Pensiions in Trouble

Tom Bandy (2004)

The pension and health care crisis has been building for some time, and is now being pushed over the edge by low investment returns. But it is interesting how God is using this crisis.

On the one hand, it is separating the career driven clergy from the mission driven clergy. The former depend on social safety nets and require the apparatus of the denomination to work for them to keep going in ministry. The latter are certainly concerned about health and future for themselves and family, but are no dependent on the safety nets to make risky decisions. Whatever happens to the denominational infrastructure, they will find a way to do pursue God's mission.

On the other hand, churches that have been just one death or disaster away from bankruptcy for years are finally being forced to close ... and denominations cannot afford to open new ones using the old, expensive, and ineffective franchise strategies of the past. So, as others have said here, the maintenance driven churches are dropping out of the "race", and the mission driven churches are finding other ways and means to pursue God's mission.

The move to insist all churches fully fund the benefits of part time workers is only a temporary solution to increase immediate cash flow in the system, but will not have long term impact. I think the future is obvious ... there will be dramatically fewer churches that can provide salaries and benefits for career-minded clergy. The competition for those few positions will be fierce and highly political (not missional). The faith-based non-profit and faith-based for-profit world is emerging.