Money in the Church: How do you know there's not enough?

By Dave Crittenden
Transitional Synod Executive        

I don’t get it. Why don’t we talk about money in the church?

More than half of our pastors don’t know what their members give to their church or where their members yearn to invest their time and money. Yet the same pastors often know everything else there is to know about those same members because it helps with pastoral care.

Sessions, presbyteries, synods, the Presbyterian Mission Council and the Office of the General Assembly don’t talk about money with each other and only talk about money themselves when it is absolutely necessary.

The whole system believes there isn’t enough money to do what we believe God has called us to do.

Didn’t we just finish talking about money? There was that budget thing and salaries. Wasn’t it only the expense side of the budget because we can’t imagine there being more income? Most everyone I know cut ministry because we are convinced there is not enough money and won’t be for the foreseeable future.

How do you know there is not enough? Did the leadership and the congregation look at all of their assets as ways to enable ministry? Did you ask those who give to you what they really want to do with their money – did you invite them to be partners in your mission? Did you ask members to financially join in your vision by inviting them to be long term collaborative partners? Did you show them how it could be done rather than outlining the reasons why failure is inevitable? Do you personally believe there is enough?

If we don’t talk about faith and money we won’t know if there is enough.

We yearn to follow Jesus. Jesus talked more about possessions and money than any other single topic. For the most part we stopped talking about it, what happened to us?

The people of the Exodus got manna every morning as part of God’s promise there would always to enough. They complained bitterly every day, but at least they talked about it. When there were more than five-thousand mouths to feed Jesus said feed them – even after hearing it was impossible with the resources available at first glance.

I choose to believe those gathered shared what they had brought, but intended to hide. They shared everything they first had decided to keep. God in Christ believes we will share what we intend to keep and that there will always, always be enough.

“Everyone should give whatever they have decided in their heart. They shouldn’t give with hesitation or because of pressure. God loves a cheerful giver. God has the power to provide you with more than enough of every kind of grace. That way, you will have everything you need always and in everything to provide more than enough for every kind of good work”  2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (Common English Bible).

 

Let me know if you want to talk about it.

Double dare you

I haven’t checked national numbers, but there was a story in a recent edition of the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that reported more than 500,000 Minnesotans receive federal food assistance. That’s about one in 10.

As of this morning – Nov. 1 – 169 people across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) have decided to participate in the Presbyterian Hunger Program’s “Food Stamp Challenge.”

Can you live on the average, per-person food-stamp support in your state? In Minnesota it’s $3.86 per day. The average per month here is $115.91. Divide that by 30 (the number of days in the month), multiply the result by 7, the number of days in the week, and you get $27.04.

A couple of us – well, Sandy and I for now – have decided to accept the challenge. One week. Seven days. Nov. 17-23. Wait a minute. My birthday falls in there. That’s right, but that’s no excuse.

By the way, Minnesota has the lowest average, per-person food-stamp support of all the states. But we don’t pay sales tax on food purchases here – a bright note.

Getting involved is easy.

You go to this website to sign up. And you find the average, per-person monthly support here. As it says, “The Challenge simply means choosing for one week to live on the average amount of food stamp support.”

But it goes on to note, that the amount you can spend includes “breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, seasonings and drinks.” Did you ever look at the price of pepper? Do you know how much that artificial sweetener costs?

I’ve posted about it a couple – well, a few – times. In every place, be it Facebook or Twitter, someone replies that it can be done – you can live on the average food stamp allowance for your state.

I know it can be done. I’m not doubting that at all. Sandy and I will spend only $54 on groceries for that week. And we will survive. After all, it can be done.

But that’s not the point. The point is many of us have it pretty good.

Every morning I eat a bowl of Cheerios – at least two cups. That’s about 50 cents. I drown the Cheerios in milk. I go through about a quart of milk every 10 days or so. That’s about 20 cents per day. I drink a couple cups of coffee. We buy Caribou ground breakfast blend (hey, it’s good), but that’s about another 40 cents per day – just for me.

Once I get to work, about mid-morning, I’ll eat an apple. That’s about 50 cents. And for lunch I’ll eat a low-carb frozen lunch – oftentimes one of those mystery-meat selections. It’s about a buck a day.

Then, after lunch, I’ve used up $2.60 of my daily allowance.

I’ve been known to eat an apple or an orange for an afternoon snack. That would be another 50 cents and that would put me at about $3.10.

And I will only have 75 cents – well, 76 cents – left for dinner.

Let’s take a close look at dinner. My share – for one serving – of one of those boxed meals – you know, the box of pasta with secret sauce mix combined with  milk and hamburger – will be about 25 cents if the box is on sale for a $1. That’s figuring that we get four servings out of each box.

But I suppose I need hamburger and a little milk.

Hamburger, even on sale at $2.99 per pound, will be about 75 cents per serving. That’s a quarter pound of the cheapest beef (75 percent lean) per serving.

I’ll have to make sure we get four servings.

But I’m at $4.10 and that’s 24 cents (let’s say 25 cents) over the limit.

There go the two apples per day. We’ll check on carrots. A reasonable substitute?

I’m drinking water all week. There will be black coffee at the office.

We will spend $54, no more, on groceries that week.

It will cover everything.

Are you up to the challenge?

Consider yourself challenged. In fact, I dare you. No, I double dare you. No one should go hungry.