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Yesterday morning, David Baumgartner - one of our elders - called our church to prayer.
He walked us through the last two years and what a ride it’s been. We’ve seen tons of people meet Jesus, adopted a school, our Life Groups are becoming havens for life change, children ministry is growing and needs more room, youth ministry is growing, overall we have 20% more people than we did this point last year.
But our giving is at the same level as last year. We’ve seen it for months now and we’ve scaled down on almost every front. It bought us some time but we’re now living week to week.
David did an awesome job speaking on the issue as a spiritual matter, not a “beat up the congregation to give more.” In our life group last night we even had someone say - “That’s one of the very few times I’ve ever heard finances talked about in a non-guilt way.”
Then he said - we’re asking our life groups to pray tonight and this week. Pray individually. Next Sunday night, we’re coming together as a church to pray.
As one of the guys on staff, it’s been one of the wildest things I’ve ever seen. Normally, if giving is low there’s another glaring problem that’s helping - like conflict in the church, on the staff, or the church is shrinking. None of that is going on.
So if you get a chance this week, pray for Pinecrest.
6 responses so far ↓
1 kurt // Oct 6, 2008 at 5:39 pm
We’ve seen the same in our church. But we don’t have anyone stepping up to talk about it because, as one leader told me, “That kind of thing isn’t in our DNA.” So we will just let the slide go on until its a crisis.
Glad to know you’ve got a leader who handled the situation that was edifying!
2 Grant // Oct 6, 2008 at 6:29 pm
I’m not seeing how DNA has anything to do with it. For us it was about being fiscally accountable to the body, being honest.
HOW it’s communicated shows your DNA.
Are you guys still in that situation?
3 MikeS // Oct 7, 2008 at 7:19 am
Will definitely pray for you guys this week.
4 robert // Oct 7, 2008 at 7:36 am
if you have to be in that situation, that’s the way to be in it. i’ll be praying for y’all.
5 kurt // Oct 7, 2008 at 11:31 am
Grant said: “I’m not seeing how DNA has anything to do with it.”
I’m with you. I’ve been at the church for about two years, and I’ve been informed by leadership about our DNA and our “native style” so often in relation to decision making.
If I could define our DNA, it’s “let’s not do anything that might ever make someone uncomfortable or unchallenged.”
It’s pretty sick if you ask me! I’ve often been the pot stirrer in our leadership and staff meetings!
6 kurt // Oct 7, 2008 at 11:33 am
As far as being in the situation, oh yeah. Been going on for the past six months. No strategy or plan whatsoever to address it other than some pretty big budget cuts.
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