Ministry Today

God's Bailout Plan

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Written by Marcus Yoars

A handful of Detroit churches issued a new strategy for the hurting auto industry this past Sunday, calling it "God's Bailout Plan." At Greater Grace Temple, the city's largest church, Bishop Charles H. Ellis III prayed for and anointed hundreds of assembly line workers, executives and car salesman in a service dedicated to auto industry workers whose jobs are on the line. The Pentecostal pastor even had a trio of Chevrolet, Ford and Chrysler sport utility vehicles onstage with him during his sermon, which was called "A Hybrid Hope" and bookended by such songs as "I'm Looking for a Miracle" and "We're Gonna Make It."

"We have never seen as midnight an hour as we face this coming week," said Ellis, alluding to Congress' imminent decision on whether to offer Detroit's major carmakers enough financial assistance to stay afloat. "I don't know what's going to happen, but we need prayer. When it's all said and done, we're all in this thing together."

The city's Roman Catholic churches got in on the act, distributing a four-page letter from Cardinal Adam Maida offering advice on how to celebrate the Christmas season while facing the tough economic conditions. "Things in Michigan will probably never be the same," wrote Maida. "[But] at this darkest time of the year, we proclaim that Christ is our light and Christ is our hope." [nytimes.com, 12/7/08]