Are you in a difficult time financially in your church right now? Perhaps giving has declined. You might be finding it necessary to allocate funds to safety, or other types of urgent issues, that weren’t in the budget. Maybe the leadership team is having disagreements about how to budget or spend money.
How God’s Word Helps with Church Finances
Let’s trust God to use the power of His Word to work in all areas of church life, including financial management from budgeting to giving to spending.
Here are two important ways the Bible helps us with church finances:
- God’s Word “is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
- The Bible shows us what our priorities should be — to seek first His kingdom (Matt. 6:33). This makes ministry the top concern.
- Scripture informs us about what pleases God in this area — cheerful, willing givers (2 Cor. 8:11-12; 9:7); acknowledging Him as the owner of everything (Rom. 11:35-12:1). This makes giving a matter of worship and good stewardship.
- The Word provides us with a standard to guide us — a tithe per the Old Testament (Mal. 3:10); as God has prospered us in the New Testament (1 Cor. 16:2); with integrity in the handling of it (2 Cor. 8:20-21). This takes us beyond worldly management to godly objectives.
— Therefore, teach people what the Bible says but also model it and integrate its teaching throughout the entire budgeting process and in all your financial management issues.
- God’s Word is “sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).
Scripture is powerful enough to convict us about whether we’re aligning with what it teaches. As we reflect on what the Word says about our finances, we might find ourselves asking questions like:
- Are our motivations and priorities really what they should be?
- Do we really have the right heart attitudes in giving?
- Are we really giving what we’re able and handling finances with integrity?
— Therefore, pray that God would work in people’s hearts, as well as your own, rather than try to coerce, manipulate, or guilt people.
As we let the Word work in our hearts and minds, we’ll find ourselves “thoroughly equipped for every good work” because we’ll have been taught and trained, with the piercing Word showing us changes that need to be made. Remember the Word not only teaches and rebukes but also corrects us.
For More on These Topics:
All Practicum Posts about Budgeting and Finances:
- Budget Fit Your Church Purpose?
- Budget Process of Body Life?
- Budget Fostering Body Life?
- Budget Reflect the Great Commission?
- Church Finances & Christlikeness
- Praying About Church Finances is the Christ-like Thing to Do
- Encourage Integrity in Giving
- Managing Finances with Integrity
- Finances & The Way the Church Functions
- Gospel Affects Even Our Finances
- Grace Affects Giving
- Financial Consultants & the Church
- Financial Management in the Church
- Church Finances & the Spiritual Gift of Giving
- Prayer an Integral Part of Church Finances?
- Perspective When Praying about Finances
- Priorities When Praying about Finances
- God’s Word Helps with Church Finances
- Generosity Affected by the Name of the Lord
- Help for Working on Church Budgets
- Before Closing Your Doors, Remember God’s Resurrection Power
- Impact of Leaders’ Example on Church Finances
- The Impact of a Leaders’ Attitude Toward Money
- Protection & Safeguards for Church Finances
- Financial Protection Begins with the Belt of Truth
- Shepherd Leaders Protect and Nurture in Regard to Finances