What’s a Congregation Worth?

A look at whether a congregation adds economic value to its community.

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Related Elsewhere:

Previous articles related to church life and money & business include:

Should Congress Change Pastors' Housing Allowances? | The current tax code excludes the rental value of a home from pastors' taxable income. (March 28, 2011)

Are American Evangelicals Stingy? | Observers discuss whether Christians are generous enough with their money. (January 31, 2011)

How Evangelicals Give | Church members' giving is decreasing in the recession, especially as a percentage of income. (January 31, 2011)

CT previously spotlighted Christian names, how evangelicals give, evangelical vs. mainline politics, today's pilgrims, President Obama's faith, the future(s) of missions, health-care reform, Africa, American Idol, Haiti, Robert Park, persecution, Supreme Court and crosses, international religious liberty advocates, and church violence.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

April

Christianity Today April, 2011

Cover Story

Proselytizing in a Multi-Faith World

Ed Stetzer

God of the Schizophrenic

David Weiss

Evangelism as Sacrament

Owen Strachan

A Beautiful Anger

Linda Falter

Why We Love Amish Romances

Eric Miller

Books to Note

Excerpt

Counterfeit Gospels

Trevin Wax

Review

The Gods of the Checkout Aisle

Todd C. Ream

Poet Amena Brown Speaks the Truth in Rhythm and Rhymes

Mark Moring

Wilson's Bookmarks

John Wilson

Carolyn Arends Contemplates Her Own Death, and Yours

Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God?

News

Sweat Lodge Prayers

Trevor Persaud

My Top 5 Books On Poverty

Brian Fikkert

Editorial

An Everyday Scandal

A Christianity Today Editorial

News

Rehab Revival: Evangelism Among Addicts Seeing Success

Bill Yoder in Moscow

An Improbable Alliance

Chuck Colson & Timothy George

News

Tough Calling in Africa

Ruth Moon in Niger

News

Pushing Back the Desert: Niger's Christians Get Creative for Daily Bread

Ruth Moon in Niger

Readers Write

News

Exit Visa: Iraqi Christians Look for Safe Haven

Ruth Moon

News

Thanksgiving Question Nearly Deports Tortured Christian

What Christian Novel Should Be Made Film?

Roy Anker, Steven D. Greydanus, and Barbara Nicolosi

News

Quotation Marks

Compiled by Ted Olsen

Two Peoples Separated by a Common Revelation

Multi-Faith Matters

News

Go Figure

Compiled by Ted Olsen

News

Borders' Bankruptcy Affects Christian Orgs, Pregnancy Center Signs Violate Free Speech & More News

News

Should Congress Change Pastors' Housing Allowances?

Compiled by Ruth Moon

Review

Rob Bell's Bridge Too Far

Our Latest

Illustration by Amy Jones

Wonderology

Fault Lines

Am I bad or sick?

Crowd at Harvest Crusade event in Utah

News

Utah Flocks to Crusade Event at Campus Where Charlie Kirk Was Killed

Harvest Prude in Orem, Utah

Evangelicals take the stage for worship and altar calls in the Mormon-majority state.

A photo of Benjamin Watson at mic with the title of the podcast The Just Life overlaid on the image

The Just Life with Benjamin Watson

Jasmine Crowe-Houston: Love and Feed Your Neighbor

Reframing hunger as a justice issue, not charity.

A man cutting a cancel symbol instead of a turkey.

Which Topics Are Off Limits at Your Dinner Table?

Christine Jeske

A Christian anthropologist explains why we should talk about hard things and how to do it.

Are the Public Schools Falling Apart?

We need Christians to engage thoughtfully in local schools. That starts with understanding the problems.

Hands holding up music notes.

God Loves Our Middling Worship Music

Kelsey Kramer McGinnis

Songwriting might be the community-building project your church needs right now.

Pictures of the founders of Greek life organizations.

Black Greek Life Faces a Christian Exodus

Alyssa Rhodes

Believers are denouncing historical fraternities and sororities that have been beacons of progress.

An image of some Epstein files.

Public Theology Project

The Church Sexual Abuse Crisis Should Prepare Us for the Epstein Files

The path to justifying predatory behavior often follows the same seven steps. We can respond differently.