>>>The Church in Financial Crisis<<<

[EA]

I got a letter from a brother pleading for money today.

He used the word "crisis" to define the situation his organization is in.

He stated that giving has declined substantially, recently.

Understand, the problem is not mismanagement, it is a decrease in giving.

How widespread is this? How is the economic depression we are in impacting the local church, and the organizations we are a part of?

Has your church cut back on giving to other organizational programs and fundraising drives?

Do you think local churches will sever ties with national organizations for financial reasons?

Do you believe this will give rise to the house church movement?

[scotty]

No problems here..

[Mrs. LPW]

They'll have to start charging for the coffee's.

[EA]

I believe the economic depression could lead local churches to react in the following ways:

• Less giving to missions.
• Less giving to national programs.
• Fewer, if any, guest evangelists.
• More pastors becoming bi-vocational.

I also believe some churches may merge with others, or even close.

[gloryseeker]

Originally Posted by Edward Anglin

I got a letter from a brother pleading for money today.

He used the word "crisis" to define the situation his organization is in.

He stated that giving has declined substantially, recently.

Understand, the problem is not mismanagement, it is a decrease in giving.

How widespread is this? How is the economic depression we are in impacting the local church, and the organizations we are a part of?

Has your church cut back on giving to other organizational programs and fundraising drives?

Do you think local churches will sever ties with national organizations for financial reasons?

Do you believe this will give rise to the house church movement?

December was our best month last year!!! Things continue to go up not down.

The reason a large percentage of church struggle is because they operate according to this master mammon

[Mrs. LPW]

Originally Posted by Edward Anglin

I believe the economic depression could lead local churches to react in the following ways:

• Less giving to missions.
• Less giving to national programs.
• Fewer, if any, guest evangelists.
• More pastors becoming bi-vocational.

I also believe some churches may merge with others, or even close.

Our Missions offering increased again this year. We're trusting the Lord and sowing into His Kingdom.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by Edward Anglin

I believe the economic depression could lead local churches to react in the following ways:

• Less giving to missions.
• Less giving to national programs.
• Fewer, if any, guest evangelists.
• More pastors becoming bi-vocational.

I also believe some churches may merge with others, or even close.

You're the first one I've heard say our economy was in a depression.

[EA]

Ministers will be required to make some tough decisions.

• Those considering church planting may be less willing to jump in, due to financial hardship, including the inability to garner donations for a start up.
  
• Full time evangelists may become a thing of the past, as that is an area financially strapped churches will cut first.
  
• Some ministers may sever ties with the WPF, ALJC or UPCI simply because they cannot justify the money they spend on dues each month, quarter and year.

[EA]

Originally Posted by mizpeh

You're the first one I've heard say our economy was in a depression.

We are in the fifth quarter of this recession, with no end in sight.

Many economists are not seeing the bottom for at least another year.

At that point we will be wallowing in the longest economic downturn in almost seventy years.

Trouble is, many economists are saying we are spiralling down faster than they anticipated. That the downturn is deeper than they anticipated.

President Obama is saying this is going to last for years.

[Jaxon]

Churches merging with other churches???? Don't ever see that happining, don't care if they are of the same faith or organization. Many issues involved there