A church that has enough money to do everything it wants is in serious danger. How can having enough money be dangerous? John Wesley was very strong about warning people about riches and increasing riches. This applies to churches as well. Just as people need to guard their hearts against trusting in money instead of God, churches need to do the same.
As you teach your people of the importance of giving and generosity, you will likely receive a large gift or bequest. This gift can be either a great tool for future growth or a great trap that eventually leads to the church going broke and closing. Isn’t ironic…teaching on generosity can lead to your church going broke. I’ve seen it happen. A lot of times churches don’t realize they are in this trap until their situation gets dire. If your church has fallen into this trap, there is hope…but the first step is to acknowledge the situation.
Check out the video below:
Useful Links
- John Wesley: Use of Money: http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-50-the-use-of-money/
- John Wesley: Danger of Riches: http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-87-the-danger-of-riches/
- John Wesley: Danger of Increasing Riches: http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-126-on-the-danger-of-increasing-riches/