Money
I'm usually not one to broach controversial subjects on this blog, but I feel that this topic is important enough and creates enough problems within faith communities like ours that it needs to be addressed - Money. You might think I'm talking about the whole tithing issue or how common money is distributed, which is a worthy topic, but not what this post is about. No, this deals with the impact the shift from more traditional church practices to simple or organic church has had on personal finances.
If you read around enough on the blogosphere, it is obvious that not many practitioners of simple church have disposable income. In fact, most are paycheck to paycheck working all manner of jobs (in some cases multiple jobs) to provide for their families. One of the most dramatic effects of the shift away from traditional church is the loss of a stable salary that a larger church with a professional staff might provide. Many people I know have invested their early working career entirely in ministry positions that they subsequently left to discover another way of being church. The loss of those positions and salary can be devastating to someone whose only work experience is within church or para-church organizations. Then there is the issue of education. I know just as many people who have gotten Bible degrees or other ministry training at a bible college or seminary that are now struggling to find adequate work to make ends meet. In some cases, this struggle provides a unique opportunity to be in contact with the "real world" rather than life in the bubble of a church staff. However, it doesn't make the struggle any easier on the individual or their family.
Thankfully, I was a less-than-zealous teenager who followed his big brother into engineering school rather than going to a bible college. It was only until after college that I began to have thoughts of going into "full-time ministry" and planting a church. Eventually, after about five years of working as an engineer, I quit to join a church staff part-time. It was my full intention to never work as an engineer again. Amber started a small business teaching music to preschoolers and I began to help her in my spare time. When we moved to South Florida, we raised partial support for our first year. But when we hit year two and we were relying totally on Amber's business, reality began to hit home. Living in Jupiter is expensive. We were having kids which increased our monthly expenses. After a few unexpected bills that went to credit cards, I approached Amber's mom and dad and (half jokingly) asked if they needed any help at their business, a consulting engineering firm. They did and I began to work about 30 hours a week. That was almost three years ago.
I feel very fortunate to have this job in light of what others I know have to deal with. But as great as the job is, I still am making sacrifices to have the lifestyle we think is important. It's a small company that is just getting traction in the market so my salary is well below the industry standard. Amber has continued to operate her small business, but with three kids her time is limited and can only teach two mornings a week. We could get another job at night or on the weekends, but that would have too negative of an impact on our kids. That's where we have discovered the beauty of residual income.
Residual income is sort of a buzz-word right now. I haven't read much on the subject, but I know there are a whole host of books out there by snake-oil salesmen telling you how you can make a million bucks sitting in your pajamas. My reasons for pursuing multiple income streams are far less motivated by a hunger for wealth or comfortable working conditions. To me, it is a lifestyle question. I could go out and get a higher-paying engineering job at a large company and bring home an adequate salary. I would also be working 60-70 hours a week in a large office...and large offices give me the creeps. No, I want to be free to pursue anything God puts in front of me with the time he provides along with caring for my family. This requires some calculated risk and a willingness to explore opportunities most people ignore in favor of watching another episode of the Family Guy.
The first obvious "stream" is real estate. We fortunately were able to buy a home down here before the market really exploded, so that has given us the opportunity to purchase a nice pre-construction townhome that we close on in two weeks. That townhome went up in value so fast, we were able to put money down on a larger townhome that will close on next year. We will then rent out the first one and hopefully be able to keep it as a rental property for a few years.
The second "stream" is not so obvious. In the Spring of this year, our good friend Kim Freeman (T's wife) started working with an international health and wellness company. This company's products are all natural, botanically based, not tested on animals, and free from all of the toxic substances most skin care and cosmetics companies put in their products to save money.
The company is exploding in popularity in our area and in other parts of the nation. They chose to sell its products through network marketing and are quickly becoming the most successful business of its kind in the country. Now before you say, "Awww Mike, don't tell me about network marketing. Those are all scams that your friends end up hating you because you won't leave them alone about buying your stuff." Well, that's been my experience as well with network marketing. The beauty of the company, however, is the product sells itself. I've been using the men's products for the last month or so and love it. Amber's mom has had people stop her in the street and ask, "What are you using on your face?" They really do make excellent products that play into our generations' sensibilities - non-toxic, organic, respectful to animals, and effective.
Amber started working towards the end of June. Her organization (now almost thirty women in two months time) has done over $30,000 in sales this past month. In October she will more than likely receive a check that is larger than my monthly salary. This is not to toot our horn on how great business people we are...we are far from that. Amber started the company as a means to improve her personal skills for her music business. It is now taking on a life of its own, so much so I'm not quite sure how to react. The different little kingdom things that have popped up along the way have been very interesting as well. Don't make me tell any stories - this post is already too long.
Now, I'm not suggesting that everyone should go out and invest in real estate or do network marketing. My point is, we as people within simple church structures need to begin to think outside of the by-the-hour employment paradigm as a means for supporting our families and financing kingdom activities that God calls us into. This is not a prosperity message - it is a message to be alive to the possibilities around that God may be preparing for his purposes.
If anyone is interested in the business as a potential part-time business or to purchase the products, send myself or Amber a note and we can talk more.
If you read around enough on the blogosphere, it is obvious that not many practitioners of simple church have disposable income. In fact, most are paycheck to paycheck working all manner of jobs (in some cases multiple jobs) to provide for their families. One of the most dramatic effects of the shift away from traditional church is the loss of a stable salary that a larger church with a professional staff might provide. Many people I know have invested their early working career entirely in ministry positions that they subsequently left to discover another way of being church. The loss of those positions and salary can be devastating to someone whose only work experience is within church or para-church organizations. Then there is the issue of education. I know just as many people who have gotten Bible degrees or other ministry training at a bible college or seminary that are now struggling to find adequate work to make ends meet. In some cases, this struggle provides a unique opportunity to be in contact with the "real world" rather than life in the bubble of a church staff. However, it doesn't make the struggle any easier on the individual or their family.
Thankfully, I was a less-than-zealous teenager who followed his big brother into engineering school rather than going to a bible college. It was only until after college that I began to have thoughts of going into "full-time ministry" and planting a church. Eventually, after about five years of working as an engineer, I quit to join a church staff part-time. It was my full intention to never work as an engineer again. Amber started a small business teaching music to preschoolers and I began to help her in my spare time. When we moved to South Florida, we raised partial support for our first year. But when we hit year two and we were relying totally on Amber's business, reality began to hit home. Living in Jupiter is expensive. We were having kids which increased our monthly expenses. After a few unexpected bills that went to credit cards, I approached Amber's mom and dad and (half jokingly) asked if they needed any help at their business, a consulting engineering firm. They did and I began to work about 30 hours a week. That was almost three years ago.
I feel very fortunate to have this job in light of what others I know have to deal with. But as great as the job is, I still am making sacrifices to have the lifestyle we think is important. It's a small company that is just getting traction in the market so my salary is well below the industry standard. Amber has continued to operate her small business, but with three kids her time is limited and can only teach two mornings a week. We could get another job at night or on the weekends, but that would have too negative of an impact on our kids. That's where we have discovered the beauty of residual income.
Residual income is sort of a buzz-word right now. I haven't read much on the subject, but I know there are a whole host of books out there by snake-oil salesmen telling you how you can make a million bucks sitting in your pajamas. My reasons for pursuing multiple income streams are far less motivated by a hunger for wealth or comfortable working conditions. To me, it is a lifestyle question. I could go out and get a higher-paying engineering job at a large company and bring home an adequate salary. I would also be working 60-70 hours a week in a large office...and large offices give me the creeps. No, I want to be free to pursue anything God puts in front of me with the time he provides along with caring for my family. This requires some calculated risk and a willingness to explore opportunities most people ignore in favor of watching another episode of the Family Guy.
The first obvious "stream" is real estate. We fortunately were able to buy a home down here before the market really exploded, so that has given us the opportunity to purchase a nice pre-construction townhome that we close on in two weeks. That townhome went up in value so fast, we were able to put money down on a larger townhome that will close on next year. We will then rent out the first one and hopefully be able to keep it as a rental property for a few years.
The second "stream" is not so obvious. In the Spring of this year, our good friend Kim Freeman (T's wife) started working with an international health and wellness company. This company's products are all natural, botanically based, not tested on animals, and free from all of the toxic substances most skin care and cosmetics companies put in their products to save money.
The company is exploding in popularity in our area and in other parts of the nation. They chose to sell its products through network marketing and are quickly becoming the most successful business of its kind in the country. Now before you say, "Awww Mike, don't tell me about network marketing. Those are all scams that your friends end up hating you because you won't leave them alone about buying your stuff." Well, that's been my experience as well with network marketing. The beauty of the company, however, is the product sells itself. I've been using the men's products for the last month or so and love it. Amber's mom has had people stop her in the street and ask, "What are you using on your face?" They really do make excellent products that play into our generations' sensibilities - non-toxic, organic, respectful to animals, and effective.
Amber started working towards the end of June. Her organization (now almost thirty women in two months time) has done over $30,000 in sales this past month. In October she will more than likely receive a check that is larger than my monthly salary. This is not to toot our horn on how great business people we are...we are far from that. Amber started the company as a means to improve her personal skills for her music business. It is now taking on a life of its own, so much so I'm not quite sure how to react. The different little kingdom things that have popped up along the way have been very interesting as well. Don't make me tell any stories - this post is already too long.
Now, I'm not suggesting that everyone should go out and invest in real estate or do network marketing. My point is, we as people within simple church structures need to begin to think outside of the by-the-hour employment paradigm as a means for supporting our families and financing kingdom activities that God calls us into. This is not a prosperity message - it is a message to be alive to the possibilities around that God may be preparing for his purposes.
If anyone is interested in the business as a potential part-time business or to purchase the products, send myself or Amber a note and we can talk more.
posted by Mike Bishop at 2:23 PM
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