The Year of the Grasshopper
In every congregation I have served, there were always two parties when it came to budget matters. One—I’ll call them the Grape Party—were in favor of taking risks and stepping out in faith to expand the mission of the congregation. Like the exploratory party who came back from the land of Canaan carrying an enormous cluster of grapes (Num. 13), these were the people who saw possibilities, who had a vision of the future. But then there were also always the Grasshoppers (“We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes”), who saw the dangers and risks that moving forward would entail. Often, when it came to large congregational expenditures such as adding staff or engaging in building expansion, the Grasshoppers wanted to see proof through pledges and commitments that all the money was in hand before proceeding. The Grapes would argue, on the other hand, that it was necessary to do things to expand mission in order to broaden the giving base, that to wait until the money was in hand before proceeding was to commit to decline rather than growth.
In light of today’s economic climate, I think it is likely that this will be the year of the Grasshoppers in most congregations.
How the economy operates is a mystery to me, but this much I get: it is based on faith. If banks believe they are at risk, they won’t loan. If businesses believe they won’t get loans, they cut back and lay off workers. If workers believe they might lose their job, they won’t spend. If they don’t spend, businesses have to cut back more and lay off even more. And, as the unemployed can’t pay off their loans, even more banks become at risk. It is a vicious cycle driven by fear.
As that fear takes hold of congregations, congregations also will cut back, putting new projects on hold, cutting back on staff, and in some cases attempting to balance the budget by cutting salaries. Given the realities of the global economy, some of this is simply prudence. This is a time for caution and patience.
Grasshoppers have a point. John the Baptist, after all, developed a spiritual lifestyle around a diet of grasshoppers. To simplify, to establish priorities, to make decisions about what is essential, what can be delayed, and what is no longer viable is painful but important.
Caution Fear At WorkStill, it is important to distinguish between caution and fear.
The mission of the church is not survival but service. For those who look, there will be many opportunities to serve in hard times. Even though Nebraska has seemed somewhat sheltered so far from the worst effects of the crisis, the distant rumbles are growing louder. It is likely that in the coming months the issue may not simply be fear but fact. Now is the time to begin planning ways to meet the needs of people.
But what can congregations do? I suspect that if congregational leaders are asked to think about it, they can come up with a variety of creative ministries suited to their community. Here are some that occurred to me:
* If your community is impacted by large numbers of unemployed, finding ways to provide concrete assistance to those most severely impacted will be essential. Supporting and expanding congregational or community food banks is one way to help. Opening your facility to serve one meal a week could provide an important gathering place for social, emotional, and spiritual support.
* Looking for ways to utilize the unemployed in volunteer roles might not only provide an opportunity for those who have been laid off to utilize their time in meaningful ways but also provide the congregation with a way to sustain and even expand their ministries. Even as the financial support for congregations may dwindle, the opportunity to draw from a larger pool of volunteers may increase.
* Think, talk, teach, and preach about faith. If this really has a lot to do with fear, then people need to constantly be reminded of God’s faithfulness.
There is good reason to believe that if congregations are seen as making a difference, they will also be supported even in hard times.
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