By Jeremy Myers Filed Under Mission Written on September 24, 2007

Liquidating our Property

Liquidating our Assets I attended a LeadNow Conference here in Irving,TX this weekend inwhich Todd Phillips shared that, according to current studies and using modern water purifying technology, $10 Billion could solve the world’s water crisis. This got me thinking about my earlier post related to Money, Missions, and Ministry.

Church Property Value is $500 Billion

I am not aware what the value of church property in America is currently, but I know that in 1931, the estimated value of church property in America was $4 billion. When you realize that the average home price in 1930 was $7,000, imagine how much churches are sitting on today? The average home value today is around $230,000, an increase of 3300%. So $4 billion in 1930 would be $1.3 trillion today. I have no clue how accurate this number is, but let’s say it’s less than half of that and call it $500 billion.

If only 2% of the churches in America sold their buildings, and put the money toward solving the world’s water crisis, we would have enough money.

But churches don’t want to sell their buildings. After all, where would they meet?

Churches Paying Taxes on their Property

Okay, then, here is another option. In 1930, it was estimated that since churches were tax-exempt organizations, they were being “subsidized” by the government at $250 million annually. In other words, if churches were being taxed, the government would receive $250 million from them annually (which is 6%). Again, I don’t know how tax rates have changed since 1930, but let’s say they haven’t changed at all.

If, in 1930, the government could have gotten $250 million by taxing church property (valued at $4 billion), then today, if our property value is only $500 billion, our taxes today would be over $31 billion!

So if churches in America decided that for ONE year, we would put aside only 1/3 of what we would owe the government in property taxes for that one year, we could solve the world’s water crisis in one year! Should churches do this (or something similar)? Absolutely. Will churches do this if made aware of the opportunity? Call me pessimistic, but probably not.

Challenging my own Finances

So the question then becomes, “What am I doing personally to help solve the world’s water crisis (and similar needs) around the globe?” Rather than pointing the accusatory finger at the churches and their vast wealth, I need to take a hard look at my budget, and my possessions, and where my money is going. I may not have $50 million to put toward a building, but if I have $50 which I am going to spend on coffee this year (it’s probably more than that), maybe I should consider giving up my coffee so someone else can simply have water…

But that’s too convicting.

Check out these related posts on Scripture, Theology, and Church:

How Church can Solve the World Water Crisis

Want to read more about Bible and Theology? Try one of these:

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http://www.tillhecomes.org Jeremy Myers

In David Platt’s book Radical (p. 118), he says that US churches spend $10 billion every year on church buildings, and the total estimated value of current US church property is $230 billion. If he is right, my estimates above were a bit high.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1279813916 Dan Imburgia on Facebook

Oy Vey!
http://www.tillhecomes.org Jeremy Myers

I found the following quote at a website on religion:

James Madison was in support of taxing church property, as was James Garfield. In 1875, President Ulysses S. Grant’s message to Congress included a 900-foot petition containing 35,000 signatures stating, “We demand that churches and other ecclesiastical property shall be no longer exempt from taxation.”
“I would,” said Grant to Congress, “also call your attention to the importance of correcting an evil that, if permitted to continue, will probably lead to great trouble in our land….it is the accumulation of vast amounts of untaxed church property….In 1850, the church properties in the U.S. which paid no taxes, municipal or state, amounted to about $83 million. In 1860, the amount had doubled; in 1875, it is about $1 billion. By 1900, without check, it is safe to say this property will reach a sum exceeding $3 billion….so vast a sum, receiving all the protection and benefits of government without bearing its portion of the burdens and expenses of the same, will not be looked upon acquiescently by those who have to pay the taxes….I would suggest the taxation of all property equally, whether church or corporation.”

http://www.tillhecomes.org Jeremy Myers

Here is another great site with some statistics and numbers on this subject:

Pro/Con – Churches and Taxes
http://www.graceground.com Sam

The church as an institution and as individuals is very, very wealthy indeed! I’d absolutely love to hear stories of churches (defined as institution) who have decided to live simply and share their wealth with the poor. I’d also love to hear stories of the church (defined as individuals and families) who have chosen to do this. How do they do it?

Removing the tax exempt status of church properties and church income, which would in effect give billions annually to local, state and federal governments would not solve our country’s problems. As my grandpa, a career politician, said “the government will piss away any amount of money it can get its hand on”.

Can the church do no better?

http://www.tillhecomes.org Jeremy Myers

We definitely can do better. Yes, I am not in favor of losing our tax exempt status, but actually taxing ourselves at what we would be paying if we were taxed, and then using that money for things the local, state, and federal governments are trying to do (but failing), such as take care of the poor and sick.