Do you like money?

If we were face to face and I asked you that question, I wonder how you would respond. In false humility, you might answer, “no.” After a moment of thought, you might say, “well, I don’t love money.”

The honest answer for most of us is that we like the things that money helps us acquire. For instance, I like having food to eat, clothes to wear, and a house to live in. More specifically, I enjoy the car I drive, the glasses on my face, and the coffee I’m drinking while writing this piece.

From a lead pastor’s perspective, here are 7 powerful truths about money and ministry. Stay calm. I’m not asking for an offering.

1. Money is a frequent issue in the Bible.

Some have said that there are over 2,000 verses in the Bible that reference money. But one thing the Bible does not say is that money is the root of all evil. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” Scripture places the problem with the individual and not the instrument. Money itself is not evil.

Christian, reserve your love for God and people, not money or the things it can buy.

2. Money indicates what our heart truly seeks.

Some are pleasure seekers. Some are power seekers. Some invest in God’s work and reveal that their heart is seeking first the Kingdom of God.

Christian, when you practice Jesus’ Matthew 6:33 principle, you will know the reality of Psalm 37:25.

3. Money tells the truth.

If you really want to know who or what you serve, it’s easy to discern. Forget the anecdotal evidence. Take a look at the transactions on your bank statements. Month after month, when you receive income, is there a consistent record of support for the work of God’s Kingdom?

Christian, no one can serve two masters.

4. Money is how the Kingdom of God goes forward.

I say this humanly speaking and based on our American culture. As a pastor, I cannot budget my congregations’ promised volunteer hours or good intentions. Volunteer hours are essential, and they can glorify God. But they don’t count as legal tender when I need to ensure the outreach ministry is funded, the utility companies are paid, and the staff is compensated.

Christian, it takes real money to do real ministry.

“Money follows ministry” is more of a myth than a universal truth. It can’t be applied to all cultures and times. I’ve witnessed many ministers and ministries whose motives were pure and activities were Spirit-led, yet they went unfunded by Christendom.

5. Money follows mission and vision.

That’s the more plausible statement. Today’s American churchgoers and philanthropically minded people do not give blindly to ministry. Usually, their hearts must be touched before their checking accounts are activated.

Christian, when biblical vision is demonstrated, you should willingly get behind a ministry making a difference.

6. Money is a topic that Jesus did not shy away from.

Modern Christian leaders (myself included) are lightweights on this spiritual subject. We have failed to consistently teach today’s believers about the true connectedness of money and our hearts for fear of offending them. What often happens is that we wait until the ministry is in a bind and approach the topic in an agitated manner.

Christian, if the truths of God’s Word about the proper stewardship of treasure offends you, you’ll have to take it up with the author of the Bible.

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I’ll end with this explanation. Many of my readers are pastors, ministers, and other various church leaders. Therefore, I didn’t list the abundant Scripture references available. Feel free to add them and your own personal edits to this list for your next teaching session.

Thank you for reading and sharing these truths with others.