A Missional Credo for Tough Times

Paul Krentz, Mission Facilitator for the Texas District LCMS, posted "A Missional Credo for Tough Times" on his blog. A portion is printed below. For full text, click here.


Right now, banks are pulling back; mortgage firms are pulling back; individuals are pulling back from their 401-k plans and unloading their stock portfolios. Folks are trying to preserve what they've got and minimize their risks.

Churches might be tempted to pull back and minimize their risks as well, thinking that acting missionally is best left to better economic times. Habakkuk, the Old Testament prophet reminds us that we ought not put our trust only in what we can see with our eyes.

In Habakkuk 3:17-19 he says: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, {18} yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. {19} The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights."

Blessed Thanksgiving

The music video below says it well. All good gifts come from God, but greatest of these is His love in Jesus Christ. We are blessed to be stewards of those gifts and partners with God in His great mission.

We wish you and your family a Blessed Thanksgiving!

Giving Patterns in Recession Times

Based on past recessions, church members will keep giving to their congregations, at least for now, said Sylvia Ronsvalle of Empty Tomb Inc.

Decreasing giving is not the first thing church people do in tough economic times, she says. In an extended downturn, congregations might begin to see a retraction in church-member giving the second year, she predicts.

Research shows church giving as a percentage of income was higher during the early years of the Great Depression (3.5%) than at any point since. Data from the last 6 recessions show reduced giving in 3 and increased giving in 3, but only in 1970 did it go down in the first year. Traditionally, people view the church second only to family in terms of accountability. General giving outside the church is spottier, although people tend to give to an immediate need.

For additional research and analysis of giving data, click here for the research section of “Empty Tomb, Inc.”
Also read an earlier post "Giving in a Time of Financial Crisis" (october 28) below or in the October archives.

Building Programs as Missional Opportunities

Building a building does not necessarily enhance a congregation’s ability to be in mission, but it can provide the opportunity to reexamine its missional philosophy, values, vision and strategy.

Stephen Shields in “Churches in Missional Renaissance: Facilitating the Transition to a Missional Mindset” (Click Here to download the full article) says “Considering that missional ministry generally takes place outside of the four walls of the church, it’s somewhat counterintuitive that some churches pinpoint a time during a building campaign as when they began moving toward a more missional focus.”

Shields gives examples of churches for whom a building program provided the opportunity to dedicate a percentage of the money raised towards missional goals or actually changed the nature of what was being built to focus more on the needs of the community.

A service like LCEF’s Strategic Ministry Planning (Click Here) can help a congregation do the necessary missional reexamination before moving ahead with a building. SMP’s process is based on a “House of Decisions” model. Most congregations start out with second floor concerns instead of foundational concerns (theology) and first floor concerns (missiology).


A building program can be a missional opportunity if it is based on a reexamination of your vision and values and if it results in a case statement that reflects those values.

Financial Red Flags

It's a difficult subject to address with congregations, but as one whose ministry was for many years at the District or judicatory level, I know from experience that many congregations do not take simple steps to protect themselves from the heartache and scandal of financial mismanagement.

Every congregation should have written procedures that govern the handling of money from the time it hits the offering plate until the time it is deposited in the bank and how it is reported to the congregation. Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company lists at least three "red flags" for financial mismanagement (Click HERE for full article):

Red Flag No. 1: A person who does it all. “If you have the same person counting the money, recording it and depositing it—you’ve got a problem.”

Good Controls:

• Provide Checks & Balances. The person who opens the mail should differ from the one who makes bank deposits. The person making payments from a fund shouldn’t balance that fund.
• Split Duties. Reduce the temptation for a single individual who handles all the funds.

Red Flag No. 2: An Opportunity for Temptation

What greater temptation is there than a pile of money passing in front of your face? Being left alone in a room to count it.

Good Controls:

• Follow the Rule of Twos. For church offerings, experts recommend that you follow the rule of twos: At least two people should always collect and count the offering.
• Select Counters Carefully. Enlist money counters who aren't related and don't work at the same place during the week. Also, avoid selecting someone experiencing a financial crisis.
• Secure Counting Area.

Red Flag No. 3: Inadequate Oversight

Tales of embezzlement often share common elements: a charismatic person in a position of trust who convinces the governing board that all is well; the board assumes the person speaks truthfully and performs his duties honestly; then regular checks are not performed. As consequence the crime goes unnoticed.

Good Controls:

• Reconcile Bank Statements.
• Hold Monthly Financial Meetings.
• Schedule Audits.