Further Reflections on the End of the Fiscal Year

On Sunday I shared the great news of how our church ended the year financially and how we are soon going pay off a $300,000 debt note through BLESS Campaign giving. Here are some of my reflections on all this as your pastor.

1 - God’s provision. The way we ended the year is a testament to God’s provision to members of our church family. Not many Five Oakers lost their jobs or experienced significant cuts in pay. I’m so thankful for that. And I’m always mindful of the particular opportunities and responsibilities that come with that. Jesus said it: “…from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48). And when Jesus asks of us, it’s a privilege and joy to serve him.

2 - Debt. I had a very interesting and enlightening conversation with a Five Oaker a couple of months ago. He asked me, “What’s our plan to pay off our church’s debt beyond the goals of BLESS?” I explored with him why we acquired debt in the past and explained why we might again in the future. He then clarified what he was getting at: “I’m not saying we should never take on debt. I’m saying that when we take on debt, we should also have a plan for paying it off.”

Here’s something we experienced with the pandemic: We have very little wiggle room to cut expenses short of layoffs. I could give you a dozen reasons why cutting staff is a really bad idea at a time when more is needed and being asked of them because of the pandemic, especially the challenges of simultaneous ministry online and in-person.

Some might argue the debt is cheap these days. What we need is more money in the bank. But holding really large amounts of cash in the bank is a hard sell for a church. It’s complicated.

But having and implementing a plan to pay off debt (even future debt we may incur) makes a lot of sense to me, and it energizes me.

3 - Stewardship Education and Generosity. Stewardship “education” and financial generosity are a huge part of the Bible. Handling money looms large in the teaching of Jesus. Why? Jesus put it in simple terms: Money is a powerful god competing for our hearts. It hits at the core of our sense of security and our desires.

Our congregation is generous. Our annual survey reveals that (at least for the core of our congregation that fills out long surveys), a significant majority give away 10% or more of their income. I think that’s something to celebrate. I’m thankful for folks that have led FPU over the years. I think you’re having a huge impact. And I’m thankful for all of you who tell me how encouraged you are when I teach on stewardship. I will continue to do so as we seek to grow our congregation in the love of God and in the image of Christ.

Photo by Fabian Blank on Unsplash