As you think about the economic situation of our country, you may feel the temptation to cut back your mission programs, community outreach, and church marketing efforts. The church must come to realize that now is the time to seek out more opportunities.
There are people out there, right now, with real needs that need real solutions. God has called you as ministry leaders to spread the knowledge of the best and only real solution to a sinful world. Right now the church community is faced with economic hardship, but just as God can bring peace into situations of divorce and illness, He can bring peace to this as well.
Christianity Today recently published an article that discusses this very issue. It points out the challenge many pastors are facing in the current economic crisis. “From what I can gather, there are about 300,000 churches in this country. Many, for whatever reason, are always struggling to survive. Maybe their mindset is so narrow, they can’t relate to anyone else” (Should We Circle the Wagons: There may be a better response to tough economic times by Clayton Brumby).
While the article itself is a fictional piece, the thoughts and doubts of the pastor are probably running through many real ministry leaders’ minds. If you are feeling like it is time to find shelter from the economic storm and stop your outreach efforts, then this story is for you. We hope this article encourages you and challenges you to put your trust in God, and go forward with the mission He has called you to.
To read the full article check out the Christianity Today website.
March 13th, 2009 at 8:14 am
The most amazing thing about the times we are is is to watch some churches stepping out in faith to see these hard times as opportunities to impact peoples lives with the love of Jesus Christ.
Now is the time for the people of God to step out and make their presence known. The salvation people need is not from money troubles but from the power and enslavement of sin.
What is needed during these times is faith and no fear! The church that is aggressive in these times to help plant new churches, create new ministries to reach peoples needs, and to invest in the tools to reach out, empower the body and equip the saints to do the work of ministry, this is the church that will not just survive in these hard times but will flourish. Following God in hard times is not easy it a must. These are times to watch God do only what God can do, to step out no back and to seize the day, take the ground that Satan thinks he has in peoples lives. Now is a time for true discipleship getting into peoples lives, not just getting converts.
The ability to do this will be seen in how churches order their ministries, invest in the future and train up their leaders, and focus on healthy disciples who are dependent on Christ, self initiating, reproducing, faithful followers of Jesus.