The Christian and The Economy

Philadelphia Baptist Church was organized before there was a United States. The cemetery contains many old, old gravestones dating back two hundred years. Almost as old are the minutes of the church. There are not many pastors around today that would be happy to receive as their monthly salary a pound of nails, a dozen eggs, a pig and a wagon of hay. But that was how it was done those many years ago.

In times past the church helped out the members. In hard times the church would take food to those in need. The men would help with the crops. Orphaned children would be taken in. The sick would be tended. The deacons would be active and meeting needs.

Prayer was as important in the church as was discipline. When prayer meeting rolled around the people prayed not just the pastor. The sick and the unfortunate were prayed for at length. It can be said that whatever was going on in the community was known to everyone and God.

The years have come and gone but churches like Philadelphia remain. The buildings have been replaced; the members many years buried are replaced. The history and legacy remain. Sandy Creek Baptist is the oldest North Carolina congregation and First Baptist of Charleston the oldest South Carolina congregation. History and legacy. In hard times those old congregations reached inward as well as outward.

As Christians we have an obligation according to Scripture to care for those of the church. “All things in common” is the model we are to follow. If a brother or sister is in need and God has blessed, we are to share. It’s that simple. Tough times means making sacrifices.

Elijah was blessed at the brook. The brook dried up and he journeyed to live with the widow and her son as God directed. God blessed Elijah, the woman and the son with a cruse of oil that never ran out and a container of meal that was never depleted. With such blessings they survived because each was obedient unto God and they shared.

We, the United States, are facing difficult days ahead. It is predicted it will become a second great depression. In the days to come every congregation is going to have to prepare. Budgets will need to be based on meeting needs as well as missions. Some things we have accepted as common will become luxuries. As families are forced to tighten their belts and budgets so too will the church. Those following God’s leading will begin to consider the coming year while planning their budgets. How can resources be allocated to meet the needs of more people in the church and in the community? Rather than a trip to some country halfway round the world, perhaps God is saying, “Meet the needs where you live.”

Last century there was that GREAT DEPRESSION that brought so much suffering. Churches were not prepared. Let us pray and plan should such an event overtake us.