Oil and Whine?
The oil spill in the gulf is horrible. Period. The ocean, wildlife, and coastline will be affected for years, maybe decades. Untold thousands are hurt, both financially and in terms of opportunities. Future plans are shattered. My heart goes out to these people, and I’m glad there is some financial assistance for them from British Petroleum.
A news story recently caught my attention. A church in Alabama has applied for $50,000 in financial disaster relief from BP. The pastor was quoted as saying, “We’re fighting for our lives just like a business.”
Another local church leader said that churches that abide by biblical stewardship principles don’t need help from BP because they often find “miraculous provision” for their needs, adding “There also are more practical problems to seeking compensation from BP.”
I can see both sides, but right now I’m uneasy with a church applying for damages from government/business because of lost donations. From a communications and PR standpoint, there were huge missed opportunities. Instead of requesting funds to “pay the bills” they could have highlighted how they are helping their community, and how they would use the funds to help families, (Developing assistance programs, or rallying the unemployed to volunteer, etc.).
What are the implications here? Is the church “just like a business”? Does the church have a case? Shouldn’t a church be a solution to a problem, rather than a victim? Why did the national media think this story was interesting?
Let me know your thoughts!
