THE NEW SHAPE OF AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY?

As I was driving today, I watched in dismay as an attendant changed the gas prices at one of the economy stations from $2.69 per gallon to over $3 per gallon, an increase of at least $0.31 overnight, presumably from the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

As I thought about this today and watched the continuing coverage of the immediate impacts of Hurricane Katrina, I was left wondering, "What is going to happen in the future, economically, to this country as a result of this natural disaster?" According to some reports I watched/read, the oil production and distribution network for our country may have been decreased by as much as 25% over normal. There are thousands of Americans in three states who have lost, not only their homes, but their jobs, their source of income, and are not wards of the state or the federal government, for, as President Bush said, "perhaps years."

What will be the impact on this nation economically? I know that personally, over the last month, I have seen my gas bill double to the point where it now is almost as much as my mortgage payment. And, now gas prices have gone up again, which means that prices for all goods and services will likely rise. Utility costs will rise. And an ever greater economic strain is going to be placed on everyone throughout the country.

So, what will be the impact on how the church functions in the days and weeks and years to come?

I am not an economist or a prophet, but here's my guess as to what could happen, as far as the church is concerned:

1) Giving in the church will go down. There will be a temporary rise in giving for hurricane relief over the next several weeks, but then, as the news media latches onto the next big story, this will gradually decline. But, because of the higher cost of living, giving in the church and giving to outside ministries is likely to go down.

2) Ministries will be cut. Already, in one of the two small churches that I pastor, we made the decision to stop having weekly Bible studies but to go to every other week meetings because of the high gas prices. It is simply a hardship on those with fixed incomes to have to drive to church during the week, especially when they are looking at utility costs rising in the near future as well. Van ministries and other ministries that depend on gas-powered vehicles are going to be significantly impacted.

3) Churches might tend to look inward more than outward. In an age of ever-increasing demands on an ever-shrinking budget, our churches may go into preservation mode, trying to make sure they survive and their internal programs are not harmed.

4) Visitation by pastors and church members will probably decrease, both for pastoral care visits and outreach visits. Likewise, the number of visitors to the church may decline, as non-churched people make their decision about attendance based on their pocketbook and not on their need for a Savior.

5) Churches are going to have to learn to adapt and become more creative in reaching out to the unchurched and the unsaved since budgets are likely to be affected and gas prices are likely to affect who might come to church. Perhaps this will usher in a time where we focus more on our neighbors and to ministering to those around us rather than to the community as a whole.

It will be interesting to watch and see if economic pressures drive revival and change in the church in the same way persecution drove revival and change in the first century church.

Regardless of what is going to happen, one thing is for sure. Hurricane Katrina did not take God by surprise, and He is still going to work through His body here on earth. It may be in new and different ways, but God's word will not return void, and His kingdom WILL be made manifest here on earth.