With all that is going on in the world and our country, the Church of Jesus Christ has a great opportunity to minister to both Christians and the unsaved & unchurched. As a Christian and former Pastor that has been researching much of what has been going on, I recommend that local churches do the following that could be a means in God's will to prevent or delay various events and actions. Feel free to copy this, and of course improve on it. I certainly don't have all of the answers, and the Lord only knows for sure if, how and when it will all unfold. This Outreach is about helping people be better prepared in case of a major economic collapse that is imminent and various possible consequences as a result, before the Lord returns. Isn't it better to be prepared and it not happen than to not be prepared and it does happen? Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, pray God's will to be done.
1. If your church is not already debt free, and you have the funds available, pay off any debt on the property. If you have debt on your property and there is a major economic collapse causing a drastic reduction in giving, you could lose the property.
2. If you are a 501c3 and/or incorporated church (most are) it could be easier for the government to intrude further into the church's business. The only disadvantages of not being a 501c3 church is not being listed as a 501c3 Church for people to find you if they use that method to find a church, and not having a tax-exempt number to avoid paying sales tax. Some churches are concerned because not being an incorporated 501c3 church could make individual members liable in the event of a lawsuit. But there are still no property taxes for non 501c3 churches, and Christians can still deduct their financial giving to such churches if they can itemize on their tax return. While churches should weigh the pros and cons of being incorporated, churches can be incorporated without being 501c3. However, remaining incorporated may make it easier for various government entities and officials to treat churches like a business.
3. If you have funds in savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificate of deposits, you may want to move it all to your checking account. It may not matter, but it is also possible that the Federal Reserve could take some sort of action with interest bearing accounts first. One idea that has been circulating is that there would be negative interest to help with the national debt.
4. Educate and encourage your members to stock up on long shelf life foods, water, essentials, fuel, first aid, camping equipment and supplies, and more. Encourage them to pay off or pay ahead if they have a mortgage, pay ahead on their property taxes, pay ahead on their rent, and pay off or pay ahead on at least one vehicle, if they are able. This can be done in a variety of ways outside of the worship service itself.
5. Do the same thing as a local church to be able to minister to members who are not able to do #4, and for those outside of the church in the community. Make sure you have gardening tools and supplies too, and plan for planting a huge garden if you have space on the property.
6. Back to the banking. Numerous scenarios could lead to money being devalued or worthless, a crisis similar to the Savings and Loan crisis decades ago only broader, and the federal government/reserve going to digital currency. As with families and individuals, consider diversifying your funds into silver, gold and needful possessions, and pressuring States to do everything possible to prevent digital currency- that would not end well.
7. Just begin planning on making your church and property a community where numerous families from your church and community may have to live together to survive a major economic collapse. Even if it is not major, more and more people will be losing their jobs or having to take lower paying jobs in the mean time, unless or until something is done about the National Debt.
8. Is it too late to fix the problem? Some say yes, and some say no. But we don't know the Lord's revealed will for our country at this time, so let's get more involved than we ever have before with our elected officials. We continue to pray for them, but let's bombard them with communication and peaceful protests. If a major economic collapse doesn't happen in our lifetime, what about our children and grandchildren? We have been blessed with so much in our country, and I think we should be preparing our children and grandchildren for what may happen, but should we be quick to think "if it happens to them it happens?" Again, God's will be done, but remember that God ordains the means as well as the end. Until we see that God may want tough times for our whole country because all things work together for good (Rom.8:28), shouldn't we try to keep our way of life for our children and grandchildren? I'm not talking about replacing worship services with political pep rallies as some churches do, but to discuss these things in classes, meetings, and before and after service. Encouraging involvement and planning when it comes to communicating with our local, state and federal representatives, and conducting peaceful protests at their offices and meetings. If you are resolved not to do this, then at least do one through seven.
God had Joseph tell the Pharaoh how to plan ahead by setting aside food during the plentiful years to plan for the famine. Is the handwriting on the wall for us? Not literally of course, but there are numerous signs pointing to a major economic collapse at any time. The dollar is not being used abroad as it has been, and Wall Street is struggling. The National Debt is over 19 Trillion Dollars in Feb. 2016 and over 29 Trillion Dollars in Nov. 2021, and rapidly climbing. Even if the dead in Christ rise and the church is raptured before a seven year tribulation period, an major economic collapse could still happen before then. Then we have the concerns with how the federal government would react, that I won't get into here.
I would be glad to help your church in any way I can. But continuing to ignore the potential dangers we face and/or not planning ahead, is not only unwise but unloving. Turning a deaf ear because you are just so sure it won't happen before the Lord's return, may have your members further discouraged for not warning them if it happens before the Lord's return which is very possible.
It is my hope that you will prayerfully consider what I have shared with you.
Pester Brat
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