Recently I have had several conversations about finances that have led me to think more deeply and biblically about the subject. Even though the financial realities of investing over the past year and a quarter have been less than enjoyable, I thoroughly enjoy personal finance. I also take great pride (undoubtedly sinfully so) in being a good steward of God’s resources. As a full-time church worker, I am ever mindful of spending the resources entrusted to our ministry with great care. I have pridefully shared with others how much we do together as a district with how little resources we spend doing it like it is some sort of badge of honor.
While my sin of pride is something I need to confess and repent, good stewardship of kingdom resources is indeed a good thing. But I recently realized just how stark the difference in mindset can be between personal and ministry finances. In the name of good stewardship of precious resources, we in the church tend to strictly guard the financial resources entrusted to us. When dollars are spent, we often see it as kissing them goodbye! If this is the case, it is no wonder we think twice before parting with these dollars!
But what if we viewed our spending like an investor who is growing a business? What if every dollar spent represented an investment towards the greater goal of building something of even greater value? What if we viewed God’s resources with a mindset of abundance instead of scarcity, and had a vision for investing in the Kingdom building that God was up to all around us?
Business owners often cite the mantra, “You’ve got to spend money to make money.” In most cases I have found this to be true. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the Parable of the Talents in which he makes a similar point. In the story, Jesus celebrates the servants who put the master’s money to work and can produce growth while condemning the servant who hoarded the money and simply returned it to the master. This is a good reminder that God calls us to make Kingdom investments as a part of our faith journey.
As you make your contributions of tithes and offerings through the ministry of your local congregation, thank you for your Kingdom investment. I encourage you to be generous and trust that your investment will in some way advance the mission of God and bring a Kingdom return. If you have a leadership role in making decisions with how your congregation uses financial resources, I pray that you execute your duty with the mind of an investor who isn’t merely deciding how dollars are spent, but rather discerning how to best build God’s Kingdom near and far. Guided by the Holy Spirit, I pray that we are faithful in our management of the Master’s money. Invest in Kingdom mission and ministry with an eye towards growth. Then we can give an account and show a return on the investment when He comes again.
