Did you know that money is NOT the root of all evil? And nowhere in the Bible is it ever said that money is the root of all evil. So, if someone has told you that it is, they are not speaking Biblically.
Money, in fact, is an often-mentioned topic in the Bible, and it is usually seen as a way to gauge one’s spiritual walk. Money is never seen as a problem from the Biblical perspective. The problem is how we see money.
Jesus talks about money. Paul talks about money. Peter talks about money. Whoever wrote Hebrews talks about money. The wisdom literature in the Old Testament (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs) talks about money. All of those mentions about money address how the love of money and wealth can hinder one’s spiritual walk. It is the love of money that opens the door to evil. We are encouraged to love God and our neighbor and not love material wealth.
So, let’s talk about some healthy ways we can see and use our wealth. The Church Administrator always has the church budget in mind, but I hope you do too. Often, we will use the term Ministry Action Plan for our budget. This is a great reminder that we have a church budget for one reason – it is fuel for our ministry efforts. As you contribute to the church budget you are providing fuel for ministry, which means you are loving God and loving your neighbor through your wealth.
Soon you will be hearing about new ways to use your wealth. As a part of our Bold Faithfulness initiative, we will be renovating our facilities and raising funds outside of our budget to accomplish these endeavors. We have partnered with Generis, a company that works with faith-based organizations in developing cultures of generosity. The Bold Faithfulness Committee has had some great conversations with our consultant, Rusty Lewis, and are laying the groundwork for our campaign.
Interestingly, Jesus mentions money in 11 of his 39 parables. That is roughly 1/3 of his parables. Jesus’ parables are all geared toward allowing an understanding of the Kingdom of God. I guess if Jesus thinks that examining our attitudes towards wealth is a good way to perceive God’s Kingdom maybe we should too?
Peace be with you.
Christian
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