By Mark A. Taylor
We met at a church leaders conference in the heartland of our movement. The two men were elders at a rural church with a weekly attendance average below 30. They were looking for a minister.
As we chatted, they told me they pay their preacher $24,000 per year. “The last minister asked if he could drive a school bus to supplement his income,” one of them said. “We agreed, as long as it didn’t interfere with his work for the church.”
As I read this week’s issue of CHRISTIAN STANDARD, I wondered if those two elders could ever identify with the congregations mentioned here and the millions of dollars many of them have managed. Could the two men I met and the leaders of churches named this week ever appreciate each other’s perspectives and problems?
This is a picture of the challenge Christian Standard faces every week. How can we speak to the broad diversity in our fellowship of churches? How can we help both churches with only dozens in the pews as well as those employing dozens in the church office?
Whenever I despair of trying, I remember that some questions must be answered by churches of all sizes: What do we believe and teach about God, the Bible, and those who don’t know Jesus? How do we shepherd members while seeking the lost? Where can we influence our troubled society and offer stability and hope to our confused culture?
And that brings me back to this week’s subject. Money is neither a small church nor a large church issue. American Christians in both larger and smaller churches must decide how much they will spend on themselves and how much they should give away. The same is true for the churches they attend.
Both “mini churches,” and megachurches may limit their outreach because selfish members give too little or shortsighted leaders spend unwisely. How to glorify God with the resources he’s put in our hands is a question every Christian must consider.
We hope this week’s issue will help.
“THERE’S ONLY ONE PROBLEM with this year’s North American Christian Convention,” said David Faust, president. “I can’t attend every part of it!”
Indeed, the lineup of enriching workshops, Bible studies, and other special events will force attendees to make hard choices throughout every minute.
But here’s an opportunity that happens before the convention, when not as much will be competing for your time. Rick Rusaw and Kyle Idleman will speak at the “Partners in Christian Ministry” luncheon sponsored by Standard Publishing, 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 27. It’s a great way to jump start your week with information and free samples about valuable new ministries.
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