You only care about money… really?

One of the cultural complaints about the church is that we only and always talk about money.  Is that true?  Does the church only want people to join so they will give?  Did you know that grocery stores do not exist to feed people?  It’s true, they only sell food to make a profit.  No bones about it.  It’s true, their main concern is not your diet, your health or your eating pleasure.  They are in it for a profit.  The same is true for a restaurant, for clothing stores, and auto dealerships.  None of these vendors will stay open without a profit, nor will they serve you, or lift a finger unless a profit is involved.  My guess is, if you have a job, you only (or mostly) do what you do in your work place because you get paid for it!

     Churches everywhere need money to do what they do, but I’m quite sure the bottom line is not about the profit.  Most churches operate by faith and not by proposed budgets.  Most churches will not close their doors if they do not make a profit.  Ministries or services of the church seldom require payment from the participant.  If anyone receives goods or services from a church without paying for it, someone else did.  Of course, how else did it get offered!

     Individuals learn to give, by virtue of their relationship with God.  A believer understands that God so loved him/her that He gave, and so they give back.  In fact the more we understand the graciousness of God a growing desire to give becomes a part of who we are.  Most Christians give because they ‘want to’ not because they have been coerced too.  In other words, when we grow as we are supposed to grow, we find a way to give, because we desire to give.

     The real bottom line for the church and the individual of the church is this:  God knows how to bless.  God is able to make little become much.  God can stretch our funds in an incredible and remarkable way.  The more a Christian desires to give, the more God blesses.  Who doesn’t want that for their lives?  Is money really the only thing the church cares about?  No, we are after the blessing of God!