Removing the Mysteries about Church Finance. Jerry L. Johnson

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      Hebrews 13:5 says, "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

      The blind pursuit of money can lead to serious consequences between a person and their faith (and, as we shall see, also the law). In Matthew 6:24, Jesus says, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

      This book encourages the love of God and wise use of money. It is the wise use and handling of money that will be the primary focus.

      Jesus applauded and blessed the widow for her two pennies that she gave (Mark 12:41-44). He was equally passionate through his parable about the coin that was hidden under a rock and did not appreciate (Matthew 25:26). From this, I get the meaning that while we are expected to be generous in giving, there is an equal injunction to be wise. In Section 2 you will see where a church seemed to have unintentionally missed both the generous part and the wise part.

       Using Multiplication

      Jesus instructed using parables, to provide universal truth. However, those hearing the parables might not have understood at the time the reason for using parables. In Mark 4:11 “And he said unto them, ‘Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables.'” He was not merely speaking to his immediate audience but reaching through the ages to teach us today.

      Through another parable (Matthew 25:20-21) Jesus praised the faithful servant who multiplied his talents: “...Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. ‘His Lord said unto him, well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord’.” Multiplication! This and other examples reveal that Jesus supported multiplication, that he applauded the increase.

      Throughout this financial management book, you will get more detail and be challenged to set aside preconceived notions of “how things have always been done” and look at church finances in a different way. There is one financial principle central to this book: live within your means.

      When a church gets in serious financial debt, it is the culmination of wishes, wants and wrong thinking. This book will show you:

      What was the goal that originally lured you into this debt?

      How to get out of the debt pit,

      How to stay out,

      Why you do not want to go back.

      Understanding that unmanaged debt is a prison, which can make the debtor a prisoner. No one is exempted from the consequences of unmanaged debt. The interest you pay on a debt is a penalty, the interest you earn and are paid is a reward. Rewards are always better than penalties.

      When you believe that what your church is doing is not working, push for change, for examination. It may be that your church is working on the wrong things or the wrong priorities. When you realize your church has dug itself into a hole, stop digging.

      Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Egos are bruised but need not be life threatening. When a church continues to plunge into debt, even after you understand more debt is not the answer, it is time to stop being pridefully stubborn. Improvement requires action and change. It is time to examine why your church was in so much debt, examine attitudes about debt.

       Entrepreneurship and the Church

      While the term “entrepreneurship” is not found in the Bible, there are plenty of references to such activities, along with the scriptural guidance to support it. Some of these will be addressed in various sections of this book. First, let’s think about who an entrepreneur is: a person who creates an enterprise by organizing activities, assuming risk, and creating benefits in excess of cost. The unnamed woman in Proverbs 31:10-31 is a model of organization, balancing faith, family and action. The Church does this, with various outcomes, as we will see.

       Apostle Paul Was an Entrepreneur

      When the Apostle Paul embarked on each of the three missionary journeys, he did so at great cost, enormous risk and peril to his own life. But his mission was clear to him: establish congregations, build churches, encourage and teach, and continue to inspire through letters, promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even after he moved on. This means the Church is not only an entrepreneur but also an enterprise. Its foundation is based on faith, as Paul’s was.

       Cast thy bread

      Preparation and generosity -

      In Ecclesiastes 11, we are told: "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. 4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. 6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good."7

      Simply put, prepare:

      Be generous without an expectant reward.

      Have a backup plan, if one fails maybe the other will succeed.

      Prepare for more than one outcome.

      Work with the conditions that you presently have, no wishing.

      Don’t wait for perfect conditions; they may never come.

      Don’t get paralysis through analysis, work.

      You can’t know everything that awaits; there will be a surprise.

      Perhaps all pursuits shall prosper. Prepare for success, but

      most of all, trust God.

      We are given God’s injunction to be active, both church and as an individual. Be enterprising, in the morning and in the evening (all the time). Not knowing what the weather will be tomorrow cannot be justification for doing nothing today.

      I will show there are levels of devoutness that define a church’s preparation and readiness for a long life. Churches on the lowest level are struggling to maintain life. Rather than plan, they react like touching a hot stove, have forgotten the joys of youth, even as a young church. Churches on the high end of performance are strong, vibrant, a presence in the community, the congregation growing in faith, full of joy. The question is how does a church get to that level? The leadership of a church should know where their church stands and why. This is not simply referencing church size; congregations will follow devout leaders.

      5The Crystal Cathedral Ministry, Garden Grove, California, founded in 1955 by Robert H. Schuller, filed for bankruptcy in 2010. The 2248 СКАЧАТЬ