“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Matthew 6:24
There is an old adage that says we should never mix business with pleasure. But I think the same thing could be said about mixing business with ministry. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 above, “You cannot serve both God and Money.”
In America, every ministry is a business, but not every business is a ministry. Essentially, every organization operates as a type of company or business. Some are for selling products or services to consumers and other businesses for profit. They are what we typically refer to as a business. Others are non-profit companies such as public schools, government services, churches, and ministries that serve the public. These are also classified as a “business” by our government. Our ministry, FaithLife Ministries, is a Georgia corporation with a board of directors and certain legal obligations. But we are a non-profit “business”. We receive a tax exemption by our federal government as a 501(3)c corporation because we meet legal requirements for how we raise money to operate. Churches have a similar government designation for tax purposes as well.
Problems arise when churches or ministries mix business with ministry. Why? Because the primary motive of a business is to make money serving customers, and the primary motive of a ministry is to serve the needs of people through money donated to cover their cost of operation. This distinction is important because businesses must convince customers to give them money to get something in return for which the business takes a profit, while ministries give away products or services to people through money that is provided through the generosity of others who typically get little or nothing tangible in return. When churches or ministries mix business with ministry, these two motives come into conflict. Sadly, often it is worldly values that win out over Biblical values. I’ve seen this happen in church congregation and ministry board meetings where financial decisions are made based on worldly rather than Godly financial principles.
Also, a church or ministry should never sell to others what God has freely given to them, meaning the gospel, God’s Word and the call to serve others in His name. Churches and ministries are called to serve others and to trust God for what they need financially (Matthew 7:7-8). As Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary to China, once said, “God’s work done in God’s way always has God’s supply”. We have run our ministry on this principle for 25 years and God has never failed to provide what we have needed to do His work. Did we receive all that we asked for? No. Did we receive all that we needed? Yes!
In order to fully understand the difference between money and God, we need to recognize that money is nothing more than a medium of exchange. Money (currency) itself cannot do ministry, nor can it provide a service or product. It is simply how goods and services are exchanged between people that satisfies both parties. That is the essence of private enterprise and a free market. All people need money to pay for shelter, food, and clothing, the 3 necessities of life besides air and water. We receive money by working and earning it. The Bible supports this clearly as Paul indicates in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”
It is also important to note that money is symbolic of our earthly world and is what has brought ruin to many people. As Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”. And Satan often uses money (worldly wealth) to entice people to draw them away from God.
God, on the other hand, is the One who truly provides for our needs. He demonstrated this to the Hebrews when they fled Egypt (Exodus 16 & 17), and He promises to provide for our needs today when we put our faith and trust in Him and His Son Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
So, how do churches and ministries know if they are God focused or Money focused? Here are three warning signs that they might be more money focused:
1. When they look first at their monetary needs instead of the fruit that the ministry is producing.
As I mentioned above, I have been to many church and ministry meetings where the primary focus is on money and the financial needs of the church or ministry. While finances are important to the full functioning of the ministry, they are not the goal nor the purpose of the ministry. Churches and ministries are called by God to serve the needs of people, both spiritually and physically. But the emphasis should always be what God has called us to do while He takes care of providing the finances necessary to accomplish His purposes (1 Timothy 6:17).
2. When they base their decisions on financial benefits instead of ministry priorities.
Sometimes churches or ministries will take advantage of sales, low interest rates, or other monetary benefits to save money on things that are not the priorities of the church or ministry. These include things like property, equipment, or supplies. While it is good stewardship to use our resources wisely, it is not good stewardship to ignore our highest ministry priorities to save money elsewhere. We are called to use what God provides to produce fruit for his kingdom (Matthew 13:3-8), not to maximize value or bolster our bank account for lesser priorities.
3. When they have an earthly financial focus instead of an eternal God provision focus.
It is very easy for church or ministry leaders to focus on the financial wisdom of the world instead of the promises of God to provide for their financial needs. When they rely on worldly financial ways, they allow Satan to draw them away from God and to solve their money problems with earthly solutions. The devil does not want them to rely on God and His promises to provide for them. Instead, he tries to influence them to seek answers from the world. This only results in their serving Satan and not God, As James 4:2 says, “You do not have, because you do not ask God.”
So, let all who lead churches and ministries keep their focus on their ministry priorities and not their financial needs. Let them trust in God and His promises for what is needed financially to accomplish His purposes through them!