Christians and non Christians alike have the same financial issues they are dealing with from day-to-day. How we handle our thinking is just as important as having the funds to meet those needs. Ministers recognize these problems that their congregation is faced with. As a matter of a fact the minister is dealing with the same problems in his or her own household.
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The bible has a lot to say about our responsibilities to those we owe for a service we receive or loans that we owe back. We made a promise to uphold our part and pay for those services. In addition we have a responsibility of stewardship to the church. We rationalize for holding back on the church giving because we look at it as optional and all the others is mandatory. Therein lies the problem. We need also to look at the church support as a mandatory item.
The order we place that mandatory item on our priority list depends completely on how we place God in our lives and how much he can intervene in our financial affairs. (In other words whatever we place before the Lord will leave Him out of that area of our life). It is this priority setting that does not come to us automatically, It is something that needs to be taught. For many Christians this is a very sensitive subject. It is unfortunate but for many, money is the closest thing to their hearts.
Ministers that recognize the sensitivity of the subject tend to avoid it for fear of offending. However they recognize that it is a responsibility to teach the whole bible and not just the touchy feel good portions. Also it is necessary to bring attention to the financial needs of the ministry.
If only there was an index you can refer to to find all the answers.
It is good policy to have at least one sermon a year on the subject of giving and tithe responsibilities. Even though this may only occur once per year there are always one or more who are offended, stating that all they want is my money. When that is the very message they needed to be hearing. They feel they cannot care for the financial needs of the church and meet their own bills at home.
As a result some may come under conviction of Christian responsibilities increase giving stemming out of that conviction. But it is usually only temporary. They know they need to increase their giving but when they go home and look at their checkbook and bills, they are faced with a realism that in an effort to balance those needs are greater than what they have to work with in their income. So, inevitably they return to their old comfort zone of very conservative giving.
Do they really conflict or do they go hand in hand?
This is where my book comes in. Through its pages deals directly with the problem of having too many bills at the end of money. These are the reasons or excuses we offer for not giving. We make ourselves feel better about not doing our part in covering needs of the church by convincing ourselves that God wants me to pay my bills and take care of my families needs. Therefore I have a biblical reason for not giving my share. We also justify our stand by stating that there are people in the congregation that makes more than I do, they should give more.
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If you reach for someone’s wallet they resent it but if you touch their heart they will reach for their own wallet. This book does just that.
Being that every individual has different financial needs and obligations this short blog cannot justify all those answers. However I promise you that your individual questions will be answered. Perhaps the answer may not be what you are looking for but it will be the one you need.
Order your copy now. If you would me to respond confidentially to your particular concern, respond to this blog.
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