Money For Doing Church - what is the right way?

How wealthy should a church be?

What should a church budget really look like? It’s amazing to me how some churches are barely surviving while others seem to swim in money.

I’ve walked the halls of large churches and seen expensive cameras, lighting systems, coffee shops, bookstores, children’s spaces, beautiful landscaping, and even brand-new equipment still sitting unopened in the original boxes. Then there are the salaries, insurance, utilities, maintenance, security, and countless other expenses required to keep a large ministry operating. Sometimes it feels like a giant machine that constantly needs to be fed.

Is this what God intended? Is this simply the modern way of doing church? Or has some of it become entertainment? I honestly don’t know, and I don’t ask those questions to criticize anyone. I ask because I’ve wrestled with them for almost my entire Christian life.

These thoughts came to mind as I read this morning:

“So King Joash called for Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and said to them, ‘Why aren’t you repairing the damage of the Temple? Don’t take any more money from the people you serve, but hand over the money for the repair of the Temple.’”

2 Kings 12:7 (NCV)

The backstory is fascinating. For years the priests had been collecting offerings to repair God’s Temple, but the repairs weren’t happening. The money kept coming in, yet the purpose for which it had been given wasn’t being accomplished. King Joash didn’t stop the offerings; he demanded accountability. A collection chest was placed where everyone could see it. The money was counted openly, given directly to trustworthy workers, and used for its intended purpose. Scripture says they didn’t even require an accounting because the workers dealt honestly (2 Kings 12:15). The problem wasn’t generosity. The problem was stewardship.

As I read that, I couldn’t help but compare it to today. Churches still need buildings, pastors, missionaries, children’s ministries, insurance, technology, and countless other things that cost money. Running a church is undoubtedly harder than most of us appreciate from our seats on Sunday morning.

Also, please don’t misunderstand me, I love my church. The worship is excellent. The preaching is biblical. I sit in a comfortable chair, enjoy the air conditioning on a hot Tennessee morning, and some churches even offer free coffee and donuts. (Actually, I drink my coffee before church.) I’m thankful for all of it.

But if I’m being honest, I still wrestle with it. I don’t run my personal budget that way. I don’t have that kind of margin. I ask whether purchases are really necessary and whether the money could accomplish something greater elsewhere.

So instead of only questioning churches, maybe I should ask myself some harder questions. Why do I participate? Why do I continue to give? If I struggle with it, why do I keep funding it? Is it right? How do I reconcile all of this?

The truth is, I think I’ve simply accepted it. Somewhere along the way I found myself saying, “Well…that’s just the way it is.” Then I walk into the sanctuary, worship with God’s people, hear God’s Word faithfully preached, and leave encouraged.

Maybe that’s trust. Maybe it’s recognizing that I don’t know everything behind the scenes. Whatever it is, I’ve chosen to trust God to oversee the overseers while continuing to pray that our leaders steward His resources wisely.

Still, one question keeps coming back to me: Does all this money actually produce disciples? Not just attendees. Not just volunteers. Not just generous givers. Are people actually becoming more like Jesus?

That’s one reason I appreciated John Mark Comer’s Practicing the Way. The heart of the book is simple: Jesus didn’t call us merely to believe in Him; He called us to become His apprentices, to be with Him, become like Him, and do what He did. Jesus Himself said, “Everyone who hears my words and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock” (Matthew 7:24 NCV).

The difference isn’t hearing God’s Word. It’s living God’s Word.

The Bible also reminds us what God values. James writes, “Pure and true religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows who need help and to keep yourself free from the world’s evil influence” (James 1:27 NCV).

Paul encouraged churches to support faithful pastors, saying, “The elders who are good leaders should be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17 NCV).

Yet in the same spirit he insisted, “We are being careful to do what is right, not only before the Lord but also before people” (2 Corinthians 8:21 NCV). Buildings matter. Pastors matter. Teaching matters. But so do integrity, generosity, and caring for people.

I also think back to Moses. When the Tabernacle was being built, no one was pressured to give. “All whose hearts made them want to came and brought gifts to the Lord” (Exodus 35:21 NCV). In fact, the people gave so generously that Moses had to tell them to stop bringing offerings because there was already more than enough (Exodus 36:5-7). That’s God’s pattern, willing hearts, not manipulated ones.

So maybe I don’t need all the answers. Maybe my responsibility is to give as God leads me, support a church that faithfully teaches His Word, encourage wise stewardship, and resist becoming cynical.

The Apostle Paul gives all of us this reminder: “Use your lives to do good. Be rich in good works. Be generous and ready to share” (1 Timothy 6:18 NCV). Whether we’re managing a church budget or our own household budget, I think that’s wise counsel.

At the end of the day, every dollar belongs to God. Every church belongs to Christ. Every leader, and every church member, will one day give an account for how we stewarded what He entrusted to us. My prayer is that our churches, and my own heart, never lose sight of what matters most: making disciples who don’t just hear the Word, but live it, and love it.

GOD, how should we spend our money. How should we save it? How should we give and share it? Teach me. Help me listen. Help me follow. I want to do it right. I want to do it your way. Honestly, money is made for spending, not worshipping it, or loving it. Money isn’t evil, loving it is. Help me balance the budget, and help my church to do the same. IJNIP amen ♥️