Ministry News

Foreclosing on God

Details: Tuesday, 10 November 2009 13:29

QUOTE: "There is a whole industry of church finance consultants, and when money was easy, there were a lot of people out there encouraging congregations to go to the next level, if you will. They pretty much operated under the argument, 'If you build it they will come,' which is just not true." —Russell Meyer, former pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Lakeland, Fla., and executive director of the Florida Council of Churches, commenting on the increasing number of churches in Florida that have either foreclosed on their properties or defaulted on mortgage loans. To make matters worse, many lenders are now tightening their policies in light of dwindling donations for churches and nonprofit organizations. Last month, the Catholic Archdiocese closed down 13 parishes in just the Miami area, and many of those congregations' buildings are now for sale. "It's like selling the family home you grew up in when your parents move to Florida or Alaska,'' said diocesan spokeswoman Mary Ross Agosta. "It's emotionally upsetting. These are places where people got married. They baptized their children there.'' [miamiherald.com, 11/7/09]

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Comments

0 #3 annette tks 2009-11-18 05:15

The church is in us the people. We love our Mega churches , Maybe this is a wake-up call to Come Back To Our First Love.. God and our neighbor. To go to the people who wont go in the Big Pretty Building..Before its over we are all going to come together AS ONE!!! The Bible says , Rom.8:28 - All things work together for the good of those who are called for his purpose..

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+1 #2 peggyl 2009-11-11 05:24

We are the church and where two or three are gathered in His name He is in their midst. We can worship anywhere God is it does not have to be in a mega church. Where He abides He will provide.

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0 #1 Al Silvestri, III 2009-11-10 09:23

While I can understand the emotions that are attached to certain places. I remember His word. If He does not build it, the people work in vain, and the temple of the Lord is the body of people who love and live with Him in abiding relationship irrespective of where they gather together.

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