Last week Church of God pastors were sent an email in regards to a special video message from General Director Ron Duncan concerning the current status of Church of God Ministries' budget. As we learned at the General Assembly, giving is down significantly and has been on a downward trend for several years.
Duncan's message is designed to communicate this message far and wide across the Church of God in North America. The facts and his plea need to be heard.
I think it is far too easy to look for simplistic explanations as to why this budget problem exists. Some might want to blame the economy or going disconnectedness with "Anderson", but I believe there are two reasons that especially stand out:
1. Undesignated giving is losing its value. This has been a trend developing for several decades now, and it not only affects giving to our national and regional bodies, but to local churches as well. Older generations gave out of sense of duty and obligation, whereas increasingly people today are giving where they see specific needs (e.g. missions projects, etc.). Obviously stewardship principles need to be reinforced, but this is a reality that is severely limiting the church's ministry at all levels.
2. Lack of clarity on the purpose of our national organization. While greater efforts have been made to express a vision for the Church of God in North America, it still has not filtered down to the local congregations where decisions are made whether to support Church of God Ministries. With many churches stuggling to meet their own local budgets, it is easy to see how cutting or eliminating support to "Anderson" is determined.
In resolving this we must get past our regrets, and pronouncements of "oughts" and "shoulds". The starting point must be facing the realities of the current situation, and from there we must inspire with a cooperative vision for our movement going forward. Otherwise, our budget problems will persist.
Duncan's message is designed to communicate this message far and wide across the Church of God in North America. The facts and his plea need to be heard.
I think it is far too easy to look for simplistic explanations as to why this budget problem exists. Some might want to blame the economy or going disconnectedness with "Anderson", but I believe there are two reasons that especially stand out:
1. Undesignated giving is losing its value. This has been a trend developing for several decades now, and it not only affects giving to our national and regional bodies, but to local churches as well. Older generations gave out of sense of duty and obligation, whereas increasingly people today are giving where they see specific needs (e.g. missions projects, etc.). Obviously stewardship principles need to be reinforced, but this is a reality that is severely limiting the church's ministry at all levels.
2. Lack of clarity on the purpose of our national organization. While greater efforts have been made to express a vision for the Church of God in North America, it still has not filtered down to the local congregations where decisions are made whether to support Church of God Ministries. With many churches stuggling to meet their own local budgets, it is easy to see how cutting or eliminating support to "Anderson" is determined.
In resolving this we must get past our regrets, and pronouncements of "oughts" and "shoulds". The starting point must be facing the realities of the current situation, and from there we must inspire with a cooperative vision for our movement going forward. Otherwise, our budget problems will persist.
15 comments:
I know I am cynical so this may shade the statement I am making but...
Maybe the ChoG Anderson setup is too bloated, bureaucratic and wasteful? Many companies have had to reorganize, out-source, and change how they do things in order to save money, and time for workers.
The lack of blind faith in a distant national organization which acts more and more like its big brother denominations is no surprise. Just wait until its dependent on the giving of gen-x-ers. We will make this look like the glory days.
"Clarity on the purpose of the national organization"-- please....
Jonathan's "bloated, bureaucratic and wasteful" is a simplistic solution that I hear often in current Republican politics. It may have some validity in the federal government, but I see Chog Ministries being about as lean--even anemic--as one can get and still have enough skeletal structure to function as a body. Wayne
Lloyd, I really regret that you are getting so little response to addressing the budget. I hope some are at least reading your comments.
You have cut through the issues and highlighted 2 prime issues. Undesignated giving has been a growing issue for going on a half-century. I consider that more important than designated giving, and every pastor understands what "designated giving" could do to the local church (including the pastor's salary).
As for point 2, I see that as not caring, the kind of selfism "Anderson" is trying to counter, the same self-centeredness as found in the culture in general.
If we are not going to be a "Church Body," why bother at all? Just be independent congregations and get our certification wherever or wherever.......? Wayne
Lloyd, I watched the Duncan's video message. I agree, it's a problem. Generations may view giving differently. At 36 years-old I have to fight the urge to ask HQ, "What have you done for me lately?"
Besides offering me a plastic ordination card once a year and my name in the yearbook (for a fee, whether I buy a yearbook or not, no less) I just don't think about HQ much.
Really, I feel pretty much left to the wolves. Dale Oldham's father told him, "Son, it's always safe to trust the Lord." I'm glad I have a safety net in God because I fear little provision is made for her ministers in the COG.
BTW, I'm back! LarryMcCallister.com is up and running!
I think the issue is related to general apathy. Sadly, many churches and pastors don't really care, or at least see it as an important issue.
Lloyd,
"Sadly, many churches and pastors don't really care"
I'm guessing you really believe that... since you wrote it. Are some of those churches in the north west region? Do the pastor's and people of those churches know that you think they don't care about our shared work?
Just curious.
Eric
Dare I post a 2nd comment, especially in reference to Larry's comments?
Those agencies: (the schools, Pensions, CE, Bldrs +, Global Missions, et al)are services we provide for ourselves through chog ministries, which is precisely the point of the undesignated (budgetary)giving.
If that is not true, we can dispense of "the system, from stem to stern", save that money and invest it each in our local missions, curricula, retirement $, CE materials, publications ad infinitum.
I recognize no headquarters in Anderson. I see some "peers" we have elected to administer that which I think we do better together than solo.
If I'm wrong PLEASE enlighten me; I'm not too old to learn, and I do have a real independent streak. Wayne
Eric,
There are churches that fit that description in every region. In fact, I have talked to a number of pastors and congregation leaders who have told me that they have no interest in supporting our national work.
Lloyd,
I've been guilty of overstating issues... and I don't mean to belabor the point, however, are you saying the pastors and churches you've spoken to in the northwest region who affiliate with the church of God, yet, for whatever reasons have told you "they have no interest in supporting our national work," don't care?
Central Community works with the homeless on skid row in LA, we have an orphanage in Mexico and at Thanksgiving we feed over 2,000 people in our community - homebound seniors, those in the end stages of AIDS, the homeless, broken families. If someone chooses not to support one or any of these works - even if they tell me they're not going to give to support it - I don't make the assumption they "don't care" about the heartbreak... "to everything..." I move forward.
Think we've (the church, pastors, guys and gals like you and me)spent too much time assuming we know why someone or some church is or isn't doing something. Then when problems spring up- like $634,000 of missing budget -we start blaming people who "don't care."
Call me Pollyanna but I like to think that at the heart of every pastor, every church is compassion... caring... just waiting to do something good for God. It's why we keep showing up week in and week out. We care.
Not meaning to jump all over you. Love the forum you've provided for pastor's I've never met. I read their thoughts and feel my heart being expressed in their words. I enjoy taking time in the evening to cruise the blogs of other church of God pastors- something I'd never done before -and "see" how they're doing. I feel like this has helped me reconnect- and I'm thankful- to God and you.
There's a saying- "bloggers are whiners" -for the most part it's true... we whine about the oddest issues of life... as pastor's... leaders... we've been given the opportunity to invite people to the greatest adventure of their lives- salvation - eternity - to taste daily the joy of creation. If we fail to convey our joy in a way that excites them to experience what we're in the midst of... don't think that's their fault.
again, that's just me.
thanks Lloyd- for letting me preach at you... somehow I doubt you need it :-)
blessings,
Eric
Eric,
I wouldn't say these pastors and churches don't generally "care". As you say not everyone has passion for the same things. Nevertheless, it does concern me that in the midst of the rampant individualism pervading our society it has become far too easy for people to disregard our collective commitments and efforts.
Don't worry about the preaching. That's what preachers do.
Lloyd: I am trying to fathom your comments to Eric (I admire his mission zeal et al, but did not har him say his church in any way supports our cooperative work): You said your are told by some we have no interest in supporting national cooperative work is what our national work is...no reflection on Eric intended).
Does that mean they support becoming a group of independent congregations without any cooperative effort? Does it mean cooperation is only for those of us who want to work together--I don't understand......Wayne
at the risk of being herd too much here, I think I ought to say that after reading several pp of Eric's blogs I had printed for further processing, I still admire his openness, zealousness, his making time to talk et al, and I further learned that his church does support sufficiently to satisfy the question I was asking (1 reference I read suggested upper 10% in national giving, if I understood rightly). There are numerous others, but Eric offers a model we can all emulate. Wayne
Could it be that our access to multiple sources of information (Moody Radio, TV Ministries, Super-Preacher-Personalities, Focus on the Family, John Maxwell, etc.) along with the absence of a “common voice” (Gospel Trumpet, Vital Christianity, OneVoice, etc.) have diluted our focus on things “Church of God”, and we are now deluded into thinking that we are still one movement? Is it possible that the “horse has already left the barn”? Are we ignorant to the fact that ChoG Ministries provides our IRS Tax ID, pensions, etc.?
I agree with Wayne, in so far as the national office is stretched to the limit. If we need to cut anything, it is their responsibilities and our expectations.
A complementary article to this discussion may be my most recent post at CLF Notes at http://clfnotes.blogspot.com/ regarding God’s design for community.
As Christians, we are called to give a tithe (10%) of our income to the Lord.
Leviticus 27:30 (NIV) “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.
For those who might argue that a tithe is not actually 10% I suggest Leviticus 27:32 (NIV) “The entire tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's rod—will be holy to the LORD."
But my focus is not on the percentage given but whether designating the gift to a specific project, event, activity would still qualify it as a tithe.
We are to freely give our tithe to the storehouse (the church)
Malachi 3:10 (NIV) "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house...."
But if the gift is designated or specified how it is to be used (i.e., to buy a new piano, for the building fund, to support a specific mission project, etc.) and not given to the general expenses of the church, can it be considered a tithe? A designated/specified gift comes with a string attached. A string called personal control.
Isn't a designated gift just another method for the giver to decide how God is to use the money? Is such a gift in the spirit of a tithe where the first fruits are to be brought into the storehouse?
I am challenged to find a Biblical example of a designated gift being considered as a tithe. Perhaps I just haven't researched with enough diligence.
In my review of the scriptures it appears to me that a designated gift would better fit under the category of an offering - something given in excess of a tithe. But the tithe - the first 10% is to be given to the church for the leadership anointed by God to determine its use.
I hope this causes you to question your own giving to the church. I welcome the thoughts of others on this issue and encourage the use of scripture to validate your point.
Blessings,
David - and by the way I do work for CGM although this is an issue that transends my employment.
thanks David Farlow (any relation to Bill, once of Shelbyville, IN?)
I'm still chewing on your point of "designated giving." Thinking back over many conversations of the past 30-40 years (especially)among pastors, that was precisely the point of designated giving: to prevent World Service from distributing Church Tithes (if you will) across the budget spectrum and insure it going to cross-cultural missions (as if that was all of our mission giving). Thanks, Wayne
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