Financial Reality

 

Some time ago, in conversation with a pastor-friend of mine, she raised her concerns about her church’s dwindling finances. I was surprised since she had never divulged  the private matters of the church to me before, so I knew that it must be weighing heavily on her mind and she obviously needed to vent.

This church boasts an enviable location in the heart of a bustling city centre. It’s not a large edifice but rather quaint and stands out as a lovely respite from the more modern concrete and glass structures that surround it.

She told me that the situation was bad and though she’d made several suggestions to her superiors of ways that the building might be used to raise desperately needed finances, their old-school-thinking prevented them from seeing her vision.

This stone church with its lovely flower garden, green lawn and meandering pathways, would be ideal for small garden parties.

This stone church with its high ceilings, grand pipe organ and wonderful acoustics, would be ideal as a venue for religious concerts.

This stone church with its beautiful stained-glass windows, ornate arches and gilded altar, would be ideal for wedding ceremonies.

Next door to this stone church was a well-appointed building which could be rented to host small gatherings – luncheons or meetings or conferences or a dance class.

The carpark, though small could be offered as monthly paid parking facility to employees of the offices nearby.

She had even suggested that they could use the kitchen to cook and sell lunches as workers around there were always in search of food during the lunchtime period.

This willing pastor was shut down at every turn, instead, her superiors’ solution was as it has always been, “Pastor, you must rely on the good nature of your flock; the weekly offering and monthly tithes will have to suffice.”

The money that was being received from the congregation just wasn’t enough to sustain the running of the church. That was the financial reality.

Despondent and on the verge of tears, she looked at me and whispered, “My beautiful church will die right before my eyes.”

My friend was not the first or only person I’ve heard express such a sentiment but saying that the church will die is only hastening said death. So, if you are one of those persons, stop declaring that over your church.

How was she to solve this dilemma? There must be ways to boost the church’s income without going against the stance of the leadership. She would have to seek ways of raising the church’s finances in a manner that her superiors felt truly honoured God.

Throughout her years at theological school and as an ordained pastor, she had never been offered to take even a single course on church finances.

Some church members fail to recognize the importance of church finances; they don’t understand that there’s a business aspect to the church. The financial reality of the church is foreign to them.

Even though she knew her church’s current financial reality, she too needed to gain a better understanding of financial stewardship in general and what God expects from the church and from her as its leader before she could move forward with finding ways to create wealth for her church.

It had become necessary for her to develop her own financial stewardship theology to successfully change the church’s dismal financial reality. She also knew that this was not for her benefit alone, she would have to share this knowledge with every member of her congregation so that they could apply this truth to their own lives.

My pastor-friend wasted no time, she began by poring over the bible, determined to learn everything the bible teaches on the topic. She looked at the concept of biblical stewardship in the Old Testament because she believed that it was the foundation for understanding financial stewardship.

Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things…“O Lord our God, even this material we have gathered to build a Temple to honor your holy name comes from you! It all belongs to you! –1 Chronicles 29:11, 16

She explored key passages on money in general, material blessings, tithing and how God responds to those who honour Him with their possessions.

Then she studied financial stewardship in the New Testament, searching out Jesus’ teachings on stewardship and reading all Paul’s epistles, paying close attention to how he dealt with the various churches in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica.

In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus teaches that where we store our money reveals where our hearts are and what we value in life. Paul’s message in Acts 30:25 is very instructive.

You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

Beloved, financial stewardship is quite an exhaustive topic. This is just a nibble to get you started if you care to know more. Each one of us should be concerned about our financial reality, some seem to think that to do so is not godly but Jesus’ teachings on finances can be found in the Gospels.

Remember, money is not the root of evil, it is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil and some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows (see 1 Timothy 6:10).

We all need to gain a better understanding of financial stewardship and what God expects from us, so let us determine, like my pastor-friend to learn all that we can from God’s Word.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Financial Reality” © 2026 July 24, 2026