;)
Consumer Debt … Sucking the Life Out of Ministry
Posted by Geoff Baggett in Bible & Theology, Church & Missions, News & Culture
I’m intrigued by the whole “cash for clunkers” phenomenon that is going on right now. I am shocked that people are so aggressively pursuing the program. I am even more shocked that our lawmakers are stupid enough to think that the way to stimulate our economy is to encourage a country under mass foreclosure to assume more debt. Unbelievable! We are encouraging people to turn in perfectly good (and paid for) vehicles worth $2,000 to receive a credit of $4,500 off of a $30,000 vehicle that is only worth $20,000 when they drive it off the lot. No matter what, even with a $ 4,500 “gift” to the auto companies (which have already received bail-outs) the consumers are upside-down in debt (once again).
What are we going to do when more jobs are lost, and the debt collectors come-a-calling in five or six months to repossess these wonderfully fuel-efficient vehicles that the people can no longer pay for? Will we have a new federal program to keep people in their cars? Where do the bail-outs for bad financial decisions end???
With all of the talk about the recession, the housing “bubble,” unemployment, inflation, etc … only a scarce few economists seem to be talking about the real culprit behind it all – consumer debt.
Truly, our fundamental selfishness and the simple fact that we are so “spolied” that we think we deserve what we want when we want it (whether we can afford it or not) is the single greatest factor in our economic mess. Every economic bubble that you hear about is made by our uncanny ability to spend money that we haven’t even earned yet.
And it is killing ministry … we all know that it is. Because anyone, even Christians, who are upside-down in debt, are going to keep paying the monthly necessities first. keep the debt collectors at bay second, then contribute to the work of the Lord somewhere further down in the pecking order. I certainly deal with it in my church.
The question, it seems to me, is this – “What can/must we do as Christian leaders to discourage debt and renew selfless giving to ministry?”
Our church has taken significant steps toward giving and meeting needs in our community. One of our Life Groups organized a food bank and clothing ministry that are receiving a surprising amount of traffic. Another team of people in my church banded together and planted a community garden our our church land. They’ve been giving the produce away to families in need and to church members, as well. This is great stuff, but I feel like we must do more.
And I am convinced that the occasional stewardship / tithing message will no longer cut it. I believe that those of us who are pastors are going to have to get our own financial houses in order and start teaching our people how to live in tough financial times. I’ve been working hard in that direction. Last May (2008) my family had over $18,000 in consumer debt (credit cards, etc…). I took a second job to supplement my ministry income and have since shrunk that down to $6,000. We refinanced our house and shaved eight years off of our mortgage. My family is “going country,” and making a move to put our own personal 2 1/2 acre property to use. (I’m tired of mowing all this grass, anyway!) We’re buying a calf to put in out in our pond lot, building a hen house, building a compost bin, and planning for two large garden spots next year. We’re even setting aside food and other items to personally use during tough times or help people in need. We’re moving our family toward saving (instead of accumulating debt) and investing in others (instead of buying for ourselves). I’m not investing a lot of pulpit time in financial/stewardship instruction. But I am investing a lot of personal, one-on-one time. And it seems to me like people are listening.
Times are tough, and getting tougher. Jobs and capital are fleeing our continent. The U.S. dollar is on shaky ground. And it seems like Washington is almost deliberately attempting to crash our economic system with unthinkable spending and new (not paid for) programs in the middle of a deep recession. One months, three months, and six months from now there will be more people in need and more financial pain than there is now.
We, the church of Jesus Christ, need to be doing more. But what more can we do?
I would like for this post today to serve as a place for ideas, suggestions, and resources. What are you doing? What are your ideas?
Blessings to all,
Geoff
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
The amount people could give to our churches and to Christian causes would be astounding, if we were not under such debt to credit cards, etc.
I’m for continuing to preach once or twice a year on tithing. It’s biblical and we should do that. But I also see how what you are doing one on one in teaching financial management is a great idea. Sometimes it’s effective to have a layman give a testimony about tithing and personal finances.
I’d recommend financial books and resources by Dave Ramsey, John Morgan, Bob Eklund, etc. I’m far from perfect in finances, but I am heading in the right direction.
Do we really need that big a house, that big a car, cable, every electronic device ever invented? Do we have to eat out all the time? Pay off the debts and add to your retirement.
Getting a calf or two and gardening is a great idea. I’ve done much of that through the years. It’s also a lot of fun for the family.
David R. Brumbelow
Christianity Today did a fascinating article a few months back about the giving patterns of American Christians, based on a study published in a book (I think the name was “Pass the Plate”).
According to this study if committed American Christians (attend church 2x per week and feel their faith is important to them) would only tithe, there were would be 85.5 billion more in the coffers of churches and Christian organizations.
That is based on the OT tithe standard, not even using a NT “cheerful giving” standard.
They also said that one of the main reasons Christians today do not give is the one you mentioned – they are so strapped by debt there is absolutely no money available to give to the Lord’s work or to those in need.
We overspend on cars, houses and toys like boats and motorcycles, and we are drowning in debt because of the payments.
My conclusion, based on these stats, is that most American Christians care more about personal comfort and luxury than they do about the kingdom.
Also, the median giving for American Christians is $200 ANNUALLY!
Mona
Very interesting. Right now our pastor has begun a sermon series on financial freedom, starting last week with the fact that we have to know and believe that God owns everything we have, not just the 10%. Meaning that we need to spend our money in ways that are pleasing to Him (like taking care of our needs before our wants). Just because we can afford item X doesn’t mean we should buy item X. Part of the bulletin is a card with the words, “My next step for today is to…” and then it has boxes for “prepare a monthly budget,” “visit ‘blah blah’ financial ministries website,” and “memorize ‘blah blah’ verse.”
I remember when I was a kid that my family had a garden, chickens, ducks, and rabbits (ducks are the filthiest animals by the way). I learned about chores and earning money and the like. That can be helpful and I’m glad that people still do that (I live in Indianapolis now, so that’s not gonna happen).
Another thing our church will do following the sermon series is to have each class do a study about “managing your money God’s way” for a few weeks to reinforce the pastor’s teaching. If you’re really organized, you could run the two simultaneously.
A suggestion to people wanting to go to college is to go to a community college the first two years (because it is WAY cheaper) and then go to the “school of choice.” A friend of mine wanted to go to a religious school out of state for an English degree. It was way too expensive for him and he ended up dropping out. I believe that he’s joined the National Guard to help cover the debt, but it probably would have worked better for him if he had gone to a community college first. Perhaps this is too specific, but these are my ideas and experience.
Sorry for the mistake above. The batteries on my wireless keyboard died.
We become what we are truly inside by money’s abundance or availability. Credit makes it available more easily, and, if God gives us the power to get wealth we better begin an examination of ourselves before we accumulate too much of it.
It seems that Jesus takes notice when we give out of our abundance and, much more, when we give out of our poverty. (Not many of us give out of our poverty.) The way money is handled by a person reveals so much about them. I think if we took a person’s checkbook and examined it carefully we would know more about that person than if we spent a year with them. (That is something to consider when counseling couples for marriage.)
The church is the first, and best, place we train God’s people how to handle money. Some people think they are spending “their” money and not God’s money. Stewardship is not just for the people to give their money; stewardship is how leadership recommends it being spent, too. The church leadership has to be good stewards of God’s money if the same is to be expected of individuals. If our leaders would use, and emphasize, the Business Meetings for financial training instead of getting someone’s way about colors, buildings, etc. the church may not have a problem with debt so much. It is all God’s money and we must seek out how He wants it spent.
Our pastor has had four (4) classes of the Dave Ramsey course at our church. I taught one of them. It’s all good. Dave has the right idea about spending and saving money. Our church also declares that it is debt free. Even with the training and the debt free status, we are not assured that the “heart” is in the right place. For instance, we spent $10K cash (because we had it) on a project at the church that was absolutely unnecessary. There was an imbalance of purpose. Additionally, our pastor’s wife just bought herself a 2 yr old BMW. It’s not that you cannot have those things; it’s just that we are a country church and these things just don’t fit. There is a materialistic mindset here. A person does not have to have a large amount of money to have a “love of money”. Any economic status can have a love of money. It is just revealed in our use of the money we have or don’t have. That is what I believe pastors would best discover for their people.
In the first eight (8) years of my marriage I was debt free. Bill Gothard had instructed us on the need to be debt free. That was in 1982 to 1990. I noticed that my spirit began to mature in such a way and I grew more than I had ever known before. When I opened a credit card account to build my credit again I didn’t realize how it would affect me. Even though I maintained my church attendance, bible reading and service, I was becoming materialistic. In 2005, I began working through my debt again and can testify now that I am debt free once again. There is a freedom that exists. Romans 13:8 cannot be understood until a person can, “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” It is not just money we don’t owe, either. That is necessary for a “church body” to operate the way God has designed it to operate. I can better understand it now because I have applied the principal and it works.
The borrower is slave to the lender. Americans seem to think that slavery ended in 1865, and we ignore it today. (On a side note, google “Trafficking in Persons” to get an idea about the REAL PHYSICAL slavery going on in the world today).
The whole idea of debit/credit becoming a master/slave issue is foreign to us, but at one time it was the norm (i.e. indentured servitude) and is the norm in many places around the world. Churches also may fall into this problem. Just think about it. If the borrower is slave to the lender, do we really want our church to be slave to someone other than Christ? There is nothing wrong with having nice things or spending money, but we as Christians need to ask ourselves some questions and probe into our own hearts, asking “Why do I want/need this?” “Could I spend this money in a way that better glorifies God and still meets my needs?” Do we need to be legalistic or dogmatic in these things? No, but neither do we need to be care-free and ignorant of the reality around us.
Perhaps we should adopt a fund (Lottie Moon, Annie Armstrong, World Hunger, etc.) and print off a card representing that fund that we can put in our wallets or check books and ask ourselves, “If I could spend this money on a starving child in Africa or a Starbucks Frappé, which would I choose?” I bet we’d be drinking more Speedway coffee or making our own and we’d be giving more to the ministry. I’m thinking I might try this myself. I just thought of it.
Maybe that would be a good idea to use in your personal or church life. I graduated from college in January debt-free, but I am not a wealthy individual (hospital visits in June really hurt the savings/expense ratio). Even though most of my “me” shopping occurs at Goodwill and Christian bookstores, I could still pocket the 69 cents plus tax for a book (Goodwill) for the World Hunger Fund. It tends to add up.
I would hope our churches become our corporate home, much like our corporate worship. We can watch how God spends His money when we set in practice what He says in His word. I would recommend that we search out His principals for money and place them in application within our churches. Teaching in the class room will not apply the truth to the heart, we must take steps within the church business to apply biblical principles with God’s money. Since it is His money, we must apply it the same way He has indicated in His word. The results will then be His and He will be glorified.
Geoff,
Let me second what David mentioned in the initial comment. Dave Ramsey offers Financial Peace University and it has been a tremendous benefit to my family and church. FPU is a 13 week study that looks carefully at a biblical approach to handling money. Ramsey is particularly focused on eliminating consumer debt. My family applied his principles to our own finances and paid off all of our debt (except for mortgage) a couple of years ago. I blogged about the experience here.
The church where I currently serve as an Intentional Interim pastor is decided to go through FPU and around 60% of the church body is participating. Very exciting times. Anyone with questions can contact me via email.