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10 Theories on How Gas Prices Will Affect Your Church

Orginally published on Thursday, June 12, 2008 at 7:39 AM
by Todd Rhoades

Kent Shaffer had a great piece over at ChurchRelevance.com yesterday on the impact that rising gas prices might have on your church. Here are a couple of his theories:

An Unaffected Core I believe that most people who are considered core members of a church are not likely to stop attending church to save money on gas. They may make adjustments in their lifestyles, but cutting church from their lives is not an option. However, core members who live especially far away may have no other choice but to find a new, closer church.

Worse Attendance from the Uncommitted For every-other-Sunday church attenders, going to church just gets harder when gas prices make it $2 more expensive to go. It is just one more excuse for their long list of excuses.

A Shrinking Radius
As gas prices rise, I think a church’s radius of reach will shrink when it comes to reaching new members. Core members may still be willing to drive 40 miles to attend, but first-time visitors will probably come from the nearby areas surrounding your church. So if people are currently willing to drive 20 miles to attend your church, would they only be willing to drive 12 miles if gas prices reached $6 per gallon?

Multi-Site Church Advantage
One of the many advantages of a multi-site church format is it can strategically shorten the distance people have to drive to attend church. And in the big picture, it increases a church’s scope of reach. For example, a one campus church might be able to reach a 20 mile radius, but a two-campus church might be able to reach a 40 mile radius.

Kent address six others here. What do you think? Has gas already affected your church in ANY of these ten areas?

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There are 4 Comments:

Posted by Camey

Thursday, June 12, 2008 at 9:24 AM

Given the location of our physical church building - the majority of individuals who are active members and/or regular attenders drive at least 20 minutes to get here.

This fact actually provides a great opportunity to be more purposeful in reaching out to our surrounding neighborhood. Going to them - not just expecting them to come to the physical church building. One way we do that is by being a part of Healthy Kids. We’ve joined together with other churches and organizations to provide a “free” sack lunch to kids ages 18 and under with no proof of household income required. Sure, we could offer such a thing at our location but that would totally be defeating the purpose of providing them with a free meal. Most walk to pick it up at their particular site.

We also have gas cards that we give out to those in need due to a medical situation. It can be picked up at our physical church building or at another location on the other side of town.

We’re in a town where the richest of rich live and the poorest of poor and those in-between. It does make for many opportunities to be the hands and feet of God right here.
Posted by

Thursday, June 12, 2008 at 5:55 PM

I think these gas prices could be a catalyst for some real creativity in ministry. A mobile church that goes to three locations on a day… Taking your church behind the doors at apartments where large numbers of people live, usually with less resources than others. Could be interesting.
Posted by Camey

Thursday, June 12, 2008 at 6:39 PM

Funny you mention that Leonard. Currently waiting for Austin and Travis to return. They have been doing exactly that this week… “Taking your church behind the doors at apartments where large numbers of people live, usually with less resources than others.”

I can’t wait to hear about all that took place. I get teary eyed just thinking about the sheer possibilities. Not of what has just been… but what is yet to come!

Could be interesting - yes indeed…
Posted by Mike @ Gas Credit Cards

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 at 2:41 PM

It’s sad but true especially in rural areas where folks may have to drive a distance to get to church. Let’s say the have to drive 20 miles one way. That’s $10 in gas alone not counting the other driving costs. It’s really unfortunate that the things being affected by these oil prices are places like churchs and schools the most.

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