By Gregg Boll, Director of Missions

A pastor friend of mine once said he never preaches about financial giving without also showing people how to get out of debt. The average member of your church is likely living above their means, carrying some level of debt and bemoaning that they can’t be more generous in their giving. Because of the financial situation of many of your members, they are giving grudgingly, sparingly, or not at all. And, yet, talking about giving is one of the hardest things for pastors to do; it seems self-serving, it seems carnal, or that we are greedy. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We want people to give, not just because our church needs more money (which it does); we want them to learn generous giving because it is one of the marks of a growing, mature believer. Paul says in Philippians 4: “15 You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone; 16 for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. 17 Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek the profit which increases to your account.” That’s Paul’s way of expressing Jesus’ statement that “it is more blessed to give than to receive”. People are blessed when they are practicing generosity. Someone has pointed out that believers are never more like God than when they are giving (“For God so loved the world that He gave”, and “God loves a cheerful giver”…).

I have put together a personal financial seminar which I would gladly lead at your church free of charge. Each participant will receive a notebook for future reference. The course covers the following:

  • Biblical stewardship/management principles
  • How the believer should think about wealth and basic economic principles
  • How to get out of debt and grow in generosity
  • How to prepare for retirement
  • How to make a life, not only a living: leaving a godly, generous legacy
  • Tips for buying an affordable, dependable vehicle
  • Simple ways to save money and make some extra marginal income

I present this positively and with a “you can do this” spirit. I am also available to meet with participants individually after the seminar to help them develop a plan for addressing their unique financial situation. I need a minimum of two hours to lead this course. Please, contact me or Amy at our office (am**@*******st.org) if you would like to have a conversation about me possibly leading this in your church.