Chapter 4: The Miracle of Plates and Pews

Why did some faithful congregations shrink in size and giving while others witnessed explosive growth?

According to some, the pandemic season was a plague of biblical proportions. It is not surprising then that the testimony of some pastors sounds like the story of the widow whose jar of oil and flour in 1 Kings 17 did not run out.

Instead of a devastating drought, some pastors talked about how God kept his promises and “they never worried about money.” Other pastors told a different, more tragic story.

In surveys, focus groups, and interviews, pastors were asked about the finances and attendance during the pandemic season. This included inquiries about sources of income, changes in giving, and ways of measuring attendance for online and in-person participants.

Based on Chapter 4 of the report, in this episode host Aaron Hill (editor of ChurchSalary) sits down with three researchers from the Arbor Research Group, Eric Shieh, Ebonie Davis, and Jon Swanson to talk about the common experience of what we’re calling The Miracle of Plates and Pews. Featuring an in-depth interview with Caryn Bell-Palo, an executive pastor who helped her church navigate through the financial challenges brought on by lengthy lockdowns in her home state of Washington.

Hosted by Aaron Hill, Editor of ChurchSalary

"COVID and the Church" is produced in conjunction with the Arbor Research Group and funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc., through a grant from the Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders (ECFPL) initiative.

Executive produced by Aaron Hill, Terry Linhart, and Matt Stevens

Director for CT Media is Matt Stevens

Audio Engineering, Editor, and Composer is Tyler Bradford Wright

Artwork by Ryan Johnson

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from Christianity Today Magazine
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