In regular political discourse you hear the term “communist” applied widely, and in confusing ways. As I studied church history in my home city, I came across a prominent congregation that fired its pastor for being a communist. They concluded that only a communist would allow African Americans to worship with whites in a segregated city. Of course, the pastor had no communist ties.

At the same time, it seems that younger generations tend not to understand why actual communism has so often failed to deliver on its utopian promises. I love to read Russian history, and there’s a reason Christians have objected to state control over the means of production. Capitalism produces its own temptations, but it’s a much better system for raising the standard of living for the poor—and preserving freedom for everyone else.

For church leaders who care about justice, then, it’s important they understand some basic economics. That’s why TGC editor Joe Carter has launched a new series on Economics for Church Leaders. Not everyone needs to be an expert in economics, but if we’re going to move beyond epiphets in the church, we’ll need to be better informed on subjects that seminaries don’t teach.