Have you noticed that the traditional church model today is looking more and more like a business enterprise. Many have large corporate buildings, paid professional leadership, paid staff workers, a financial board of “elders”, each having specific job descriptions. People are hired and fired on a regular basis as in any other business. Your performance is critical to keeping your “job”. When finances begin to decrease for whatever reason, cutbacks begin to take place and soon your “position” is no longer needed. This sounds all too familiar to anyone who has worked in the corporate world.
What has happened to the Church? What we know about God and the church can be found in the scriptures. Can you locate in the scriptures where Jesus purchased a corporate building for His followers? Did Jesus pay a salary to his staff? I don’t recall Him hiring or firing anyone. Did He have a local board? Were His apostles “professional”, except possibly in fishing? Did He offer dozens of “programs” to meet the personal whims of His followers? I wonder how much money Jesus budgeted for advertising.
Some Interesting Stats
The average U.S. church spends the largest portion of its finances on personnel. Wages accounted for around 49% of the collective U.S. church’s spending in 2018. The second greatest expense was building and maintaining buildings — 23% of the budget. With around three quarters of the church’s finances dedicated to wages and buildings, the remaining funds are distributed between missions, programs and dues.
In 2017 U.S. churches received $124.52 billion in donations and spent around $90 billion of it paying staff wages, buying more land and building more buildings. What could the church accomplish with that $90 billion if it were suddenly freed up?
According to an article in Relevant Magazine:
$25 billion could relieve global hunger, starvation and deaths from preventable diseases in five years.
$12 billion could eliminate illiteracy in five years.
$15 billion could solve the world’s water and sanitation issues, specifically at places in the world where 1 billion people live on less than $1 per day.
$1 billion could fully fund all overseas mission work.
$37 billion would still be left over for additional ministry expansion.
Ask the traditional church what their priorities are they may say things like “spreading the gospel” or “ministering to the poor” or “taking care of widows and orphans” to name a few. This can honestly be on the heart of many good church leaders. Maybe its time to align our finances with our priorities. Someone wrote, “Don’t tell me where your priorities are. Show me where you spend your money and I’ll tell you what your priorities are.”
Today as church attendance decreases and donations become smaller many churches are now looking to start side businesses using there existing buildings to raise the additional monies needed to keep them funded. There are seminars starting to emerge that teach churches how to incorporate a business into their existing structure without losing their tax exempt status. Maybe we should be re-evaluating our existing structure instead! Maybe we should spend more time “being the church” rather than building one!
A Local Church
I attend a small house church of about 25 people. We try to be very intentional to draw people to our gatherings with only Jesus and His word. Meeting regularly, we share what God has been showing us by the Holy Spirit throughout the week and enjoy a rich time in His word. We praise and worship in song as one member leads us with a guitar. We enjoy a meal together after each gathering, building relationship and sharing our lives with each other. There are three biblical elders that oversee the group but none receive a salary. We love when we get the opportunity to sow into the lives of those in need, unhindered by any church induced financial burdens.
Our mission is “to equip people with the foundation of God’s Word and to partner with the Holy Spirit to extend the Kingdom of God through love and service”. Our vision: “To have an expression of the life of Christ in every community supported by a network of house churches”. This church structure is similar to that of the first century church and has many benefits besides the huge financial one. Each person gets to be a participant in the service and not just a consumer as we experience the presence of God together. Everyone gets to know each other in a closer and deeper way. The family worships together during the entire service and are not age segregated. It is really a beautiful experience. I can never see myself going back to a traditional church model. I’m ruined!
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Romans 12:4-5
For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:9
This post is in no way an attempt to judge the hearts of the traditional church body. I’m am praying that the traditional “business” focused church will go back to the word of God and consider making the necessary adjustments to its structure. We can impact the nations not only with the gospel of the kingdom but with the resources sorely needed by so many around the world to sustain life.
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:37-40
Lets always remember to Stand for Truth!