“The economic downturn is affecting our churches.  We are receiving reports of churches in this fourth quarter experiencing an increase in attendance and a decrease in contributions, particularly those churches that usually receive substantial year-end giving, from members’ appreciated stocks, profits from personal businesses or professional practices, or year-end bonuses.  Churches are reducing staff levels, reducing salaries, and reducing benevolences, postponing building programs, adopting zero-growth budgets and taking other measures.  Many PCA churches and all assembly-level ministries are focusing available resources on basic ministry services.”  (Roy Taylor, Stated Clerk of the PCA General Assembly; from his report at the December 2008 Clerk’s Conference)

The economic downturn in America can be compared to the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.  Like in Egypt, God has heard the cries of his people in America and is in the process of delivering them from their slavery to greed and materialism through catastrophic events (e.g., terrorist acts, wars, hurricanes, fires, floods, economic failure – shall we call them plagues?), leading us out into the desert to worship him.  Note the following passage from Ezekiel 20:9-10 as applied to America:

“But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations they lived among and in whose sight I had revealed myself to [America] by bringing them out of [slavery].  Therefore I led them out of [slavery] and brought them into the desert.”

Like the Israelites, we are being asked to leave behind our idols.  We can either trust in him to provide manna and water as he leads us to a better land, or we can complain and continue to seek after idols as we wonder in the wilderness for forty more years. 

The days ahead will be days of discipline.  How will the Church respond?  Will the Church offer practical, as well as spiritual, guidance to God’s people? 

Covenant Presbyterian Church is responding by beginning the new year with a practical and foundational sermon series on stewardship entitled “The Road to Financial Freedom” – an exegetical approach to materials presented by Crown Financial Ministries.  In February, our small group session will kick off an eight-week series entitled “Discovering God’s Way of Handling Money” (also from Crown Financial Ministries).  During the small group session, my sermon series – Esther: For Such a Time as This – will focus on the sovereignty of God and his faithfulness to deliver his people.

As we begin 2009, let us remember that it is the Lord who desires to lead us, humble us, sustain us, love us, walk with us, do us good, and satisfy us (c.f., Deuteronomy 8:1-10).

Pastor Chip