Doing Good in "Bad" times...
'Decision time. How do we react to difficult times...as households...as businesses...as churches?
Do we pull back? Hold onto "what we have"? Worry about our needs...ignore the needs of others? Is it time to panic? Sell our belongings on ebay, buy food and ammunition and build a bomb shelter in the basement? Do we ignore it? Fill our homes with more crap we-don't-need but-were-able-to-buy-because-we-just-got-a-new-credit-card-in-the-mail? Decisions...Decisions...
I can't (and wouldn't want to) make those financial decisions for anyone else... here's my personal "tough times" plan.
At home: Business as usual with the exception of being very careful to only make large purchases that we absolutely need. (Translation: Allow Michele to do her usual fantastic job of making a buck stretch...) Avoid buying anything on Credit. Continue charitable giving at our normal levels....trust God.
Business: Be frugal about purchases. Offer additional services at no additional charge to better serve customers who are definitely feeling the pinch of the poor economy. Communicate with customers and work together with them to improve their business and cut costs... Remember that "doing good is good for business. Most importantly...trust God.
Church: I think actionchurch has been prepared for "tough" financial times from our first day... We've trusted the generosity of God's people for our existence every week...we've never had any large scale "backing" or reserves. What are our plans for the future? More of the same. We will continue to "focus on others" instead of just thinking of our own survival. Last week we took in more money for the York Rescue Mission than for actionchurch...this week we will kick off our "Super Secret Christmas Project" to benefit a needy family outside of the church. We've chosen our path...we've tightened our belts expense-wise...and now our financial "plan" is to trust that God will provide for our needs. He always has!
So what's your plan? Pray about it...ask God for wisdom. Choose to live a life of Faith not Fear...
.JPG)
