Threat of hellfire just doesn't
fill the offering plate anymore
For the next several weeks and perhaps longer,
the staff of your church will be struggling with money or, as
church bureaucrats say, developing a budget. Staff members will
be asking themselves how much money they can expect parishioners
to slide into the offering plate each Sunday. They also will be
asking themselves how they can convince you to expand your gift
and sacrificially commit your earthly treasures to the work of
your God. Over the years, different methods of stewardship
have been visited upon congregations in the United States. The
earliest I can recall is one that no longer works. It's called
hellfire and brimstone. Most people don't even know what hellfire
and brimstone looks or smells like. Those are such old substances
that church people won't even talk about them anymore. Hellfire is, of course, the fire of hell
pretty hot stuff, and it probably stinks of sulphur. And
brimstone is a rock that gets so hot in hell that it is perpetually
on fire. Those could be sobering concepts for the unconverted
to ponder. But they don't work on people who have been committed
to the church for years. The problem with talking about hellfire
and brimstone is that the next question in a person's mind is:
Just exactly how much money would I have to give to avoid
this torture? In other words, the penitent is trying to
find the easy way out. If I give 20 dollars a week, could I escape
the brimstone and what would happen to me if I gave 25 bucks a
week? That approach just creates the wrong questions. The second stewardship method that has been
used for years and ought to be thrown out is the global message.
This crept into use after World War II, when people began to see
the misery around the world. Missionaries were carrying the Gospel
message all over the globe, and souls were being converted. Now,
when we see starving masses struggling for a tin cup full of grain,
we wonder if the clips are reruns from last year. Legitimate relief work must be happening
every single day, every year for the rest of eternity. Somewhere
in the world, needy and starving people will not be able to live
on their own. The problem with confronting people with emergencies
every year is that eventually someone will ask about the ongoing
nature of the crisis. Someone will wonder if these are the same
people the congregation helped last year. And the year before,
wasn't that drought in the same valley the same region? Finally, the moxie people will ask why someone
doesn't persuade the recipients of the charity to find a way to
care for themselves, even in the midst of drought. That's when
the pitch for mission dollars will make the most sense. What the
congregation needs is a dozen hardworking people who can dig wells,
build catchments and dams, teach new crafts and find markets for
their wares. That might take the energy of an entire congregation. Here is the secret that most church members
overlook. The people who give the most money are the 20 percent
of the congregation that are the most dedicated. They give the
most money because it makes them feel good. They are also the people who will be first
to volunteer. These good folk will head up mission projects, shepherd
the Sunday school and teach an adult Bible class. They are good
people, and every congregation has its own 20 percent who keep
the organization rolling toward victory. You don't need to tell them about hellfire
and brimstone, and they will drift off if you tell them, one more
time, that world mission needs their moolah. The truth is, world
mission will find money somewhere. The real need is in the spiritual
hearts of the parishioners. So, the much better idea is to remind parishioners
the real goal of religion is spiritual joy. And the secret for
reaching joy is in your heart and head. Here it is the
secret: You have to give yourself away money, love and
compassion. You just don't talk about it. You actually give it
away. And then you sit back and wait for joy to arrive.
Clark D. Morphew
Posted For October 26, 2000