fuel prices : changing membership

  project365:35 - fuel 
  Originally uploaded by gavoweb.

so on my way into church today i was thinking. will the rise in gas prices incline people to change their churches? now, some already subscribe to the parish church, that church closest to where they live. but i know more and the trend has been to drive to a church passing a number of other churches. i've been told by church planter/growth people that a 45 minute drive one way is reasonable to expect that someone will drive to get to church.

if such is the case, do you think that saving money will compel folks to find a closer to home church community? or will this be a no brainer to keep paying, 4-5 dollars a gallon of gas (when it gets there) to attend a one to three hour period with a church community?

in other thoughts. how should the church react to people spending so much money driving and using fuel that it might impact their giving. not that the price of fuel should have to do with this dilemma, but what about the church's witness to conserve energy resources. should we start encouraging picking up friends for church, not having meetings and studies throughout the week? doing some busing? promoting ethanol fuel? educating further on other cost saving practices?

Comments

[Becca]

Yes to the things in your last paragraph. I think that part of our task as stewards of the earth should be to witness and work for the preservation of the environment. I especially see application for this in churches themselves using renewable energy and encouraging/organizing carpools for worship services and meetings.