The Key to Heavenly Riches, Part 2: How to Handle Money

In Part 1 we saw that when we manage earthly things well, God entrusts us with eternal ones. We talked about time. Now let's look at the second resource: money .

"And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?" Luke 16:11 (NLT)

Why many churches struggle with their finances

Sadly, many churches manage money poorly: there is no financial structure and no budget. There is a phrase that has stuck with me: "If you don't respect money, don't expect money."

If we don't know how to care for it and manage it, we can't expect it to multiply. God will not give us more so we can lose more, chase our own whims or waste it. He owns the silver and the gold, but He is not a careless manager who hands out resources just to see what we do with them.

Respecting money means using it well

The churches that thrive in this area are good stewards: they care for their money, know how to use it and respect it. Respecting money doesn't mean fearing it or giving it more value than it has. It means using it well.

If we fall short here, we need to learn. We can learn from books, courses, another pastor, the leader of another organization or a successful businessperson. Business leaders are a great example: they have learned to care for resources, manage staff, budgets and projections, and multiply what they have. Our churches need people like that, who love God and bring these skills.

Order first, then growth

In the end, people are what matter most . If we can't show God that we are able to care for money, how will He entrust us with His people?

When we learn to care for earthly things, God gives us eternal ones: His fresh Word, His anointing and the people who need to hear Him and encounter Him . Let's not rush to grow before we bring order to this resource. God wants to remove our limits, but first we have to learn to manage.

If we don't, it will be worse with people. Often, with no bad intention, we end up putting people in the wrong roles or having them waste time on what doesn't matter, simply because we never learned to manage. God will not give you His people for you to wear them out.

What really matters

These are simple Kingdom principles. Some pastors have been tested in this area, and their fruit is visible: growth. Money is useful, but it is not the most important thing. Time is useful too, but it is in God's hands. People are what matter most, because they are what God loves , and we exist to serve His people and lead them to eternal life with Him.

• Build a financial structure and a budget.
• Respect money: use it well, without fear and without making it an idol.
• Learn from people who know how to manage, including business leaders.
• Bring order before you pursue growth.

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