Today is April 1st. And yes, it’s April Fools Day. But the issue I’m writing about is no joke because today is also the first time rent is due for millions of workers who have suddenly and dramatically lost their job through no fault of their own.
The COVID-19 pandemic is tragically impacting America and the world on many different levels. One devastating effect is the inability many now have to pay their rent. Most churches have benevolent funds that they use to help people in situations such as this. Normally, though, those funds are limited.
So there is a category of people I especially want to challenge today: the Christian landlord.
If you are a Christian and you own apartments and/or homes that you rent to people, you have a special responsibility in these dire times to set the well-being of your renters as your highest priority.
“Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me, because I rescued the poor who cried for help.” Job 29:11-12
I’m asking you to – paraphrasing Job here – “rescue your renters who cry for help” by considering the following possibilities for any of your renters who have lost their job.
- Announce one month (or more) of rent forgiveness. If you can possibly afford this, what a testimony it would be to your unemployed renters!
- Temporarily reduce rent. You know how much profit you are making on your renters. Subtract that profit from the rent and charge only your expenses for a set period of time.
- Delay the rent due date without penalty.
These are tough times. You yourself may be struggling. But as a Christian landlord, if you have the means to help your renters, then you are duty bound to do so. Those who see you will commend you for it.
This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.
Since 2003 New Commandment Men’s Ministries has helped hundreds of churches throughout North American and around the world recruit teams of men who permanently adopt their widowed and single parents in their congregations for the purpose of donating two hours of service to them one Saturday morning each month. We accomplish this with a free training site called New Commandment Men’s Ministry
Learn how to mobilize your men’s ministry to meet every pressing need in your church here.
_______________________________________________________________
Learn how to form teams of men for every widow, single mom
and fatherless child in your church at NewCommandment.org.
_______________________________________________________________
