Recession and the Church – Two Perspectives

Many are speculating on how the current economic crisis will affect the church in the days to come. The consensus is that the church will certainly not remain unchanged, but while some feel the church will thrive, others believe it will enter into a period of decline. Who is right?

Churches Down in Giving?

Don Wade, from the Memphis Commercial Appeal, reports that churches are feeling the pinch. He quotes one pastor as saying,

We’re down 42 percent in general giving….we have made many cuts. From phone plans to our budget, to what we give to the community.

Wade also found that churches are doing some of the things that corporations would do, “like delaying the hiring of an associate pastor and the purchase of more computers, for instance, and pushing back initiatives in their youth and children’s ministry.”

This bad news seems to be confirmed by the Salvation Army’s (America) report that they are down $1 million nationally in donations at their kettles this year. If these kinds of reports are harbingers of what’s to come, it would seem the church is in for a more challenging time than many have realized.

Do Hard Times Mean Good Times for the Church?

And yet this week, Pual Vitello (NY Times) argues that bad times draw bigger crowds to churches. After citing pastors from churches like Seattle’s Mars Hill and Shelter Rock in Manhasset, NY, both of whom report bustling growth, he validates their experience with a poignant observation from David Beckworth, assistant professor of economics at Texas State University.  Just last year, Beckworth released a study entitled “Praying for Recession: The Business Cycle and Protestant Religiosity in the United States.” His findings seem to debunk the doomsayers:

During each recession cycle between 1968 and 2004, the rate of growth in evangelical churches jumped by 50 percent. By comparison, mainline Protestant churches continued their decline during recessions, though a bit more slowly.

On another positive note, reporter Bruce Nolan informs us that the “faithful haven’t stopped giving.” He writes:

…so far — knock on wooden pew — pastors, rabbis, elders and leaders of a wide range of spiritual committees say the stress of the gathering recession has not shriveled members’ contributions, although some pastors acknowledge they are wary of the upcoming year.

Only time will tell what the fallout will be. One thing we do know: if the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church, than the economy is clearly something we’re not to be afraid of. However, I do anticipate the church will renew herself in many ways. Greater dependence on God, a return to responsible teaching on finances, a new focus on the poor, and less pressure to be the next have-it-all megachurch would certainly not be a bad thing. This may not be an easy ride, but we have every reason to be optimistic that what matters most will come to matter most.

How Should Churches Adapt?

Whatever happens, Skye Jethani of Christianity Today has great advice for churches and individuals alike. He claims that until now, churches have accepted what is left over of members’ leisure time and finances, but this will not sustain us in a recession.  Instead of shrinking back, we must raise our commitment level, and learn to give not out of our leftovers, but out of our lives:

A church built upon people’s core time rather than leisure time will not only maximize its missional impact, but it will also be far less susceptible to the unstable foundations of our debt-based economy. It would mean fewer churches fearing economic recession because they’ve built their missional strategy on the foundation of ordinary life rather than institutional programs, buildings, and staffs.

What do you think? As the economy continues to sour, will the church thrive, or decline? And how must the church adapt to fit our new context, if we are to remain strong and relevant? What are your thoughts?