Managing the Church's Financial Resources

When we are faithful with the resources that the Lord has entrusted to us, He will multiply our authority and responsibilities. When we are unfaithful with our material resources, we jeopardize our gift of redemption offered freely by the grace of God. “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?" (Luke 16:10-11). How we handle God's resources to further His kingdom is a true measure of how we have responded to His saving grace offered to us. Our management of church's resources has everlasting consequences for us individually. Jesus said that at the judgement He would separate the sheep on His right hand from the goats on His left hand. "Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matthew 25:41-46). The way we handle church finances, just as the way we handle our personal finances, has an impact upon our eternal life. It is the proof of our faith. This is not a theology of justification by works for we are only saved by grace. It is an honest reflection of the strength of our acceptance of the atonement of Christ for our sins. "Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will sho