Everyone reading this post probably knows of at least one friend who is out of work. Most of us have even heard of a church that laid off one or more staff members due to the recent economic downturn.
But how much of this is largely because we're all just more alert to economic bad news? How much have things worsened? How are churches doing compared to other sectors of society?
Which option would you choose on the following:
If America's national recession and economic downturn are like a season of bad health, do churches have:
A. pneumonia
B. a bad cold, or
C. merely the potential of illness
The answer, according to a report called "How the Economic Slump Is (or Isn't) Hitting Churches" that Leadership Network is releasing on 4/23 at leadnet.org/papers is closer to "C." Overall, churches are doing better than the national economy. If the economy has pneumonia, most churches either have only a cold or are adding precautions in anticipation of a possible illness.
We suspect this will be big news that helps rebuild public confidence. Stay tuned!
Warren Bird, Ph.D., is Research Director at Leadership Network, and co-author of 21 books on various aspects of church health and innovation.
Share your comments with us by email (research@leadnet.org) and watch for a podcast few weeks that will respond to readers’ thoughts and questions.
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