Several national Christian groups, led by the AND Campaign, announced an initiative this week to help small churches throughout the U.S. that are at risk of closing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The effort, which also includes former NFL player Benjamin Watson, is called the Churches Helping Churches Challenge, and it’s targeted to assist congregations in low-income communities in urban areas that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 economic shutdown.
According to a recent Barna Group survey, six to nine percent of pastors are unsure or not confident that their church will survive the coronavirus pandemic and nearly a quarter of American churches (22 percent) have already reduced staff hours, reduced compensation or laid-off employees.
The Churches Helping Churches Initiative urges larger, more stable churches to assist at-risk churches in their own community. On the Church Relief website, the Churches Helping Churches Challenge has provided guidance and best practices for how large churches can pursue this type of outreach.
In addition, to help encourage generosity by stable churches, this Initiative created a Coronavirus At-Risk Church Relief Fund that provides $3,000 grants to small churches who are at risk of closing within the next three months due to a steep loss in financial giving. The initial…
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