Church Planting in the Economic Downturn
Yes – going through seminary was a blessing and continues to keep my head up in a hard mission field.
Yes – seminary is a financial chain around my neck.
Both statements are true.
I know others in my seminary who have taken mega-church preaching positions for the sake of paying off debt (some are making near 100,000K a year!). Some say that this puts the pastor in an unhealthy position of being “the mouthpiece of the rich” and unable to prophetically speak against greed, etc, since he too is under the weight of debt.
At a church level, we’re seeing new church plants cost somewhere in the upper reaches of a million dollars per plant in the first 3 years! Is that really something that can “catch fire” or “catalyze a movement” in these economic times? Other established churches are building huge additions to their meeting space to accommodate their audience. Right now, many of those construction projects have stopped – in limbo while the recession has its grip on the nation’s pocketbook.   Many other churches live in a state similar to the banks that recently tanked – with debts far outweighing their assets, especially since churches are non-profit organizations. Many churches just live in a constant state of debt, teetering on the brink of disaster, and regularly hold “Commitment Sundays” to avoid catastrophe or to fund the next project.
This was more feasible to do when times were “good.” When construction was booming, when stocks were booming. Right now, the Church has to decide what is most important – it has to step up and live differently from the rest of the world. No organization will bail out indebted churches – only Christ can.
To those churches that operate debt-free: Thank You! Teach the rest of us! For those that don’t – this is not a slam against you – God loves you and is pretty good at paying debts (money and sin), but we can’t expect him to “bless our work” if we’re plowing deeper and deeper into bondage with the God of Mammon.
TallSkinnyKiwi, a prolific blogger on all things emergent and organic, has written a fantastic piece on the current shape of church planting as it relates to financial sustainability.
I agree with TallSkinnyKiwi:
One of the reasons I believe the simple, organic/house/emerging church movement is continually gaining ground and in some countries, blossoming beyond expectations, is because it is sustainable and reproducible, just as the early church was.
Yes – we’re reaching lots of people with huge church plants.
Yes – the burden of a church campus is a huge financial chain around a church’s neck.
Both statements are true.
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Part 1: Church Planting in the Economic Downturn
Part 2: The CEO that bails ME out
miller and one other person are discussing. 
Vanessa, and 
mark,
good thoughts.
one question, you say “we’re reaching lots of people with huge church plants.”
really? ’cause my impression is that these churches grow largely through immigration from other churches.
i wonder how things are going for Joel Osteen and his “best life now” church.
good post,
peace