Churches and Money II

The other piece of the puzzle, as far as giving money to a church goes, is that it's actually a spiritual discipline. At Stillwater UMC, for example, they don't expect visitors to give. The main reason for this is because visitors are guests in the church, and the members, as hosts, are the ones who cover the costs of the worship service. It is a positive reminder that the church (defined as the members and regular attenders) does not exist for its own sake, but as sanctuary and servant to others.

I might put it another way. Money is one of the most material things there is. But it's also a way we express our priorities. If my appearance is important to me, I'll spend my extra money on hair cuts and tanning salons and makeup and clothes. Or if it's important to me that people know I have a lot of money, I'll spend it on a big house or a car. But if God is the first priority in my life, then I will want to dedicate every part of my life to God, including my finances. Giving money to church or to other charities, then, is a spiritual discipline. And for many of us, it's one of the harder ones because it means, in very concrete terms, trusting God to care for us. It's not necessarily a discipline for neophytes.

In other words, it's one thing to say you believe in God, but it's another thing to say you believe that God will sustain you even if you give away some of your limited means. But giving has its own rewards. Our actions and our beliefs feed each other. So taking actions to trust God, however risky it may feel, builds up our trust in God when we see that God still cares for us, even when we're not sure we'll have enough.