From auctions to raffles to bad rap songs, there are many “creative” ways churches broach the subject of money. These efforts may be well intentioned, but ultimately amount to an elaborate guilt trip, a clever gimmick, or a consumer-like transaction in which givers receive material gratification in return for their gift.
At Mars Hill Church, we’ve made our fair share of similar mistakes, from the cliché (a spoof based on The Apprentice TV show) to the misguided (not passing the plate for the first ten years of our existence). In the process, we’ve come to realize that, in avoiding the subject or trying to make it more palatable, we were doing our congregation a huge disservice.
Jesus knew better. About 25 percent of his teaching in the Gospels relates to money, stewardship, and the resources God has given us. Why? “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:34) There is a direct correlation between what we do with our money and what we truly believe.
The ultimate goal is not to make budget, save for a new building, or employ staff. We want our church to give because we want our church to worship Jesus. Therefore, the gospel must precede the ask. Preach the grace, goodness, and generosity of God in Jesus Christ, and then explain how the Bible instructs us to respond in part through giving.
If your congregation is not giving, the first question to ask is: are we preaching the gospel? Regular, generous, sacrificial, cheerful giving requires a heart regenerated by the Holy Spirit, which requires the message of the gospel (what Jesus does for us, in us, and through us).
Just because the good news is proclaimed in the pulpit, however, doesn’t mean that the sheep always comprehend. To cultivate gospel-motivated giving requires lots of shepherding. Often without even realizing it, people accustomed to a culture of abundance, and materialism,—and sinners by nature—will resist the call to give. For new or unfaithful Christians, a paradigm shift is in order. Pastors and leaders must address common concerns and demonstrate, through both teaching and example, how the gospel applies to all of life.
To help you in this work of patiently shepherding the flock, here are some of the most frequent questions and arguments about giving that I’ve encountered as a pastor, along with how I might respond:
My giving habits are none of your business.
Money is a private matter between God and me.
There is nothing magical or especially holy about money. It’s just a gift. A tool. We can wield it wisely or foolishly, so we need to hold each other accountable for how we use it. Though we will give a personal account to God for how we steward our resources (Mt. 25:14-30), he has given us these resources in part to help build his kingdom and spread the gospel, which is not a solitary, private accomplishment, but work that is carried out by the church (Acts 2:44-47; 2 Cor. 9:1-5). Plus, given the amount of airtime and gravity money gets in Scripture, if we can talk about prayer, marriage, parenting, worship, and so on, then surely we can talk about this integral component of discipleship.
