Forsighted and sustainable management

[Reflection] Starting from the declaration of bankruptcy of Crystal Cathedral

▲California’s Crystal Cathedral is famous for its tens of thousands of pieces of glass, allowing the congregation to worship together under the blue sky. Unfortunately, it declared bankruptcy due to excessive debt.

(Picture taken from http://de.academic.ru/pictures/dewiki/67/Crys-ext.jpg)

The economic crisis has affected the world, and many gospel organizations that rely on dedication to operate are on the verge of bankruptcy. The most typical and sensational example is that on October 18, 2010, the famous Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA, was burdened with debts of US$48 million and announced that it had filed for bankruptcy protection. Investigating the reason, although it is due to the decrease in donations, the main reason lies in various problems in the operation of the organization, the establishment of ministry projects, and the efficiency of fund use. In recent years, annual financial reports of gospel organizations have generally shown deficits, with some expenditures even accounting for 300% of revenue. Whether such a "debt-heavy" service strategy is appropriate, especially when the economy continues to decline, is worth thinking twice about.

The following points are the author’s personal opinions. They may seem like clichés, but they are actually time-honored basic principles based on biblical truth. Sometimes, returning to the fundamentals can clear the clouds and bring the sun back to the right path.

Trust and reflection go hand in hand

When gospel organizations face financial deficits, they should trust God’s provision, but they should also reflect on whether the organization’s decision-making is in line with the Bible’s teaching not to borrow easily (see Proverbs 22:7)? Only by being able to use donations and handle debts reasonably and effectively, reflecting on trust, discovering problems and solving them, can the organization grow, and such trust will be more mature and solid.

Emphasis on both vision and reason

In order to achieve gospel ministry, Christians must first have faith and vision, and they must also pay attention to rational balance. Many things are worth doing, but not everything is possible. The author has observed that some evangelical organizations have launched evangelical projects with full enthusiasm. Unfortunately, they lack rational thinking, planning, and coordination, and cannot make good use of human, material, and financial resources. As a result, the project fails midway, or the organization is in trouble. As the Bible teaches:“Those who plan diligently will have plenty, but those who act hastily will have want.” (Proverbs 21:5)

Make timely adjustments

With the economy in recession and donations reduced, can we consider letting go of those projects that cost a lot of money, or temporarily slow down the progress so that we can set up a stop loss point and try to start over? It is wise to make appropriate adjustments based on reality. This does not mean shrinking or failing, but rather being a faithful and knowledgeable steward of God. Think about it, how can soldiers and horses without food and grass win the battle? Leaders’ ability to observe and adapt is crucial. At the same time, Christians must always examine our inner motivation for engaging in ministry—is it to glorify God? Or is it to increase one's own achievements and aura?

Prevent wastage

The author often receives publications and activity leaflets calling for donations, and sometimes receives multiple letters from the same organization in a week. If I can avoid sending letters with the same content repeatedly; combine letters with different contents and send them in one mail; or make good use of network communication, You can save money. In addition, if employees can communicate more with each other, they will discover a lot of unnecessary waste, inspire many good ideas for saving, and encourage each other to be good stewards of God's various gifts.

Seek professional assistance

Many evangelical organizations have co-workers who are not experts in management and operations. If Christian professionals can be invited to analyze the crux of the problem, design ways to reduce costs, and even provide suggestions for the effective use of donations. From the perspective of return on investment, hiring professional help is a small expense to get a big deal done, not to mention there are Christians who are willing to provide professional consultation free of charge. In the United States, some colleges and universities have established dual majors in theology (M. Div.) and management (MBA), hoping that the responsible staff of churches and evangelical institutions will know how to both preach the gospel and operate and manage.

Let's get through this together

The author does not agree with reducing financial deficits through layoffs. Employees are an important asset to an organization. During a crisis, salary cuts or working hours can be used as an alternative to layoffs. Getting through the crisis together will strengthen employees' loyalty to the organization. In fact, from a financial perspective, the results are the same. What's more, when the situation improves and it is necessary to hire more new people, some necessary administrative expenses will be increased, which is not worth the gain.

The goal of gospel ministry must be far-sighted and implemented step by step. It must not expand too quickly. During the project, leaders must know how to make timely adjustments to avoid debt. Otherwise, after a few years of success, they will fall into decline or even disappear. The Crystal Church is an example.

Author profile

Jiang Yang, formerly a senior application engineer, was employed by the National Institute of Health (NIH). He has been serving on campus for nearly seven years and was also a co-worker of Friendly China (COM). Currently studying for a degree in business administration. He loves writing and his articles have been published in many gospel magazines.