Churches Don’t Have A Storage Issue, We Have A Hoarding Problem
I had just graduated college and had started my first pastoral job. I was shown the storage spaces for my ministries (Youth and Children). There was so much that I became overwhelmed. It was clear it needed some purging, so I spent my first week of ministry organizing storage spaces. I was actually excited! I found so many old VBS curriculums, old cassettes, etc. It was like I had jumped into a time machine and could relive my childhood and youth years.
I transitioned from that church and moved on to the next. The first week, I was shown my storage space and again became overwhelmed. I spent my first few weeks of ministry, any downtime I got, going through old curriculum, board games, Bibles, trying to make sense of it all.
This narrative has continued in every ministry context, and I was overwhelmed by stuff. In my current context, we just threw out 30+ bags of garbage, donated close to 10 used curriculums + decor, had a garage sale, and donated 15+ bags of more stuff to Goodwill. After now doing ministry in many different-sized churches and different provinces, I have found the root of our storage problem, which may be a theological issue, with an easy solution.
Churches don’t have a storage issue. We have a hoarding problem. We may store our treasures in heaven, but we also store our treasures under the stairs, in the baptismal tank, in that one classroom, in the storage shed outside, in the basement, in the attic, etc.
The Theological Issue
This may be a theological issue because Jesus is clear about where we should store our treasures.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21
In my current ministry context, we were holding onto old VBS and Sunday School Curriculum for the “just in case,” so we’ve now donated it all (including all the decor and puppets specific to the curriculum.) Hundreds of churches within this country can’t afford curriculum, and I am sure hundreds of thousands worldwide. The church in North America is among the wealthiest, and therefore, I believe we must be generous with what we do have, or else the words in James 5 will define our churches.
Come now, you rich people, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted, and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have corroded, and their corrosion will serve as a testimony against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!” – James 5:1-3
What if each church, instead of adding storage, took what we have stored and donated it to churches in need? Would this not serve the Kingdom in a better way? Unfortunately, though, like hoarders, many fear we may one day need it and hold onto all the riches we have, starving those in need of the wealth we store.
The Solution
In 2019, my wife and I felt the call to go overseas. We started that process, and it ended in March of 2020. Unless you’ve forgotten, there was a worldwide pandemic. We ended up not going, but through the process of being called and in our preparation to go, we became minimalists. All of our clothing would easily fit in a suitcase, our kids have enough toys to be creative, and when we do get something new, we give the old away. (I am a sucker for Ikea stuffies for my kids, so we donate a lot of stuffies). Our lives are so much more simple without the clutter, the need for storage, and so on. If it ever becomes legal, or if somehow God calls us to the road, you better bet we will be living in a Tiny House. We take Jesus’ words pretty literally. We do with little so we can try to help others (plus, being called to Kids doesn’t bring in a big paycheque and probably never will).
Since making this decision, I have been asking the question, “What does ministry look like when done minimally?” For me, this has meant less, but higher quality, toys in preschool and nursery spaces. Set games that are done on rotation for midweek, no themes for VBS, simple but fun crafts, and fewer one-use items (really just craft supplies). When a season of ministry is over, I will look to donate again. Anything I can pass on to someone else in greater need, I will. So, in your ministry context, what could it look like if done minimally?
If you want to ask that question but don’t know where to start, please reach out. I love ministry and want to see it done more efficiently and effectively. Although I hate purging, my wife LOVES it, and we would love to see how we can serve your church.
With several years of experience, Jonathan DuHamel has spent the last 15 years working in churches, daycares, public schools, and camps. He has been involved in ministry in churches ranging from as small as 20 members to those with over 2000 and everything in between. While still learning, he decided to start writing about his experiences to help churches better reach the next generation.