Posted by: D. Timothy Whitworth | September 24, 2008

The Economic/Religious Crisis - Part I

We in America have enjoyed the benefits of the God of the world more so than we think.  It is obvious that the God of this world is money.  The New Testament refers to it as “mammon.”  Jesus says we can’t serve both money and God, but in all honesty the church has tried.

Ironically, on our money, it’s written “In God We Trust” when the truth of the matter is that “In Money We Have Trusted.”  Churches have gotten their hands dirty by following the capitalization trend that has so affected not only the commercial and business industry but by those who call themselves Christians. This trend is seen by habits of borrowing and spending as if there is no tomorrow and that our money grows on trees.  This has never been seen more in the misunderstood and improperly taught doctrine of Biblical prosperity.   Those who have ignorantly subscribed to this self pleasuring and “moving on up to the east side” type of Christianity are in for a rude awaking.

Leaders who have taught this grand scale of lavish living and extravagant spending are going to be the first ones who have to resort to Craig’s list and eBay to get cash flow for all they have “collected” off the funds of those who have built their financial base and huge mailing lists.  They will re-learn that clothes from Joseph E. Banks wear just as well as those from Saks 5th Avenue.  It will be a re-lived memory to ride in a commercial airline instead of their private planes.  And 120.00 a night hotels will replace the palatial 500.00 a night grand suites.

Churches will be next in line as parishioners will cause pastors and leaders to lose sleep at night because of the drop off in tithes and offerings.  Young and immature Christians will begin to decide whether to pay their mortgage or pay their tithes.  This in turn will cause church leaders to rethink and reconsider if they were right in building that last multi-million dollar facility or addition.  If the present economic crisis in America continues, churches will have to make some serious cut backs which will include selling property, cutting staff and using a lot of volunteers.  Next, churches will begin to try to move property that was purchased in hopes of building their wealth of assets for faith-based initiatives.  By the way, that will be one of the first programs cut from the federal government; faith-based entitlements and grants.  I know of churches right now in Richmond that are trying to move property because of cutbacks in offerings and dreams turning to disasters.

I’m not being a doomsday say-er here.  I’m just speaking what I feel is going to occur if we don’t change our religious attitude in America when it comes to spending and borrowing.  I believe in prosperity to the extent that when God takes care of our needs, he blesses us to overflow where we can take care of others needs and that in reality is “God’s needs.”  

More and more churches will be turning to “home-based churches” based on the fact that it will be more economically feasible, more conducive to reaching communities and will become a greater advantage to have one building to support for the pastor and his family.  At the present time, 9-10% of all those attending church in America attend “home-based churches.”  After all, churches have been “practicing” for this in their small home and cell groups and they didn’t even know it.  The early churches went from house to house and we’re going to see more of that as this turn down in economy continues.  Imagine how much gas you can say by going to a church in your neighborhood?

Posted by: D. Timothy Whitworth | July 7, 2008

A Real Disconnect Between Religion and Reality

Somehow in teaching and tradition society has developed an attitude that they have two separate and distinct lives; spiritual and secular.  One can influence the other but at no time are they allowed to inter-relate or inter-twine with one another.  No greater example of this than right here in America in the debate of separation of church and state. 

This in turn, has developed a kind of disconnect between the church and society, believers and non-believers, the religious and the non-religious.  It could be described as the “rubber not meeting the road.”  Another way to look at this problem is using the example of the human nervous system.  If the connection between the nerves, know as the synapse, is not firing or communicating then there can be  a myriad of adverse reactions that begin to manifest themselves in the body; loss of memory, loss of auditory ability, problems with motor skills and we could name more.

Christ has called us to live in freedom.  His freedom message was born out of love for the human race.  However, the church has failed to communicate this clearly outside the four walls to the world and we’ve developed a myriad of problems.  This is as a result of the church not knowing how to live in freedom.  We know more about what we shouldn’t do or what we can’t do than what is available to us and what we can do.

I’ve learned to live in the freedom and it is great.  My freedom exists not only on Sunday but Monday through Saturday. 

A lady in my church has caught on to this freedom thing.  She entered in a new relationship with Jesus and it radically changed her so much, that she went out and had a new tatoo put on her arm consisting of music notes and a treble clef indication of her love of praise and worship for God.  Now that’s freedom!

That’s what I think about it!

DTW!

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