It's About Money

In churches specifically, and religious/non-profit organizations in general, the love of money is often the root of all evil. Do not misunderstand, money is also a genuine blessing to churches and human service organizations. It depends, I suppose, on how the church or organization thinks of its money and upon what it does with what is contributed.

I worked with a congregation lately that was considering closing its doors. My first meeting with the Board was a simple fact-finding mission. Where are you in the congregation life-cycle? What ministries or outreach projects are important to you? What do you do in, to and for your community? What do you want? What are your plans for the future?

Worship, done their way, was important to them. Their social group in the congregation was their social group in general. Their building was in need of repair. Their organ was not working. They could not afford to pay for a pastor. They were exploring every possible option to keep them in their building, doing things their way...and, forgive me, for themselves. They could point to no outreach ministry to the community. They could identify no ministry beyond service to themselves. Nothing flowed from inside the building to its community or neighborhood.

Vision for the future meant only survival. It did not entail expanded ministry or retooling in any other direction than that accepted and embraced by the handful who still gathered. They did not want to lose "their church," nor compromise the traditions that had been established there.

Over time, my discussions with the congregation were beginning to make some progress. People were starting to envision a place of mission and ministry, where the church becomes a resource in and to its community. They were beginning to think and dream, beyond their own interests, to the foundations of the faith.

Abruptly, all discussion ended. There was no contact for several months. Finally, when I was able to corner the Board president, I was able to ascertain the cause of our broken communication. The congregation had received a large financial gift, in excess of $500,000. The leader told me that this would sustain them for roughly ten additional years, and that there was no need for them to do any of the things that I had been recommending to them.

The potential ministry of that community of faith may well die because of the money. It is possible that the church may use the funding to move into a ministry model, to develop meaningful mission and ministry to and with its neighborhood and community. I pray that it does. Given the way that this congregation thinks about money, as a means of survival, I suspect that it will not dare to risk its financial security in the chancy avenues of ministry and mission.

Money can do that. Or, better put, the ways that we think about money can do that. Money becomes a blessing when it is used for ministry and service, not when it is retained and protected for survival. Money is simply a means to mission and ministry. If a church fails to utilize it in this way, if it ceases to be a place of meaningful service to, with and for its community and neighborhood, then money becomes a curse. It is the death knell of ministry and mission. It is the death knell of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Every congregation, Shiloh included, needs to consider whether its money is a source of mission and ministry or if it is used simply for protection and survival. Is money a blessing or a curse?