May 2012 "On Purpose" Conference Overview

On Purpose: The Church in a New Economic Paradigm

A Conference for 21st Century Pastors & Church Leaders

Wednesday May 23rd, 20128:30am – 2:30pm

The Congregational Church of South HempsteadUnited Church of Christ

www.theccsh.org

presents

www.actogether.net

Thank You To Our Sponsors

Source: Visual Thesaurus

Capitalism is running amok.

“The past year saw a continuation of the recovery from the financial crisis,

with total household wealth reaching an all time high in the world as a whole, and in all regions of the world except North America and Europe.”

Source: Global Wealth Report 2011, Credit Suisse Research Institute, October 2011

Sounds extreme? Well, while most people on the planet are struggling through an economic crisis, global wealth is at an all time high.

2011 Global wealth = $231 trillion

$231 trillion….that’s the total of all the wealth in the world today…

$231,000,000,000,000

$231 thousand billion

$231 million million

THAT’S A WHOLE LOTTA MONEY!!!!

Source: Global Wealth Report 2011, Credit Suisse Research Institute, October 2011

2011 USA wealth = $58.1 trillion

About 25% of all the wealth in the world is in the USA, the wealthiest country of all.

“The United States has by far the greatest number

(12,584 people)of members of the top 1%

global wealth group, accounting for 41% of those

with wealth exceeding $10 million and

32% of the world’s billionaires.”

Source: Global Wealth Report 2011, Credit Suisse Research Institute, October 2011

Most of the wealth in the USA is owned by a tiny group of people.

China: 2010 GDP = $5.9 trillion

Source: Global Wealth Report 2011, Credit Suisse Research Institute, October 2011

China’s economy is catching up, but the US economy is still 2-1/2 times bigger…

USA: 2010 GDP = $14.6 trillion

The number of Ultra High Net Worth individuals in the USA

with wealth above $50 million

is six times that of China, the country with the second

highest number.

Source: Global Wealth Report 2011, Credit Suisse Research Institute, October 2011

…and the USA has WAY more super-rich folks than China. (It’s GREAT to be an American!)

Exactly how do you

$2 billion in 3 months?

MAY 10, 2012, 10:11 PMINVESTMENT BANKING

LOSE

But as good as it is in the USA, some things just don’t make sense…

MAY 10, 2012, 10:11 PMINVESTMENT BANKING

“Jamie Dimon, the chief

executive of JPMorgan, blamed “errors, sloppiness and bad judgment” for the $2B loss, which stemmed from a hedging strategy that backfired.”

REALLY?

MAY 10, 2012, 10:11 PMINVESTMENT BANKING

“For a bank that earned nearly $19 billion last year, the trading loss, which could go higher, will not cripple it in any way.”

Oil company profits have been at record heights for two years.

In the United States, credible estimates of annual fossil fuel subsidies range from $10 billion to $52 billion annually…

http://priceofoil.org/fossil-fuel-subsidies/Source:

So why do oil companies need our tax dollars to help them make a profit ?

Source: 2012 World Hunger & Poverty Statistics United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

Number of hungry people, 1969-2010

Almost 1 in 7 people (1 billion) are hungry today.“Oh the world is hungry….”

Wealth is GOOD! But as good as we have become at creating wealth, why are we so awful at the business of producing and distributing food?

Source: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/03/06/438907/extreme-poverty-doubled-15-years/?mobile=nc

According to the latest Census Bureau

data, nearly 50 percent of Americans are either low-income or living in poverty in the wake of the Great Recession….

And why is it that in the richest country in the world most people work and still don’t make enough to live on?

The number of U.S. households living on less than $2 per person per day — which the study terms “extreme poverty” — more than doubled between 1996 and 2011, from 636,000 to 1.46 million…

Source: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/03/06/438907/extreme-poverty-doubled-15-years/?mobile=nc

While wealth in the USA has been growing astronomically, so has poverty.

The number of children in extremely poor households also doubled, from 1.4 million to 2.8 million.

Source: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/03/06/438907/extreme-poverty-doubled-15-years/?mobile=nc

The USA is in the middle of its second decade of increasing poverty. And it’s not because people don’t want to work. Most poor people work. Their children still don’t eat sufficiently.

Source: Visual Thesaurus

Capitalism at its best focuses on business solutions to the great problems of society. Today, capitalism seems to be singularly focused on generating wealth; to hell with the rest of the world.

Left unchecked, running amok eventually leads to chaos..

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.”

Revelation 21:1

Christians believe that people and the planet will be redeemed from chaos and enter into a whole new era of abundance.

Though chaos may seem inevitable, Christians believe that through it all, a new model, a new thing, a new paradigm is emerging.

“Therefore, go and make disciples of

all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father

and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples

to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of

this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20

Christians know the mission…

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation:

everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

2 Corinthians 5:17

… but too often, we lose sight of the final destination…

We don’t do THAT in THIS church!

…and we get caught up in debates, distractions, and battles with each other…

Why do they have to wear tatoos?We don’t do THAT in THIS church!

..we major in the minors….

Will the world end onApril 14?

exist?

March 3rd? June 11th?

Why do they have to wear tatoos?We don’t do THAT in THIS church!

…while we devour each other, the whole world watches…

be ordained?marry?

Will the world end onOctober 26th? April 14?

Should LGBT peopleexist?

March 3rd? June 11th?

Did you hear Rev. Blankety-Blank preach?

Why do they have to wear tatoos?We don’t do THAT in THIS church!

..and instead of the mission, the Christian

agenda becomes filled with other things.

…we add to the chaos.

Is God pleased with that?

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood

enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the

unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and

against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12

We need to remember who the enemy is…

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and

having done everything, to stand firm.

Ephesians 6:13

..and perhaps instead of fighting each other, or rich people, or opposing political parties, all Christians together,

should take a stand.

On Purpose Conference “BIG” Question:

In addition to helping people to cope with economic distress,

how does the church lead in the creation of a new economic

paradigm?

Perhaps the church should mind its own business and focus its economic strength on mission. Perhaps the church should stand firm, and with laser-like focus, use 100% of its human and financial resources to create good.

“Little” Questions that support the “BIG” Question

1. How does the church use its economic strength as ministry?

2. How can the Church move towards energy independence?

3. How does the Church become a change agent around food access?

The church vocabulary of stewardship must expand

beyond charitable giving and disaster relief.

Let’s explore three strategies that have already

begun to yield results around the country.

On Purpose: The Church in a New Economic Paradigm

A Conference for 21st Century Pastors & Church Leaders

Wednesday May 23rd, 20128:30am – 2:30pm

The Congregational Church of South HempsteadUnited Church of Christ

www.theccsh.org

presents

www.actogether.netThank you!