A recent report by the Money Advice Service estimated that around 8.2 million adults in the UK are currently living with problem debt, with one in six having financial worries. One in six – if we take the average size of a Sunday congregation of 84, that’s fourteen people in every church. No small number.
Unfortunately, debt is notorious for silencing its victims. Whether through shame, fear or lack of understanding, many people struggling with debt keep the problem to themselves, often suffering for several years before seeking help. According to national debt counselling charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP), 66 per cent of clients who sought help in 2015 had waited for more than a year before getting in touch and 33 per cent for more than three years. The most common reasons for the delay were shame or embarrassment, fear, and simply thinking nobody would be able to help. Think about it. How many of the smiling faces you see every week might be fighting this inner battle right now?
