PUTTING IT ON THE LINE
The whole counsel of God inevitably includes the Bible's money orders.
Joseph M. Stowell
January 1, 1987
One of the most influential men in our church looked me straight in the eye and said, "You'll never make it. Good luck!" We had just decided to propose a three-thousand-dollar-per-week increase in our church budget. I got the uneasy feeling he was laying squarely on my shoulders the "impossible" task of meeting the new budget. My trepidation was confirmed several months later when the trustees told me we would not make our budget without "some outstanding messages on stewardship." I figured that was exactly what the congregation did not want to hear. Not only would it not play well with regulars in the pews, but what about the visitors? My preaching would only compound their perception that the church is a hard-sell organization trying to get into their wallets. I pictured them leaving with the impression that "All for Jesus" really means your cash instead of your life. I knew well the old saw that when you preach about money, you've left preachin' and gone to meddlin', but I couldn't run and hide. After all, Jesus spoke often about money. Meddling with money goes with the territory for preachers. So I prepared my heart and words, and when the first Sunday came, I proclaimed the truth about Christian giving. In conclusion, I apologized for having preached on giving-a reflex action, I suppose. Within thirty minutes, two individuals-a visitor and a wealthy member-both reproved me for my apology. "Giving to God is a privilege, an act of worship," they said. They wondered why I had neutralized a good word on giving with an awkward disclaimer. Facing the Obstacles
Not all congregations are like that, I realize. A young pastor recently wrote a friend: "I've just started serving a small church in upstate New York (predominantly farmers). ...
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