Journey of a Dollar

GCFA Data-Driven Discernment

by General Council on Finance and Administration

December 18, 2023

3:51 PM

Journey of a Dollar

Comments (1)

Apportionments 100

Why the need for the great mass of UMC church leadership to again be reminded of how the current apportionment system "works?" Not hard to answer. Money is power. Money is speech. Money is the tool by which people speak and by which power is used to drive the institution. Those with the money are ultimately members of the churches that bear the weight of institutionally driven apportionments. These members are the very folks who are not convinced that apportionments as now structured and spent reflect their commitment to Christ. So, they give elsewhere. And, the UMC has to cut budgets. No amount of commercials on behalf of the institution and its financial structuring will convince church members to give more money to a denomination where the bishops and institutionalists have failed to lead effectively in evangelism and discipleship. The unrelenting decline of UM membership and effectiveness rest with those who now ask for church members to give more money. Let those who are doing the asking demonstrate personal effectiveness in evangelism and discipleship as they lead at the local church level. That will do far more to encourage financial support than all the video commercials that can be produced.

bthomas 219 days ago