The Church’s Economic System

Now that we’ve looked at God’s Original, Old Covenant, and New Covenant Economic Systems, we can no focus in specifically on God, work, and money in the Church.  It all starts with God’s mission for the Church.  The Church, as we mentioned in earlier posts, is supposed to be a visible embodiment of God’s Kingdom here on earth just as it is in heaven.  While this was the mission of Israel under the Old Covenant, the Church under the New Covenant is also charged with the mission of actively bringing new people into God’s Kingdom.

New Covenant Economic System

God’s Original Economic System needed to change when people began living together in cities and started to develop into nations.  People needed to learn how to live in close proximity and get along as God designed and desired.  The Old Covenant Economic System, set up with the Israelites, allowed us to see how it can and should be done.  When they did things right, the way God told them to do it, they were set apart as a Holy Nation for the rest of the world to see.

Old Covenant Economic System

In my last post about God’s Original Economic System, we looked at the way God designed the economy with Adam and Eve living in the Garden of Eden.  In this system, God provided for all their needs (Genesis 1:29; 2:10-14).  They needed to work, which gave them a sense of purpose, but the work was easy (Genesis 2:15).  They developed loving relationships with God and one another (Genesis 2:25).  In this system, there was plenty for their children, too, so they could be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth (Genesis 1:27-28).  When they sinned, they were kicked out of the Garden (Genesis 3:23-24).  Childbirth became painful and work much harder (Genesis 3:16-19).  But the same economic system would be in play for many, many years.  God provided.  They worked the way God said and they had everything that they needed.

God’s Original Economic System

Often times, when I am trying to understand God’s design for an area of our lives, I go back to God’s original picture in the Garden of Eden.  Work and finances are no exception to this rule.  God gives us insight into His original plan for our lives.

Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:5-7 NIV)

When God breathed the first breath of life into the first person, God had already prepared the earth to sustain what this man would need to live.  Air was provided for the second breath and the third.  Water was prepared for the first drink and a water cycle was put in place to keep a fresh supply of water coming.  Food was even prepared and then the man was placed right in the middle of this continuous food supply.

Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground--trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food… (Genesis 2:8-9a NIV)

God provided everything man and woman would need.  This provision, though, came with a sense of purpose each day.  The garden would provide food to eat, water to drink, and air to breath.  But, the garden would need to be worked and cared for.  This would be the job of the human beings. This would be their reason to get up in the morning.

A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:10-15 NIV)

What was God’s original design?  It was simple.  Human beings would live together in the Garden of Eden.  God would be with them as well.  They would have a sense of purpose as they worked in and cared for the Garden of Eden as well.  Their lives were perfect.  There was nothing hidden and nothing to hide from God or one another.  This was God’s economic system in the Garden of Eden.

An Example (2015)

I mentioned in an earlier post that often times “we look at church finances the same way as we look at finances in politics, business, or non-profit organizations.”  I also stated that “none of these comparisons actually matches the pictures we find in Scripture.”  These are big statements that merit further investigation and explanation.  Rather than diving right into the Scriptures, though, I’d like to set up our investigation into the Scriptures with a real-life example.  We’re going to look at a slice of the financial picture of Life Bridge Christian Church for 2015.

Business Perspective

Businesses exist to make money.  They find or develop a product or service that can be sold for a profit.  Income from the sales support ongoing business expenses (like staff, buildings, equipment, and office expenses), ongoing business investments (like consumer and trade marketing), as well as research and development for future business endeavors. The profits from the company are used to provide a return on investment for the owners/shareholders.

Political Perspective

The political perspective focuses on getting people on board with a person or plan so you can vote that person or plan into action.  Once voted in, people are taxed, under penalty of law, to support the person’s salary and the plan’s funding.  The length of the tenure is based upon the applicable laws, so the person stays in office and the plan stays in place until the law provides for a change.  Taxes continue for the funding until the law provides for a change as well.

Non-Profit Organization Perspective

The church is seen and run as a non-profit organization more than any other approach or structure in the United States.  This is because many churches choose to become a 501c3 non-profit organization to gain some governmental, business, and other organizational benefits.  The organization structure has a board of directors who set the vision for the organization. While there are tax benefits to being not-for-profit, the organization still needs funding to accomplish its board-directed mission and/or vision.  Organizations, then, seek sources of funding.  They may do this by directly approaching individuals, putting together funding campaigns, and/or having fundraising events.  Money from these campaigns and events, then, underwrite the mission and vision.  To the extent that the funding does not come in, the vision does not get accomplished.

Biblical Perspective

This perspective is focused on understanding what God is doing by looking at what God has done in the past.  Since we are a part of God’s Church, this perspective, of course, gives us the insight we need for moving forward.

Dollars and Sense

Many years ago, Life Bridge used to have an offering video series entitled “Cent Sense.”  The purpose of the series was to help people look at work, finances, and stewardship through God’s eyes.  Our perspective on work and money is usually more influenced by the world than it is by God.  So, the series was created to help us, as individuals, grow in our walk together with God in this area.

The Twelve Teams of Life Bridge (Part 4)

We’ve been examining twelve teams that we are putting in place at Life Bridge.  We’re putting these teams together to build a solid foundation and process for empowering one million to walk together with God.

It’s About Teams

Many of the stories we find in the New Testament don’t get much recognition.  Preachers don’t often center their sermons around them.  People find themselves skimming over them.  These stories are about the “behind the scenes” work that takes place in order for God’s will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven.  Everyone calls attention to the Last Supper, for example.  Not nearly as many people pay attention to the dinner planners, cooks, and waiters who were involved.

Broken Whiteboard

I was working with the Encounter God team last week when I moved the whiteboard from the corner of the room, where it was stored, to a spot closer to the team.  The whiteboard was specially homemade for me as I discussed in an earlier post.  The glass facing made it perfect for writing and erasing, because the glass just wiped clean.  Some of you are noticing that I said “wiped” in the past tense and your are anticipating my next sentence.  I dropped the whiteboard.  It landed face down and caught the corner of a speaker on the way.  The glass shattered.  We spent most of our team meeting time cleaning up shards of glass.

The Twelve Teams of Life Bridge (Part 3)

In The Twelve Teams of Life Bridge (Part 2), I outlined the first four teams we will focus on building at Life Bridge in order to empower one million to walk together with God.  These four teams (Engage, Empower, Equip, Encourage) are purposefully designed to move someone from no faith until they are comfortable and consistent building faith into others.  In other words, those teams build a discipleship path that results in strong, Godly leaders.  Today, we will unpack the next four teams out of the twelve.  These may seem be a bit more familiar.

It’s About Flocks

Last week, I began our Blueprints with an article entitled, “It’s About Leadership”.  In it, I started to point out that how critically important it will be for us to develop strong, Biblical leaders in order to empower one million to walk together with God.  There are always two questions that come up in the discussion about leadership.  First, who does a leader lead?  Second, where does the leader lead them?  We will talk about the first today.

The Twelve Teams of Life Bridge (Part 2)

I know this is going to sound strange, but if I were only allowed to build one team to start Life Bridge, it would not have been a marketing team.  It wouldn’t be a team that plans excellent worship services.  Small groups would not be at the top of my list.  Don’t get me wrong.  Each of these teams are vital pieces of the Body of Christ.  They just wouldn’t be the first team I put in place.  That’s because the Church isn’t sent out into the world to communicate well with new people, create dynamic worship-inspiring music, or to gather people together to pray for one another.  The church exists to make mature, Christ-following disciples.

It’s About Leadership

When Jesus began his ministry, he started recruiting people who would be with him from the beginning (Acts 1:21-22).  The people he recruited were a motley bunch of men.  Fishermen, tax-collectors, doubters, and a thief were among the twelve who would be closest to him.  That’s not counting the seventy two that he knew well enough to send out two by two as well (Luke 10).  Jesus recruited people to be followers, but from the beginning it was clear that this was not his only intent.  Jesus was going to train them to be leaders.

Busy Whiteboard

Ok, so I did not anticipate the amount of activity that would take place in December and January.  Perhaps I should have.  It was, after all, Christmas.  Since my last post on December 5th, we have held 14 normal weekend services, 7 midweek services, a family Christmas program, Christmas Eve Candlelight service, and a New Years Eve youth overnight party.  In addition to all this, we attempted to travel to Cincinnati for Thanksgiving (resulting in car repairs and replacement in December), actually travelled to Cincinnati in January (for Christmas with family), and spent a week in Anderson, IN to continue my Doctoral studies. Whew!

All that being said, the “whiteboard” has not stayed clean.  I’ve been writing on it quite a bit with different individuals and teams.  Work is progressing.  New teams are starting to form.  MBOs (ministry by objectives) are being created, and support systems are being developed and put into place.  God is working in and through His people to begin empowering one million to walk together with God.  God team!  Praise God!!!