smaller, local bodies of Christ with the believers in their area getting plugged in right where they live? (It costs nothing to walk to the nearby church.)

So, maybe the recession--or whatever it is--is a good thing for the church? What do you think?

Comments

[Larry Shallenberger]

Some opportunities:

1) Lower staffing budget forces a renewed commitment to team building.

2) A reluctance to travel forces churches to decentralize ministry.

3) Congregants are more likely to respond to budget-coaching classes.

4) Churches that maintain their commitment to benevolent giving will get noticed by their communities. Jesus will shine.

5) Churches will pay more attention to result achieved than effort spent.

[Chris Yount Jones]

Larry,
That's a great way to look at this--where are the opportunities? How might God be able to redeem what's going on in our culture for the good of the kingdom? Thanks for your thoughts!
Chris

[Adam]

I'm with you, Chris. Come on, people! If anything, it will force some people to finally start budgeting. Compared to what water and milk cost a gallon, or what people overseas are paying at the pump, we've got a little ways to go before we can REALLY start complaining.

Ministry wise it's started us thinking of ways we can minister, meet, and mingle on nights that people are here at church anyway: cutting a leader meeting to 20 minutes after a service instead of an hour and a half on another night of the week; Having finance classes and Faith Kids Club on a Wednesday night during a prayer service; having all of our band rehearsals, kids, youth, adult, on the same night, back to back.

Not surprisingly, we're finding that more is getting done, and the people are appreciating our awareness of their gas tank. :)

[Adam]

Hi Chris!

We've found that having certain things on the same nights or days that people are already at the church for something works really well... Having a 20 minute leader meeting after a Sunday service instead of taking another night; having Faith Kids Club and our finance classes and our prayer meeting all on Wednesdays; having our rehearsals for band, kids, youth, adult, all on the same day...

We've found people are more apt to get involved that way, and I know their gas budgets appreciate it too!

[Chris Yount Jones]

Adam,
Great ideas! Let's watch the church get creative in saving money and meeting people's needs...I love it!
Chris

[truevyne]

I think anything that makes us more desperate has potential to draw us into deeper relationship with Jesus. So, as far as God goes, bring the recession on.

[Chris Yount Jones]

Truevyne,
I love your attitude! That's how we should feel with anything in life. Rather than giving ourselves to fear (which is so easy to do). Thanks!

[Henry Zonio]

I find it funny when my friends and family in the States start to complain about gas prices. Try paying up to $5-6/gallon... that's what it is up here in the Great White North, and we still get around :)

I understand your frustrations with the possibility of people choosing to not go to church because of gas prices and such, but I am worried by the conclusions you draw that God is somehow "refining" the Church to the "truly committed." As if this would make the truly committed more effective. If they weren't effective before, what would make them more effective when church becomes more of a Christian club. It comes off as a Christian elitist attitude.

When I first started reading this post, I thought that it was going to go in the direction of how the Church can be more relevant in the lives of people and more valuable in the lives of people. I like the suggestions given about how to make the best of the economic situation in the States, but they all pertain to "churched" people. We should be asking ourselves, though, how we can become more effective through this at reaching those outside a relationship with Christ. If anything, this can be a catalyst for churches to be less attractional (come to our building and meet Jesus) and be more missional (we will go out and meet you where you are and point you to a transforming relationship with Jesus along the way).

[Chris Yount Jones]

Henry,
Thanks for zinging me. I apologize for being elitist. My frustration with the church--that relates to this topic--is wondering if we're reaping what we've sown. Have we made our churches so "seeker sensitive" that we've missed laying out for believers what it means to "take up our crosses daily"? We hear the reports: tithing is down; serving is down; attendance is down in so many churches. Could this be the result of what we've sown? I spoke from that frustration about what have we come to as the body of Christ if a tank of gas is going to keep believers from going to church?

[Henry Zonio]

Sorry if I sounded harsh. I just think that in the light of these, we need to be careful and not just call people to greater commitment to church but greater commitment to Christ. Just like we can easily get frustrated with parents and need to be careful with that, I think we need to apply that to those people who may not have that sense of greater commitment to Christ through giving and such. I agree that the issue is one of calling people to greater commitment. But how? What does that look like? How do we create compelling communities that connect people (individually and as a community) to the living God? Again, I think a lot of it has to do with us getting beyond our four walls and engaging the people around us... Have you read Peppermint-Filled Pinatas by Eric Bryant? Good book.

[Chris Yount Jones]

Henry, I didn't take it as harsh--just "strongly felt and believed." That's a conviction! And I so appreciate dialoguing with you. You challenge me to think in new ways and that's what this blog is all about. Thanks for keeping us focused on Jesus!
Chris