What if clergy candidates had to have a credit check before entering into ministry? Or submit a personal family budget as well as show how to balance a non-profit budget?
Last week I actually rummaged around our Indiana Area UM website for information about our Rejuvenate program. Classes, grants, and testimonies piqued my interest. My rummaging brought to my mind even more questions about our church's financial stewardship at all levels- local, state and international.
The anonymous testimony by one Indiana area clergy colleagues about filing for bankruptcy multiple times tugged hard at my heart. Last fall my husband and I gave our testimony about our credit card, car and school debt. All of which is now paid off and we are debt free with only the mortgage left. (You can find that testimony on this blog during November 2009. By the way we paid off our debt WHILE tithing 10% of our gross income. Don't tell me it cannot be done.)
So, I know personally how easy it is to get into a bind and stay there. And how easy it is to overlook your giving to God/God's church in the name of your sloppy personal finances.
Several years ago I attended a training seminar for clergy and lay leaders on Capital Fund campaigns. I was stunned when our seminar leader gave statistics of how few Protestant clergy (my colleagues) give financially to their churches. The number of clergy who give a tithe of income is even less.
What?! Clergy not giving!? Preachers, teachers, pastors not contributing to the over all work of God through the church?! Sounds ridiculous- but it sadly seems to be the case because now we're all in debt up to our clerical collars.
Clergy are the leaders of the church now and in the future. Scripture reminds us that a higher standard is set for our teaching, model, and example than for others within the Body of Christ. Moreover, we are the vision casters, the resident theologians, and the spiritual directors within the congregation.
No wonder the church is failing to make an effective and powerful impact in the world when our leaders are failing to lead,
by example! Makes me mad and I find that I am sad as well.
I fuss a lot about the spending that is taking place in our national government and how I want to fire congress. But I must be honest and consider not what's "out there", but what's close to home. And that is the Church and my colleagues of whom I care about.
When I was in seminary at Duke one of my second-career friends commented that he didn't understand why a course in finance, leadership and business was not required of clergy before ordination. I didn't get what he was addressing.
Sadly, now I do.
