How do we fund the emerging Church?
There has been some ongoing discussion in blogsphere about how the emerging church can limit its costs by not having paid ministers. Although I must admit to not being up to date with all the conversation and also acknowledging my conflict of interest as a full time paid minister in a local church, I think we limit ourselves if this is seen as the only way forward.
I believe there are good reasons for some Churches to form a structure that is not reliant on paid ministry. There are significant advantages in clearly saying (and living) that the work load of the Church is to be shared by everyone. But, perhaps there are also down sides to this for some churches. I know my own church (ego alert!) could not do some of the things we are doing for our local community without the leadership and work of some paid staff. Without even getting into the benefits of theological training, there are also advantages in having some people ’set aside’ for the task of Christian service.
So, while recognizing that perhaps the emerging church scene needs to challenge itself on the importance of giving financially to the work of the Church; something that I think we can easily cop out on! Are there other ways to finance our missional activities?
At nccc we are thinking through the idea of income generating from community services that we would want to do anyway. So far we are exploring or doing the following:
We are in the early stages of this at the moment. Some of these initiatives have been delayed until we opened our new ministry centre and other we have been working on for some time. Those that are in orange we have up and running but we want to develop them further and those that are in the dotted line we have begun working on implementing them in the near future.
I would be interested in your thoughts on this type of social enterprise. What are your own experiences in developing these types of initiatives? So far we are delighted with how the op shop is generating income, providing a service of cheap goods and clothes, bringing us into contact with many people and providing a place of training as a work for the dole scheme. What resources have you come across to support Churches in these types of activities?
August 11th, 2004 at 2:04 pm
I think this question is part of the problem with the church in general. We are not a business, nor should be behave like one. I think this could lead us down a very dangerous path…one where we choose what to be invloved in as a church according to how much return we will get from it. I think we all work and have vocations with an income so that we can be the body of Christ, whatever its form, and have the resources needed to be about the business of loving others.
August 11th, 2004 at 3:07 pm
Chris, I agree that if a Church was to choose what it was going to do by seeing if it returned a profit, that would indeed be a problem. Yet, surely we can recognise that as an extreme and a danger to be avoided and still proceed? As mentioned the criteria would be that we already want to do this activity.
August 11th, 2004 at 5:28 pm
I don’t know. I think church income streams other than donations by members will be looked on suspiciously by non-members. I think I’d resent the idea of a spirituality seminar that cost money (assuming it wasn’t something that really cost the church money, like renting a hotel).
Fee-for-use is an appropriate model for Christians; if you want a youth minister to take your kids to camp, pony up - they aren’t free. But I don’t see this extending to a point where non-Christians pay for church. It just seems wrong to me.
In an age when the church (in the West) is so associated with the corporate world, running any kind of business seems like a wince-inducing venture. Even if it’s a non-profit, it seems weird to pay the church for stuff.
While I think the tithing concept has been abused to manipulate people out of their money with inadequate biblical justification, I think it’s valid for the church members to give more to do more in their congregation. If a church decides that it really wants to hire someone to do a new ministry, they should be willing to make the sacrifice.
August 11th, 2004 at 6:04 pm
Justin, why do you think that non-members would look upon income streams as suspiciously? This has certainly not been our experience. Our opportunity shop is a signficant income stream and I have heard no instance of any suspicion being thrown at the income. What type of suspicion do you mean?
As we branch into spirituality and life skills seminars we are moving into ground that other churches have covered before in starting neighbourhood houses and community centres. Again, I don’t know of any suspiciousness about the income stream.
I agree that church members should be giving to the Church but I disagree that if a Church can’t afford a extra minister with giving but can if a community business like an op shop was open. Where is the problem?
August 11th, 2004 at 6:22 pm
Without a doubt the ‘church’ (as a noun or a verb) isn’t a business… I even wonder sometimes if it should even be a formal organisation that owns land/buildings…. but the people (who are the church) may well be in business.
The Anglicans have a term ‘glebe’ which is the funds by which the local church covered its expenses that were not capable of ‘fee for service’. Often it was more like an investment fund built up over the years from giving and, unfortunately, other practiscs that we might like to forget. However, much of the cash flow came from rent of property the church owned.
Many private hospitals lease/rent their floor space out to private practice/small businesses. Why not lease out the floor space (and good rates) to counsellors who run their own businesses. What about doctors who bulk bill to help to local poor in the community? If you have lots of good counsellors… open it up to a competitive tender! But remember perhaps the way in which you lease/rent the space reflects the kingdom of God? Don’t gouge the rent out of them… unlike some large shopping centre owners.
Allow some small businesses that meet particular ethical standards to open up shop - present a new way of running businesses to the world… and support the good ones. Positive discrimination if you like. Lease the space to government agencies, not-for-profit groups or NGOs.
Another idea… or perhaps an extension… organisations like World Vision, Tear, and other ‘para-church’ organisations are in effect just like any business - except they are like the church in that they primarily receive income from donations and government sources. Split the ‘church’ organisation into two… a legal entity that owns everything that is a charity to do whatever it is called to do is service to the local/global community… and the community of faith that pays rent to the charity for the use of the facilities for worship, office space, etc.
August 11th, 2004 at 6:56 pm
some interesting comments dean:
we have created a seperate entity to oversee these ministry - in our case it is called ‘Northern Careworks”. Another benefit of this in the Australian context is that donations to this entity are tax deductable unlike offerings or donations to the Church.
the rental of part of the rear warehouse is going to be a small business who fixes equipment for the handicap - wheel chairs, beds etc.
August 13th, 2004 at 9:33 pm
I think the idea is sound. Are we so scared of what people “might” think of us that we retreat from good thinking. As Phil posted, if the church makes decisions based on financial reasons then there is a problem. But if the church is able to provide valuable services to the community, isn’t that a good thing.
I wish I could provide some examples that I know of in Perth, but am unable (more due to my lack of knowledge than defecit).
Good luck to you as you think this through.
August 14th, 2004 at 7:00 am
Phil-
The op shop sounds like a really good thing, and I think it’s great that you’ve legally separated the church from the Careworks. That, in my book, is the way to go.
It’s not surprising that you haven’t detected any suspicion from unchurched people about using seminars as income streams. If they have a problem with it, they won’t contact you, so you’ll never know. On the other hand, I certainly don’t know how people feel about it in your context, so this is just a hunch. In Seattle, for-fee workshops are the modus operandi of many new-age cults; that’s probably why this jumped out at me. I’m not saying it’s a bad idea for that reason, but the potential for that confusion (e.g. churches are just like new age cults) exists in Seattle, if not in your context.
Again, I think it’s cool if it’s a separate NFP organization.
August 14th, 2004 at 2:36 pm
I just don’t want to completely lose the concept that we, as Christians, are to sow materially into the lives of those who sow spiritually into us. AND, that Kingdom Christians are, above all, generous liv-ers and generous giv-ers– as a reflection of Christ’s kingdom. I’m always concerned that the emerging church is throwing the baby out with the bathwater somehow by wanting to eliminate the connection between money and ministry. There is, after all, a strong scriptural connection between the two–however misused that connection has been historically. There really should be an abundance of money available for Kingdom work and supporting people in that work is, to a certain extent, a great use of that money.
Having said that, I’m also excited to see other creative ways to fund the life of the Kingdom in our world. I’m not sure where the line is between selling what the church has to offer and offering ministry to all. I struggle with it myself in having a valuable counseling skill that some are willing to pay for. I have resisted “charging” for these services but have found that in doing so I have greatly limited the scope of this ministry. I think we are going to each have to decide for ourselves where that line is and what God is callilng us to do and refrain from judging those who feel led to do it differently.
August 14th, 2004 at 2:49 pm
“I’m always concerned that the emerging church is throwing the baby out with the bathwater somehow by wanting to eliminate the connection between money and ministry.”
I’m not sure how that applies here. I haven’t heard phil say that hes hoping to soon anouce to the congregations that the church no longer needs any offerings as there ‘ministries’ are all sulf funding now.
What i here him saying is, “isn’t it great what were doing with our offerings, and wont what were going to do with the income that some other ministries are generating”
October 29th, 2004 at 5:28 am
No-2,Channapa road,R.S.Palya,Kamanahalli main road,Karnataka,South India,Bangalore - 560084.
October 29th, 2004 at 5:32 am
Hi Guys I am Vinod in a growing church called BLESSING A.G CHURCH, As I am worship leader in my church I know the position of my Church that is we are struggling in finance and could not lead our church as we are promised to pay the rent and So onh
If any one of you wanna offer and help our church in finance please do so and write to my mail
Thanking you in the Name of Jesus Christ
October 29th, 2004 at 5:34 am
vj_ministries@yahoo.com
vinodmania@yahoo.co.in
vj_prays4ry@yahoo.com