I hope we all know that economic situations, and patterns of both increased and lessening prosperity significant impact the opportunities and challenges congregations and our overall Christian witness face on a regular basis. In the association I serve–Columbia Metro Baptist Association–we have not only the very urban metropolitan county of Richland, but also a county to the north–Fairfield–which has risen and fallen based on various economic projects that prosper for a while and then disappear.
The most notable in the past 30 years was a Mack truck plant that opened and then closed 15 or so years later. It promised great prosperity, but left bankruptcy for those who misunderstood the fragile nature and risk of this economic opportunity.
How do we help churches, their leaders, and their layperson in various businesses to cope with the hope and despair of fleeting economic opportunities and challenges?
The current situation about a nuclear facility in the county is currently bringing hope, but signs are pointing to possible disappointment in the near future. Read this article to discover why:http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article160291039.html.