Maybe Just What We Need
I believe that a time may soon come when we in the United States will face a major economic depression. We cannot continue to spend money that we don’t have and expect that our financial situation can remain the same. We are sitting on a ticking time bomb that is going to implode. The national debt continues to sore as Congress continues to spend trillions of dollars that we simply do not have. Were it not for the fact that the United States can print more money, we would be heading down the same economic road that many European nations are heading down. Greece is just an example of what will happen if China should ever refuse to allow American dollars to be the standard for trading.
I think much good could come out of the United States facing an economic crisis. First, it would force the Church to prayer. The American Church is often found on her knees during crisis (see 9/11 for example) but we often do like the Israelites and quickly turn away during times of blessing. I am not equating the people of the United States as godly. I believe I live in a pagan nation full of sin. I don’t expect us to turn the tide of sin through morality or through politics but only through the gospel. I do believe that God has a remnant in this nation who are crying out to Him. As in the days of Elijah, God has a faithful bride who seek Him (Romans 11:1-6). Yet the American Church is asleep. She is too busy with the business of being “the church” that souls are dying without Jesus. We are asleep in the light. We are not seeking God. We are not hungry for revival. We are like the Church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) who were rich and prosperous but in reality they were wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked (v. 17). We think we are alive but are dead (Revelation 3:1). If the United States economy collapsed, the Church would cry out to God. He would be our source instead of Mammon (Matthew 6:24 NKJV). Like the Israelites, the Church would pray (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Secondly, the clergy-laity system would hopefully collapse. We would still have leaders but perhaps if professional Christians were forced to work instead of living off the “tithes” of the people, the Church would begin to see Ephesians 4:11-16 come to pass. True elders would rise up who led by example and not by titles (Hebrews 13:7, 17). The Church would have to take an Acts 4 approach to the Church in order to help each other survive. This would force out the mindset that we pay one person to do “the ministry” while we laity work in the world.
Third, the seeker church would be gone. What good is cool lights and hip sermons if in fact the basic needs are food, shelter, and survival? The gospel would take root in the Church and not the drive to gain an audience to support paying bills or salaries. The Church would have to look to the Lord and He would bless His people so that they could help the poor (Galatians 2:10) and not to get rich.
Fourth, competition among churches would decrease. We would have to come together if we faced an economic collapse to survive. We would need each other for the basics of life. Denominations would be of no concern as we look to each other in the name of Jesus for prayer, support, and comfort.
Fifth, the prosperity gospel would decrease. I am not convinced it would go away completely. I think heresy thrives even under the worst conditions. Yet I do believe that the empires of the prosperity gospel preachers would suffer greatly. Their greed would be clearly seen as they would refuse to help anyone but their own. For years they have been greedy but it would be clear when the economy collapses and they have nothing left but their own money. They would hoard it up and seek to still gain more from hurting people even as they do now (Luke 12:13-21).
Sixth, the Bible would become precious to God’s people. We would find comfort in our poverty as we look to the Scriptures for God’s help and God’s provision. In death, we would find comfort that God has told us that death is defeated in Christ for His people (1 Corinthians 15:55-56). The Scriptures would be our comfort and our manna from heaven as we would long to hear the voice of God in the midst of our suffering (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Lastly, the gospel would offer mankind the only lasting hope. As people would see the collapse of the dollar, they would see that the United States is like any other nation and only temporary but the gospel is eternal. The gospel alone brings true hope. The gospel alone brings joy. The gospel alone truly prepares people for eternity (Romans 8:18). The true Church would rise up from the ashes of a collapsed America and would preach that Jesus is our only hope and only salvation. Comfort is not found in money. Comfort is not found in houses. Comfort is not found in power. Comfort is found only in repentance (Acts 3:19). The gospel of Jesus Christ is the message of the hour that we need now and forever. The gospel alone saves sinners (Romans 1:16-17).
Do I want this all to take place? My flesh says no. I enjoy my comforts. I enjoy food and safety and my home. I enjoy the freedom that we have. I do know that only God’s kingdom is eternal and it will crush all others (Daniel 2:44). I know that eternity is not about the United States. It is all about Jesus and His kingdom. Jesus is my Lord and my God and my heart and life belong to Him alone (Romans 10:9-10). My duty is not to the United States but to the Lord Jesus Christ and His kingdom. A time may come when I may have to lay my life down for the gospel but so be it. I long to simply be faithful to Jesus until the end (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Jesus said that we would not to fear but overcome (Revelation 2:10). I want to be a overcomer through Jesus my Lord. I want my passion to always be for Him no matter what I face in life.
An excellent, challenging article.
For too long the western church has seen financial prosperity and “stability” as being God’s blessing while these things are more likely the thorns and weeds that choke the word out of our life before it is able to bear fruit.
“Prosperity” based on such a flimsy foundation (the western financial system) clearly has nothing in common with God’s blessings.
Onesimus
03/05/2012 at 10:26 PM
Amen. You are absolutely correct.
The Seeking Disciple
03/05/2012 at 10:27 PM
Respectfully, I have to disagree that the Bible teaches all your points mentioned in the article. First of all, I am not sure what kind of Biblical training you have, I would hope that you have some. In our culture it has become increasingly popular to bash those who are trained for a particular field and think that the untrained are somehow more noble and have more of a reason to fill those positions (e.g, politicians, singers, and of course ministers). It seems that anyone with an opinion about God feels that they have just as much authority to speak about the things of God as those who have been to seminary. This to the point where the number one most unprofitable college degree is in some aspect of ministry. I pastor a small church and I know many other pastors who also do and they, as well as I, are forced to work outside of the church when this is NOT Biblical teaching. In Acts 6 the apostles said it was wrong for them to leave the ministry of the Word and Prayer to wait on tables. In 1 Cor. 9:7-14 the apostle Paul specifically teaches that God commanded or ordained that those that preach the gospel should live of it. To the Thessalonians Paul taught the same thing (cf. 1 Th. 5:17-21). There is much problem in the church when its leaders are inadequately trained and held accountable to a high standard of knowledge about the Word. Pastors’ relationships with God suffer when they have to also work outside of the church and the vocation God called them to – this causes the whole church to suffer. Pastoring is much more than a Sunday sermon! Your opinion of church pastors is skewed by the few mega church pastors and TV evangelists in the US. But just look statistically at the state of the church in the US and you will find that 35% of all US churches have a membership of 50 or less; another 33% have a membership of 150 or less. The vast majority of pastors in the US do have to work outside the church to support their families.Most of us have no health insurance or retirement program and are married with children.
Concerning your statements surrounding the ending of “competition” between churches – especially denominations: This blog site specifically deals with Arminian belief versus various forms of Calvinism. If you have any experience dealing with a Calvinist you know they do NOT consider Arminian doctrine biblical. If you have any experience dealing with the Catholic church you know they do NOT consider Protestant doctrine as biblical – they are trying to get us “Separated Brethren” (cf. William J. Whalen author of the same title) to return and submit to the authority of the Catholic church. I could go on down the list where denomination most certainly matters – especially in regard to eternity which you say the US in poverty will begin to show interest in. God forbid the false teaching that doctrine and therefore denominations do not matter!
Lastly, in regard to the message of the gospel: I thank God that He does ALSO care about us here and now and not just for the sake of our eternal souls. Look at the Four Gospels and see what they teach about what God manifest in the flesh thought about our human needs and condition. Over and over Jesus was moved with compassion for those in need – whether it was healing, or hunger, or lack of understanding. Our response to people in need should and does drive the majority of the church in the US (consider the church’s response to the recent tornados in the Midwest). While I understand that many within our churches live with a standard of living higher than most of the world, and yes many also are more concerned with the acquiring of goods more than the spread of the gospel, you have not convinced this pastor that is really the heart of the church in America. The fact is that America is becoming increasingly polarized because many in the church do care about the problems in our country while sin is increasingly popularized in our schools, media, and government. We do not preach the WHOLE gospel if we remove the promises that we can be content with what we have because God is our helper (Heb. 13:5) and that we are encouraged to cast our cares on Him because He really does care for us (1 Pet. 5:7) – not just in eternity! Challenge the church to do more, to be more holy and Christlike, to care more, and to spread the gospel but comfort is not just found in repentance it is found in a day to day relationship with the God of all Comfort through faith in Jesus and empowered by His Spirit.
don conklin
03/06/2012 at 1:53 AM
Thanks Don for the respectful reply. I do in fact have a college degree in Bible and was a pastor for over 10 years. I now drive a truck for a living and I am involved in the house church movement as much as I can be.
In reply, let me start by pointing to the denominations. I am not attacking truth or doctrine. I am not for unity at the sake of truth. What I am against is division among true disciples over non-essentials. Arminians and Calvinists included. If disaster comes through an economic collapse or natural disasters, we true disciples need one another. We don’t need to look to one group whether the SBC or the Presbyterians or any other groups. We need to look to God and His true people wherever they may be. This blog should show that I love doctrine and favor truth above false unity. We can only be truly unified under the Lordship of Jesus which comes from truth (1 Corinthians 1:10).
Secondly, I have no doubt that Apostles such as Paul or Peter or James lived off the gospel as Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 9. I find nothing against supporting full time church planters or missionaries. Here is the problem I have: Paul stayed in Corinth 3 years and moved on. That was his longest stay. We want to build a case for pastors staying in churches for years and receive full time pay. For what? They are not doing what Paul did. Paul sought to preach the gospel and then he appointed elders and moved on. Acts 14:23 makes this clear as does Paul advice in Titus 1:5. Elders were to shepherd the churches and not apostles.
Elders were not full time. They were among the disciples (1 Peter 5:2). The qualifications for elders is found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Nothing is said about receiving a salary in those texts. 1 Timothy 5:17-18 is one of the most abused passages on elders receiving a salary that I have seen. I do think, at times, an elder may receive some money but this should not be the norm. Acts 20:35 can hardly be obeyed by elders if they are in need themselves by looking to the church for their provisions. Even Paul worked as we see in Acts 18:3 and Acts 20:34. Hard work is good!
There are no pastors listed in the Bible. Ephesians 4:11 is correctly translated shepherds in the ESV. Jesus is the great shepherd (John 10:14; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4). There are no titles in Scripture. Paul is never called “the Apostle Paul” nor is anyone else. Jesus alone is Lord (1 Timothy 6:16-17) and He alone reigns. There are no pastors listed in the Bible nor any other titles. We like to say “Pastor Mike” but there is no biblical basis for doing this. We also find no example of one pastor leading one church. Elders are always in the plural form when dealing with the Church (see Acts 11:30 for example; Titus 1:5). No elder served the church alone. This protected the church from one man’s leadership becoming the norm or his vision leading the church. God never expected one man to bare up the burdens of the local assembly. The church was a living organism with Jesus as the Head (Colossians 1:15-20) and with the Holy Spirit guiding her (Acts 13:1-4). Elders served together in the local church (Hebrews 13:7, 17).
I will point you to the book, REIMAGINING CHURCH by Frank Viola. It will cause you to rethink your views regarding the modern pastorate.
And lastly, 85% of current money in the United States Church (according to Barna) goes toward salaries and buildings. One local church in my community released their budget of just over $7 million with less than 5% going toward missions or evangelism. The majority of their $7 million was their building (which is massive) and salaries. I believe the Bible is pretty clear what we are to give to and its not buildings. I will save that for another time. My point is that the American Church is caught up now in buildings and salaries. If the economy collapses, so do those buildings and salaries. The Church would have to mobilize to help the poor among them. Would they do this? I doubt it. I would hope they would but many such as the prosperity preachers would turn inward. I fear this above all. The name of Jesus would be trashed even when people would be desperate for His touch.
I write this with no ill will toward you. I have several friends who disagree with me. Some are full time pastors. I am proud that I am no longer working in a church. I do not wish them harm but only to challenge them to reconsider what they hold to by the usage of Scripture.
The Seeking Disciple
03/06/2012 at 9:10 AM
Good post. I don’t affirm the clergy-laity stuff, but can set that aside for now. We in the USA (and all of the West) spend too much money. There are no serious efforts to change this, and it’s not not sustainable. It’s true of both parties. It’s true across the board – federal, state, county, schools, families, and churches. All spend more money than they take in, all are in debt. Even young pastors and missionaries struggle due to their student loan debt. Regardless of motivation, the buyer is always slave to the lender. There is no getting around that.
This will be an opportunity for the church. It will be a painful one, as you point out. Less affluence won’t be easy. The opportunities will be amazing though. At some point in the future the government won’t be able to provide the level of services they do now. The government won’t be able to keep its promises – retirement for seniors, food for the poor, medical care, education, etc. When government is no longer capable of providing those services, Christians will fill the gap. And when we assume the roles that the government has taken from us (or we have abdicated), we will again be salt and light to the world. Not through power, but through service. We will share the gospel of Jesus, and people will see Jesus in our lives.
Kevin Jackson
03/06/2012 at 12:34 PM
Good points Kevin. Thanks.
Sent from my iPhone
The Seeking Disciple
03/06/2012 at 1:39 PM