Churchnomics

The 80's brought about unprecedented change; change that would have an impact of the US economic system for years to come. This system is referred to as Reganomics. President Ronald Regan believed that wealth trickled down. Therefore if you do all you can to help the wealthy (tax cuts, incentives,etc) eventually the wealth will flow down to the poor. The problem was and still is that the wealth never reaches the poor. Its a cycle which was put in place to make the wealthier more wealthy and the poor more dependent on a broken government.

It seems in the age of the prosperity gospel or simply how church finance is taught, Reganomics has found its way in the church. I call it Churchnomics. Often churches teach if you give or sow to the church you will be blessed. An influx of pastors find themselves on television begging people to give to them and they will be blessed. Its a theory that says as the pastor prospers the people will prosper. However, like Reganomincs the wealth very seldom reaches the one who really is responsible for the wealth of the pastor or the church.

While examining the idea of mega church and seemingly great benefit package that comes with it you see a Bentley, a Rolls Royce, a extravagant mansion but if you look out in the parking lot you will notice only one Bentley. The pastor like the wealthy are only wealthy because of the working class. The working class continue to work hard because they are told if you work hard "you too can be wealthy" which most likely is false. Therefore, people are caught up in this endless continuous cycle never to get a head but constantly promised they will. The church in recent should be found guilty of selling false hope.

In conclusion, I'm not saying not to give offerings or tithes. I'm saying when giving these things understand why your giving, so ministries can be done, so things can operate, but more so, you give as part of worship to God. Churches however, should be about community. The church of Acts which is shared with us as the model for New Testament Church gave all they had so none would have lack. Because the agenda of community was bigger the agenda of the individual. In fact, one would be cursed when the placed their individual agenda above the overall concern of the community. Maybe that's why the church has lost its power, its influence, and its status. For so long the church has just been concerned about their own survival and missed the big picture.