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Financial crisis could prevent ministry from sharing the Gospel

The global economic crisis is creating a crisis for ministries around the world. The stock market has fallen, causing many people to have fewer dollars to give to non-profit organizations, reports MNN.

Economic uncertainty and fear are causing many people to keep money in the bank, rather than investing in someone's eternity.

Jim Snyder with Touch Global, the humanitarian arm of Reach Global (formerly EFCA), says his ministry is feeling the pinch. "Over the last few months we've seen a continuing decline in giving to a lot of our ministries that we're involved with around the world. The impact of this has more of an impact internationally than it does on us here domestically."

The fewer dollars, Snyder says, "results in things like not being able to buy medicine for a hospital in Congo that we're very involved with and doctors are not being paid, medicine is not being purchased, people are gradually receiving less and less medical care."

Fewer dollars for physical assistance has a spiritual impact. "Through the physical, spiritual needs can be met as well. Without people coming to the hospital, without people even going to the clinic for medical care, that relationship can never be developed and obviously the spiritual opportunities are lost as well."

Touch Global says they've even seen long time donors stop giving to pet projects.

Snyder says work with persecuted Christians in India, medical care in Congo, cyclone relief in Myanmar, and hurricane assistance in the United States are in jeopardy if donations don't improve. "With limited resources, you're only able to do very little as far as being able to respond to the physical needs of people, and we have responses all around the world."

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TAGS: USA global economic crisis Touch Global persecuted Christians evangelism

[12/30/2008]

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