Comments on: Why I Believe a Financial Crisis is Good

By: Kevin Fields

Kevin Fields — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:24:22 +0000

Pete, please at least try to be a little more different. I want to believe in you, I really do. “Why I Believe a Financial Crisis is Good” is more superficial pastorial rhetoric. The title itself betrays you – why don’t you say something like “Why I Believe Something Good Can Come Out of the Finanical Crisis”. Saying that a financial crisis, the depth of which we don’t fully realize yet, is actually “good”, is an extremely shallow thing to do. You have to ask BOTH sets of questions that you listed – it’s not an over-spiritualized “either-or”, guy. If you’re not concerned about your own welfare to some extent, you’re nuts. There is a lot of suffering yet to come. It will be painful. Sure, there will be opportunity. But you KNOW that being the pastor of a large church, you don’t have to worry about your employment prospects for a while, unlike a lot of us. You most likely won’t have to give up anything (except maybe 10% of your staff because of budget cuts – make sure that they read this article!). You can say anything you want that is in your interest. Oh well, there is my “two cents” – I’m sure that this post will get taken off as well.

By: Ron Edmondson

Ron Edmondson — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:14:08 +0000

Pete, I’ve been Twittering and blogging similar thoughts for months, because I believe someone has to gear us back to truth and the reality of who we are and what we have in Christ. Plus, a little positive news would go a long way in correcting some of our economic misery. Thanks for sharing, since your blog has such a wider audience! Keep putting out good stuff.
Ron
http://www.ronedmondson.com

By: Joseph Louthan

Joseph Louthan — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:41:57 +0000

Thanks Pete. You preach the truth.

This financial crisis is very much a good thing. Just like the rise in gas prices.

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:48:27 +0000

Good thoughts, Pete.

Hopefully the church can step in and ease some of the stress so many people are facing during these times. Sadly, though, a lot of churches are experiencing so many financial issues of their own, it’s hard for them to be an authority on finances to their members. If I see my church in millions of dollars of debt, then why should I think it’s wrong for me to build up tons of debt?

Hopefully, the struggling economy will motivate some of our churches to manage their own money better–and, by doing so, they will help their members understand how to budget and manage income.

By: Casey Graham - ReThink Money

Casey Graham - ReThink Money — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:33:29 +0000

Hey Pete. I KNOW it has been a cleansing of greed in some of the people I work with. I am seeing an unusual ammount of openness to change when it comes to people’s personal finances. I am stoked about working with you guys soon!

By: Scott Fillmer

Scott Fillmer — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:34:24 +0000

EXACTLY… well said. I can’t stand it when I see SECULAR people telling a Believer not to worry. Something totally backwards about that. Let’s have a little trust and faith in our Savior that He will provide for us. Have a little backbone and set an example for the world to follow, after all, we are the light, right?

By: Chad Wright

Chad Wright — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:12:12 +0000

I’m excited about the economic crisis for two reason. One, I think it is a wake u call that will hopefully push a huge number of people to get completely out of debt. That is nothing but a good thing. I think it shines a glaring light on our consumeristic culture and how that has done nothing good for us.

Two I’m excited as a business owner. This is my chance to shine and take some business from larger competitors that maybe wasn’t in play before.

By: Patty V.

Patty V. — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 03:33:47 +0000

Oh man, I believe you are totally right on. We have a saying in our family “If money can solve the problem, it isn’t really a problem”. Having dealt with unexpected deaths of two close family members, I have come to understand in the most profound and simplest of ways, that all that really matters in life is relationships…first with Jesus Christ, then relationships here on earth and the legacy that those relationships leave after you are gone. Material things can be fun,but they don’t really count. I also have learned that God is bigger than any problem and real problems have always brought me closer to Him.
Thanks for the reminder of Who is in control and the opportunity we have as Christians during this tough economical time.

By: SHerri & Alan Murphy

SHerri & Alan Murphy — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:35:36 +0000

Here’s the great thing about having something bad happen to us that is beyond our control…It’s beyond OUR control! When you realize there’s nothing YOU can do to fix a situatioM, IT Actually FREES you- makes it EASIER to step aside and hand the reigns over to God. Sometimes, it is only the big things that finally cause us to let go. Total dependence is a good place to be!

By: mysoul

mysoul — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:28:36 +0000

Somehow I dont feel that the crisis will affect the people of nations that are already rich, cause they only have to give up their luxuries, my thoughts go out to Those who are sick and to those in other parts of the world, especially the ones whose economy is Heavily tied with the US but where most people are living a hand to mouth existence… This is nature teaching us to Go with the Flow. We will survive this too, and hopefully come out wiser, with more awareness to the connectedness inspite of all our differences, with more compassion, with more respect and open-ness to those who do not think, live, pray, eat or believe like ourselves…

Yes, I agree with you. Its a great oppurtunity to be of service but its also a great oppurtunity to abuse the concept of service. Imho, If we serve because we belong to a particular faith or need points with “God” or need people to “find” the same faith as ours, it really isnt service, since we do it out of a sense of some reward(even to expect the other person to embrace our way of thinking is in a way doing because we covet the result). I feel, if service is done for any reason other than the fact that you can and are capable of rendering it, or its done with any ulterior intention, it isnt service but a feeding of our egos. Isnt it hipocrisy to turn to God only in times of Trouble? If we want Faith in its Truth, dont we need to build it from a point of LOVE and not a point of FEAR? And Love is all those things as in the Standard Bible(It does use the word “Charity” instead of “Love” in the King James version) in
I Corinthians 13:4.

Hmm.. those words might offend some, I apologize in advance, for it isnt my intention to offend but to put out what I think.