Money - and how we use it
Reading this article makes me very angry. I have felt for many years that it is a terrible injustice when churches multiply their own ministries but fail to resource those churches who find themselves in far less fortunate situations. Home Mission helps but can never bridge the gap; anyway I have known in the past of some wealthy churches that give virtually nothing to it (of course there are others which are very generous).
It seems to me that we have got to used to a "theology of success" - large churches which have plenty of money and ample people resources consider that they have been blessed by God and hence must be doing things in the right way, which the corollary that the small church struggling in a deprived area must therefore have in some way "missed" God's leading. That attitude shows how much the consumer culture has permeated our thinking and is contrary to Jesus' topsy-turvy thinking on status and wealth.
Many years ago the then Superintendent (yes, it was that long ago) in London suggested that churches which were considering the appointment of a second member of staff should instead use that money to pay for someone to serve a small inner-city or estate church, often the only evangelistic or community focus in an area. I think you can guess how his suggestion was received ...
Andrew Kleissner