Economic recession as a blessing for mission

The following quote is an answer Skye Jethani gave to a question Dave Fitch asked about Skye's new book (which I'd like to read) called The Divine Commodity. It revolves around how the current economic recession can be a catalyst for church leaders to begin to steer their congregations toward missional engagement, because of the disruption it is causing in people's attachment to their consumer identities (and the amount of cash available to build a consumer church).

I quote Skye's comments at length because they are so closely aligned with my own convictions. Read on for the quote.

I believe the current economic recession, if it is protracted, presents an opportunity for “creative dislocation” within the church. It may force us to acknowledge many of the assumptions that have driven our view of ministry in many large churches as well as many smaller ones. Central to this, I believe, is consumerism-rooted believe that institutions are the instruments and vessels of God’s mission rather than people.

The common assumption within the North American church is that with the right curriculum, the right principles, and the right programs, values, and goals, the Spirit will act to produce the ministry outcomes we envision. This plug-and-play approach to ministry makes God a predictable, mechanical device and it assumes his Spirit resides within organizations and systems rather than people. In addition, this model of ministry requires a significant investment of money to pay for the buildings, programs, staff, and resources to run the programming. It depends upon the laity’s willingness to give their surplus time and surplus money to keep the church’s programmatic engines running.

But what happens when people have less surplus time and less surplus money—like in a protracted economic recession? Will the mission of the gospel simply have to wait until we can pay for more LCD screens and multi-media auditoriums? Or will we rediscover a different way of participating in God’s re-creative mission? This economic meltdown might prove to be one of God’s greatest blessings to the modern church. We may find that the gospel is an incarnate reality living within and among the people of God, not a program to be designed and marketed. And we may find that the reality of the Good News is transmitted via the human/divine medium of relationship, not simply the electric impulses of digital media.

As far as simple/practical things church leaders can do during this recession to help their congregation detach from consumerism, let me offer two ideas:

1. Look for programmatic redundancies and simplify your church’s institutional footprint. If another faith community has a pre-existing ministry, participate in the work they have already initiated rather than launching or continuing your own. Most churches believe that in order to have an impact in the community they need to start programs. In some cases this may be true, but why does everything have to be under our church’s banner? Rick McKinley from Imago Dei in Portland, Oregon, likes to say “No logo, no ego.” As people in your church sense God’s calling and discern their giftedness, why not engage them outside your church’s programming? If First Baptist down the street already has a homeless ministry going, why do you have to start one at your church? Instead, send your volunteers who are passionate about caring for the homeless over to First Baptist to help. By looking for places where local church have redundant programming they can be more effective, practice Christian unity, reduce institutional overhead costs, and engage more people with their gifts.
2. Change what your church measures. Dallas Willard has said that most church measure the ABCs: attendance, buildings, and cash. These are all institutional markers, not necessarily missional markers. Determine a way to measure how many people in your congregation have at least one meaningful relationship with another believer (other than their spouse) with whom they can be vulnerable and challenged to grow. Or begin to measure how often people are engaging Scripture on their own and praying. These measurements are not to be legalistic, but to communicate that what’s most important is engaging God and fellow believers and not just institutional programs. What we measure reveals what we value. And this isn’t simply to help the laity experience transformation, but church leaders. We, perhaps more than anyone, need to find release from consumerism’s grip on our minds and hearts.

Comments

[Nathan Bubna]

The measuring thing is huge. We not only measure what we value, but we optimize what we measure. It's in our nature to appreciate positive movement and progress (and dislike regression) on any chart we have. Put up graphics about money or attendance, and we have to fight instinct not to compete on that front. Better to get our instincts working for us here. Find a way to put up graphics that relate to discipleship and mission and see how the church naturally responds.