Why I Went ‘All In’ on Churches

“Churches are dying. Why would you bet your future on them?”

My first bookkeeping job, 20 years ago, was for my own church. At the time, I didn’t realize that accepting that bookkeeping job would be the beginning of an entire bookkeeping company.

About a year ago, I saw an opportunity to pivot our organization to grow exclusively with churches. I love serving the church.  It was also a good business decision for us. So, I went all in.

But not everyone agreed. Peers and others asked me questions.

“Will there really be enough work? Churches are unpredictable.”
And even, “Have you looked at the history of churches and Christianity? You really want to align yourself with that?”

Yes, I do. And yes, we did.

An Incomplete Story

I wasn’t offended. I go against the grain often enough that I’ve learned not to take that personally. But I was confused. 

Churches aren’t perfect, largely because they are made up of imperfect people. I’ve read the bad press, the history books, and watched the movies that highlight the mistakes and pain that have occurred.  But that’s not the whole story. 

Churches, and Christianity more broadly, have fundamentally changed the world for good.  And many of the things we take for granted trace their roots back to the church’s impact on the world.

The late Alvin J Schmidt and his well documented book ‘How Christianity Changed the World’ talks about the question: If Jesus had never lived, what would the world look like?  

His conclusion is that the depth and reach of Christianity’s influence is far greater than most people realize.

The Dignity of Work

As a bookkeeper and entrepreneur, I looked first at economic impact. 

At the time of the early church, work was considered demeaning.  Manual labour was beneath free men. Thinkers and philosophers debated ideas all day, while slaves did the work.  In fact, it’s estimated that Athens had five times as many slaves as citizens.   

Christianity began to change that.  Jesus was a carpenter, Paul a tentmaker who believed “if a man will not work, he shall not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). 

Slowly, radically, the idea that there is dignity in working hard began penetrating the ancient world. Even more revolutionary was the belief that ‘the worker deserves his wage (Luke 10:7).  Pretty mind blowing to a culture who’s work force were slaves. 

From this flowed the idea that a person could work, earn a wage, own property, and build a life. With property rights came the concept of individual freedom.

These ideas didn’t just shape theology, they reshaped everyday life.

Health Care and Compassion

Schmidt also traces the church’s influence on health care.

In 325 AD, the Council of Nicaea instructed bishops to establish hospices in every city with a cathedral. The idea of caring for the sick simply because they were sick was radical. It was done because that’s what Jesus, the ultimate healer, did.

History is filled with medical heroes driven by faith, from Florence Nightingale to Jean Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross.

Education for All

Education follows the same pattern.

To read and print the Bible, people needed to know how to read. Martin Luther pushed to create a publicly funded school system as he wanted everyone to be able to read the Bible for themselves. 

Many universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, were originally founded as Christian institutions.

The Church’s Impact Today

Schmidt’s book spans more than 400 pages and covers topics such as the sanctity of life, women’s rights, liberty for all, and much more. But the point is clear.  Christianity has fundamentally impacted the world for good.

What I love most is that this impact isn’t just historical.  It’s happening every day in local churches across Canada. 

In last month’s article, The Quiet Economic Power of the Local Church, I wrote about the research backing up the billions of dollars in social benefit churches contribute to our economy. Behind those numbers are lives changed quietly, steadily, and faithfully through the local church.

That legacy matters. And it’s why stewardship matters too. When churches are financially healthy, their ability to serve, support, and strengthen their communities multiplies.

Why I Serve Churches

So yes, I serve churches with pride and gratitude for the many who have gone before me.

And I’m thankful to be part of that legacy.