Leadership Journal

No sooner had Americans cleaned up from the impact of Hurricane Ike in 2008 than we were hit by a global economic hurricane. We saw banks fail, homes lost in foreclosure, corporations go bankrupt, and the fierce winds of global recession threatened economies all over the planet.

"The economy has taken a turn for the worse, big time," said Allen Sinai, chief global economist for Decision Economics, a consulting and forecasting group. "Consumption literally caved in. It is a prelude to much worse news on the economy over the next couple quarters." The Economist magazine reports that some economists are predicting the recession could stretch into 2010 with the jobless rate reaching 10.5 percent by then.

Millions of Americans are already feeling the pain having lost their homes, their investments, and their jobs. Unemployment has risen to 6.5 percent and could soar to over 8 percent early in 2009. Unemployment among Latinos has already reached 8.8 percent and has soared to 10.1 percent for African Americans. Many of those who have lost their jobs work in the hotel and restaurant industry, which is one of the first sectors impacted by economic decline. How will your church respond if almost 10 percent of your congregation or community suffer unemployment?

Shelters all over the U.S. that provide food and housing for the homeless report that demand is soaring and resources are shrinking. States and municipalities are cutting social services to the poor as demand is increasing because tax revenues are declining due to the recession.

Government officials have promised to address the issue with plans to "create jobs, provide relief to families, help home owners, and restore the financial system." And we need to pray for all our political and economic leaders in this time of global economic crisis. But, as followers of Christ, we also need to join them and prepare to be God's compassionate response to escalating needs of our most vulnerable neighbors as the economic devastation continues.

Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf region just over three years ago. Churches were among the first responders. They weren't prepared, but they often did a better job than government agencies.

Since Katrina, churches all over the U.S. have developed disaster preparedness capabilities. Some major denominations like the United Methodists and the Southern Baptists have developed sophisticated strategies. Crown of Life Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas, was ready to receive, house, and care for 200 refugees fleeing Hurricane Ike.

As the world slid into this swelling global recession, I tried to find any churches or Christian organizations that had developed recession preparedness strategies. I found a number of businesses but virtually no churches or Christian organizations that had become "recession ready."

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