How would church change if the economy collapsed?

Charnock · #1 09-22-2008, 03:42 PM

Aquila · #2 09-22-2008, 03:45 PM

You'd see liquidation of non-essential assets and perhaps even an explosion of house church networks with low overhead and vast evangelistic potential.

rgcraig · #3 09-22-2008, 03:49 PM

Pastors might have to get a secular job.

Encryptus · #4 09-22-2008, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Pastors might have to get a secular job.

OUCH!!!!

Charnock · #5 09-22-2008, 03:52 PM

Most pastors already work a secular job.

Charnock · #6 09-22-2008, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquila

You'd see liquidation of non-essential assets and perhaps even an explosion of house church networks with low overhead and vast evangelistic potential.

That sounds very first century-ish.

rgcraig · #7 09-22-2008, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charnock

Most pastors already work a secular job.

I doubt the percentage is as large as you believe.

Also, are you referring to all churches or just Apostolic churches?

Charnock · #8 09-22-2008, 03:56 PM

Most Apostolic pastors work a secular job. The average church size is only between 75-85.

Jack Shephard · #9 09-22-2008, 03:56 PM

It would change alot. I agree with Aquila that home churches would be the norm or many transplant saints. There is a UPCI church 2 miles from my home basically filled with older saints, but it is ran out of a home which was converted to a church. I might have to be forced to skew their age group lower by attending.

I think as a whole the Org would do ok, but the individual churches might suffer unless there is a leader with integrity and a good financial plan in place. Missions giving would suffer, no doubt!

Charnock · #10 09-22-2008, 04:09 PM

From the www.upci.org.

The United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) has been among the fastest growing church organizations in North America since it was formed in 1945 by the merger of the Pentecostal Church, Incorporated, and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ. From 617 churches listed in 1946, the UPCI in North America (United States and Canada) today lists 4,358 churches (which includes 4099 autonomous and 258 daughter works), 9,085 ministers, and reports a Sunday School attendance of 646,304.