Real Wealth in the Church

I once asked someone, a minister, what he thought of ministers making big dollars, living in expensive homes, driving extravagant cars, taking dream vacations; the minister did not think there was anything wrong with it.

As a former church staff member and as a former pastor, I strongly disagree with this minister.

In the years I served on church staffs as a minister of education or the pastor of a congregation, I never asked for a raise. I never sought out to learn what members gave financially to the church. It was not relevant. I tried my best to serve and treat church members equally.

I did not care where you worked, where you lived, what you drove, what you wore, where your children went to school, or how much you gave the church.

My task was to simply draw you closer to God. It was never an easy task because the mindset of many is that bigger is better. This is not true.

I wonder how many of the extravagant cathedrals throughout the world are actually filled with worshipers when the church doors are opened. Honestly, it appalls me at the amount of money that is given in the name of the Lord for buildings, entertaining, and socializing, and the very little allocated for genuine preaching and teaching.

Yes, I am a tither, but I tithe not to a building, or the lifestyle of others. I tithe, give 10 percent of my salary, to real ministries and real people who help others. I do not give to a church or churches so that folks can be entertained in massive, luxurious, comfortable buildings and leaders can live better lives than their worshipers.

I don’t attend churches where teleprompters are used and sermons are prepared by staff members for the entertainer to get up and do his or her thing—which usually is about prosperity for them, and maybe one day for you, in earthly possessions, not in heavenly possessions or a real relationship with the Lord.

I go to church to draw nearer to the Lord and to learn how to live a sermon, each and every day. This task can be achieved without your draining my wallet.

Because, it’s true—I’d rather see a sermon than hear a sermon any day of the week. Unfortunately, the sermons I see by people who call themselves Christians and fill so many churches today, do just the opposite.

In the building, they are one thing; in the world they are something else. The two do not agree. In other words, their lives are not believable. They do not walk the talk.

A lot of these people make me feel like I have just drunk a soft drink with mustard, lime sherbet, and a splash of soy sauce. Simply show me what you believe and say is demonstrated by the way you live.

I grew up in a small church with wooden pews, a pulpit, a piano, hand fans, six gas-space heaters, and dipping wasps. The wasps were free.

For this church to operate it did not cost a fortune, nor did it handsomely pad a pastor’s wallet.

I don’t remember being entertained, but learning the realness of heaven and the realness of hell. Where are those churches today?