The Potential Death Spiral for the Church
There has
been a lot of discussion, particularly in recent months, about the potential
“death spiral,” which is associated with the Obamacare health law. Simply put, this so-called death spiral would
potentially occur when millions of previously uninsured people, presumably
those older and sicker on average, enter an already strained Medicaid system whereby
having their healthcare costs assumed by the government. The plan, by the framers of the law, was for
those costs to be offset by requiring younger, healthier people who were
previously uninsured to begin paying in premiums. This would essentially pay
the costs of healthcare for the older and sicker individuals. As a built-in incentive to get coverage, younger
people would face fines if unwilling to get covered and begin paying in
premiums. Now, only a few months into
the actual roll-out of the new law, the possibility of this potential “death
spiral” becoming a reality is appearing more likely.
When it
comes to the health care law, simple math reveals that if you want to, at least
break even, you must have as much coming is as you have going out. It is the older and sicker signing up for Medicaid
benefits because their need for coverage is readily evident in their day to day
lives. But, the younger and healthier tend to feel little
or no compelling reason to sign up and start paying premiums for something they
really don’t think they are going to need any time soon.
Much like
people signing up for insurance, the church tends to attract those who perceive
their need for the church. There are certainly those who have felt needs of a spiritual nature; for
spiritual growth; a sense of belonging; etc.
But the people who are not a part of a church are much like the young
people without health insurance. They
know, on some level, they should probably have it but just never really feel a
great sense of urgency to actually get it done.
They put it off, perhaps until an experience in their life causes them
to think harder and deeper about certain realities.
But there is
another analogy that becomes clear to me when I consider the comparison of the
healthcare death spiral and the church.
This comes when looking at the churches themselves on the inside. I have been a pastor for almost 20 years,
spanning 6 senior pastorates and 1 interim pastorate, and I can tell you that
there is a “death spiral” underway in most churches today. Truly healthy churches are rare exceptions.
So what does
this death spiral look like inside the church?
What are the signs? When the expenses,
and otherwise financial needs of the church, are being met by only a few while
others do not see a compelling need to give
in support of the Lord’s work then the finances of the church are in a death
spiral. When the outreach efforts of a
church are left to only a pastor or merely he and a few others while the vast majority
of the body sees no compelling need to be involved in outreach, then the
evangelistic efforts of the church are in a death spiral. When the work of the church is planned,
implemented, and overseen by only a very few while the majority do not see a
compelling reason to help out, the work of the church is in a death
spiral. When opportunities for cooperate
prayer, discipleship, learning, etc. are taken advantage of by only a few, the spiritual health aspects of
a church are in a death spiral. When
gossip and backbiting are more prevalent than encouragement and genuine concern
for others, the New Testament love characteristic of a church is in a death
spiral. When personal comforts and
accommodation to individual preferences are given a greater level of importance
than the concerns of those whom the church is supposed to be trying to reach,
then the church is in a death spiral.
Sadly, a
great many churches have been dying for years.
Perhaps saddest of all is that hardly anyone noticed. The bodily functions kept on taking place,
but many have merely been on life support.
What may be shocking to the 20-somethings that are desperately needed to
make Obamacare successful, is the reality that they are actually in process of
dying, as are all. What most churches fail to realize is they are,
effectively in the throes of a death spiral.
For many, many years we have known that in the average church roughly 10
percent of the people do roughly 90 percent of the work. This is undeniably a death spiral!
I am acutely
aware of the fact that many churches are struggling today. Some are on the verge of closing their
doors. Some have already closed their doors.
Some are looking into consolidating with other churches. Some have no real plan, but are just sitting
and waiting. Some recognize the problem
but do not have the courage to act. Some
do not have the support to act. Some do not even recognize there is a
problem, but the problem is very real.
In order to save our churches from this death spiral there much be
wide-spread healthy practices by Christians.
In Christ,
Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor
