Navigating Scarcity in the Church - Insights from Dr. Myles Werntz

The Last Service Podcast

In this episode of The Last Service Podcast, host Matt McGee interviews Dr. Myles Werntz, Associate Professor of Theology at Abilene Christian University. They discuss the concept of scarcity in churches and how it's affecting congregations across denominations. Dr. Werntz shares insights from his recent Christianity Today article "Scarcity's Strange Gifts" and explores the challenges and opportunities presented by resource constraints in modern church settings.

Key topics covered:

• The psychological effects of scarcity on decision-making
• Historical and biblical perspectives on church scarcity
• Strategies for churches facing declining resources
• The potential benefits and virtues developed through scarcity
• The future of church staffing and ministry models

Three Key Takeaways:

1. Scarcity is becoming a widespread issue for churches across denominations, affecting resources, attendance, and staffing. This trend is likely to continue and requires new approaches to ministry.
2. While challenging, scarcity can provide unexpected benefits such as increased focus, empathy, and creativity in problem-solving. It may also foster the development of important virtues like courage and patience.
3. Churches may need to consider new models of ministry, including bi-vocational pastors, increased lay leadership, and resource sharing between congregations, to effectively navigate scarce conditions.

Keywords: church scarcity, declining resources, ministry challenges, church leadership, bi-vocational ministry, church attendance trends, Christian ethics, theology, church growth

Resources:

Scarcity's Strange Gifts by Myles Werntz

Myles Werntz's Substack

Howard Thurman