Minister’s Blog

A question confronts every church in our nation, “How dependent is the church on the economy of our nation?” Because ministries of the church depend on funds available for staff salaries, for facilities, and for programming, we tend to believe the effectiveness of the church’s ministries are dependent on the health of the nation’s economy. The opposite of believing the church’s future depends solely on the well being of the worldwide finances is to conclude the two, the church and the economy, are not related or do not depend on each other. Somewhere between these opposite ideas the reality emerges that a downturn or a recession effects a church in a negative way. Before we reach the point of concluding the present financial conditions will put an end to the church, we need to reach for our Bibles to learn again an accurate prediction of the future of God’s kingdom.

Churches and Christian parachurch organizations are struggling with meeting their expenses and not able to expand their ministries and services. We, Christ’s Church at Tiffin, are working on how to respond to the future whether the economy and giving increase, remain as they are, or decline. We leaders are presently working on a budget with three priorities. Priority one is the basic essentials to operate while priority two is operating with the basics while retaining some of the ministries we usually include in the church’s operations. Priority three includes all of the areas the 2009 budget specifies. As our ideas develop we will be presenting the plan to you. I can assure you a major part of this plan is continual prayer that involves all of our church family.

My original question is an assessment of whether or not we churches are in a crisis or a downturn? Our answer will determine how we respond to the present economic struggle many of our church families are facing. What would happen if our nation decided to persecute all believers who refused to give up their faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God as described in the Bible? Suppose during the midst of this persecution our nation experienced a famine (equivalent to a depression) that left many people searching for the means to survive. I have described a crisis which the large majority of today’s church members have never experienced. I have also described the conditions of the early church in the first century when a persecution broke out against the Christians in Jerusalem and the famine that occurred a few decades later. How did the church survive such times? It was not the best situation but the church did survive. Paul the Apostle collected funds for the desperate Christians back in Israel from the churches in the Gentile world. God provided for their needs.

Not only does the Bible say God will provide for us but it also shows by example that God is still sovereign in His watchcare for His people. Are we about to enter into a difficult time as a church with an unhealthy economy? Maybe. Will it be of a crisis portion? Maybe. And maybe not. Is there some political posturing in our economy? I think so. Is there some psychological factors in the recession? I believe there is. Will we overcome or adjust to these problems? My answer would be that we have always worked through them in the past.

Jesus promised His followers they would enjoy a permanent existence in our world until the end of time. In Matthew 16, Jesus stopped by the head waters of the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee for a midterm exam for the twelve Apostles. The test was two questions, “Who do people say I am?” “Who do you say I am?” A group of the Apostles answered the first question about what people were saying, “John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” Peter answered the second question, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered boldly, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus complimented Peter’s confession of his faith and assured the Apostles that the “gates of Hades will not overpower My church.” The church possesses this divine ability in spite of its weaknesses and difficulties to continue to exist. The Lord’s church will do more than survive; we will be stronger because our struggles strengthened our faith in God.

In His Service,
Terry Jones, Senior Minister, Christ’s Church at Tiffin