How Recession Proof is Your Church?

Few areas of our economy are recession proof these days including the church. I have friends who are taking 20 to 30 percent pay cuts and even higher. Still others have lost their paychecks completely.

What can church leaders and their members do to prepare for economic challenges?

1. Recognize that God is still in control. While foreclosure and unemployment rates may seem to be spiraling out of control, make no mistake that God is still on the throne. No matter what economic challenges your church faces, remember that God remains faithful.

2. Recognize that economic challenges provide an opportunity to reassess what's most effective and meaningful in your church. When financial difficulties arise, everything has the opportunity to be reevaluated. You may discover that your church is top-heavy and needs less staff. You may discover that outsourcing is costing you more than you anticipated. Areas of over expenditure can be trimmed while areas of under expenditure can be increased when the economy turns around. Like pruning, cutbacks hurt, but in the long-term they can be extremely healthy.

3. Recognize that financial difficulties remind the Church that every member is meant to be an able and active member. Economic tough times remind the church that we all have a role to play in the Body. We were never meant to be spectators but actively engaged and living our faith out. As staff members transition from full-time to part-time, and the new needs for volunteers are effectively communicated, people have an unprecedented opportunity to put their talents and gifts to use.

4. Recognize that financially tough times provide an opportunity for the church and the people of God to shine the brightest. Today, more than ever, your dollar can go further and make a bigger difference in the life of another. As Christians, we are called to be the people who run in when everyone else is running out.

5. Recognize that when it comes to giving you have to get specific. Unfortunately, all too many leaders are shying away from talking to their congregations about cutbacks for fear of having to give "the money talk". And rightly so, few people want to listen to the old-school "send-your-check" plea. When giving is talked about as an active, vibrant expression of our faith that ignites change not only in our hearts but in our communities... When giving is discussed in terms of specific needs within a congregation and local area...When giving is given a face, a name, a tangible expression, then people are not only willing to give but do it joyfully.

I know one church who had planned on purchasing a much needed play area for their children. When the economy turned, the pastor simply let the church know of the need and that afternoon they received a check to cover the new play area.

I know of another church who has looked at every line item in order to cut expenses but save staff positions (one of any churches most valuable resources). They've cut back on everything from color copies to the bug exterminator opting for black and white copies and do-it-yourself sprays.

I know of another church that decided that in the face of economic hardship the message of giving was more important than ever. They decided to give their members cash and encouraged them to make a difference in the life of someone else.

What kind of action is your church taking?

8 Comments »

1. And when the economy returns the church can continue their penny pinching habits!

   Comment by Ro - Apr 14, 2009 @ 11:51 PM

2. I appreciate the ideas Margaret shares, especially the first. Economic shifts have caused many churches (including the one I lead) to streamline systems and budgets. I think this can be a reality check in a positive way—forcing us to focus more and trust God.

   Comment by Bart - Apr 15, 2009 @ 04:13 PM

3. Living in Zimbabwe, as I have for over 50 years, I find it amusing that the first two points have to be stated.

   When inflation hits millions of percent we found here that one can only live recognising that God is still in control!

   You are right in any situation there are God given opportunities for the Kingdom, but these do not coe on a plate, we have to pray and search for them.

   God bless John

   Comment by John Lobb - Apr 16, 2009 @ 05:23 AM

4. I think John is right—it’s strange that we live in a world where the first two points even have to be stated. Living in the extremes of overabundance (been to Costco lately?) and poverty both carry intense challenges. Sometimes in what appears to be wealth, we don’t realize how poor we’ve become.

   Comment by Margaret Feinberg - Apr 16, 2009 @ 11:39 AM

5. We did the Dave Ramsey seminar as a church and it’s *really* been helping us plan for a complete downturn of the economy, both as a community and as individuals. I would highly recommend it.

   Comment by PeteJ - Apr 16, 2009 @ 01:06 PM

6. . . . and we as church members can continue to tithe.  We affirm that we do not place our trust in our resources, but that we entrust our resources to the Father—all of them.

   To stop tithing when the budget is tightened up is a clear indicator of faithlessness, not faithfulness.  It’s not a religious discipline or moralistic work, it is obedience and a lesson of stewardship to our households and home church bodies.  “As for me and mine, we will serve!”

   Comment by Shamrock - Apr 16, 2009 @ 02:02 PM

7. As a pastor and leader, at the ripe age of 26, I have experienced a great deal of variety in my ministry contexts.  For starters, I grew up in a small church, in a rural community, in Pennsylvania.  That church went from 25 people, in a small building, to a 200+ person congregation, in a moderately sized building.  Fresh out of school, I pastored a church in the greater Cincinnati area.  Now, I find myself back in rural Pennsylvania, pastoring a small (but growing) church, in a rural community.

   Between our time in Cincinnati and our move to Pennsylvania, my wife and I were tossing around the idea of church planting.  One of the things that we encountered, rather often, as we spoke with various groups and churches regarding our desire to church plant was the idea that we should look at planting in a thriving suburban context.  The logic was clear, and it made sense- go to where people are moving.  Plant where the money is flowing.  Have all of the bells and whistles needed to minister to an image-driven, information saturated culture.

   Now, having been pastoring a church in rural PA, for what is now almost 2 years, I have discovered a couple of things.  First, people in rural towns need Jesus just as much as the people in the suburbs.  Second, in rural communities: the cost of living is typically lower; people often have low or no mortgage payments; and people tend to value creative approaches over “let’s purchase this” solutions to ministry.

   I’m not, in any way, saying that there are not needs in our community.  Nor am I naive enough to believe that none of the churches in our community are struggling financially during the current recession.

   What I am saying, however, is that in some ways, we in the church have brought the economic troubles that we are experiencing upon ourselves.  In looking for “quick fixes;” building giant structures (which we may have not truly needed); and in, at least to some degree, embracing (and sometimes perpetrating) the consumeristic bent of our culture we have in many ways tied our hands, financially, regarding our ability to effectively minister during a recession.

   Simplicity. Creativity. Planning.  Historically, these are three things that our church has done well.  Admittedly, at least initially, these things became a part of who we are out of necessity.  Over the years, however, they became part of the ethos of the church.  They became a part of what people understood to our philosophy of ministry.  As a result, we aren’t experiencing the budget crunch.  We don’t have a bloated budget.  We haven’t had to tighten our belt.  Instead, we have been able to step into the void and meet the needs of some hurting people, who need to experience the love of Jesus in a tangible way.

   Comment by Josh - May 07, 2009 @ 07:43 AM

8. The church suppose to be modest in her mode of operation whether there is economic recession or not. If we followed the biblical instructions on modesty this economic recess will not have much impact on our churches.But the unfortunate thing is that most churches are too flambouyant in their mode of operation. They hide under the canopy of some part of the bible and live a too expensive life. They fail to teach the congregation the blessing in voluntary part time work for the Lord.

   Comment by Emmanuel Ayantuga - May 24, 2009 @ 07:02 AM

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