Recommended Reading: Methodist House Churches: Economics

Rev. Dave Barnhart, a United Methodist church planter in Birmingham, AL, recently wrote a piece on Ministry Matters entitled, "Methodist House Churches: Economics." The piece is well worth a read. It summarizes the evolution of an economic model in North American churches that is tied to the middle class and supporting the professional salaries of clergy and costs of established buildings. Rev. Barnhart then describes the economic model for house churches and how this differs from existing models. He asserts that the house church model may become an increasingly necessary model in North America in the future. His comments align well with previous posts on this blog by David Scott about the intersection of church finances, structure, and mission ([1], [2], and [3]), while demonstrating that these concerns apply not just outside the United States, but within the US as well.