Stewardship of the Leftovers

What happens when a church has to close its doors?

Here’s a figure you likely haven’t heard before — and which you may find surprising: Religious institutions and industries in America contribute about $1.2 trillion a year to the U.S. economy and society. In terms of wealth, that’s more than the value of Apple, Amazon and Google combined.

That figure includes church-run hospitals, church-related colleges, and other institutions birthed by churches and other religious groups. But it also includes local parishes of all sizes across our country, even some that are in the process of closing their doors.

This information is according to a study published in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion. The study is from a few years ago, but it’s some of the most recent research into the combined financial input of religion into the economy. And we’re not just looking at old news — the facts of religion’s financial contribution to the U.S. economy came to our attention by way of an...