IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!

In 1992 Bill Clinton ran against sitting President, George H. Bush. As in all elections, the candidates postured to have particular issues define the race. Out of that particular election came a memorable expression that seems to define what's on the minds of people in 2009. "It's the economy, stupid!"

Our economy has been in turmoil now for almost a year. Even ordinary people watch the ups and downs of the Dow Jones average. People struggle to keep homes and pay utility bills and worry whether or not they will have a job tomorrow. Others know they will not have a job tomorrow and live under the dark cloud of a larger economy that seems to be trashing their personal economy. Cars go unrepaired, medicines unpurchased, vacations untaken.

When the economy is bad, people have great difficulty in generating enthusiasm for anything that they cannot control or that might cost them more they than desire. Churches can suffer from this. Maintenance becomes more important than vision. Taking care of ourselves supplants the needs of our neighbor. Generosity becomes optional. The desire for caution sometimes borders on the absurd. The possibilities of human ability define ministry. No need to expect God to do the impossible.

That's why people who choose to live by faith can have such a powerful witness. When the priests carrying the ark stepped into the swollen waters of the Jordan, God rolled back the waters to let them enter the Promised Land. People of faith show what God can do even in a bad economy, Their generosity reminds their neighbor that sacrifice is still a core value. Their outward focus still shows that love never fails. Their concern for others reverses the "every man for himself" tide that swells up and drowns the weak and helpless.

Even a tough economy is a catalyst for powerful ministry, when Christians live by the faith they profess.