There is a list concerning church trauma I am often asked about. Is it true, how should I respond, etc.? The list is antagonistic towards churches in a way that is both unhelpful and hypocritical. Rather than take on the list as a whole, I will be giving a response to each section. The biggest contention I have with the list is not that trauma doesn’t exist, but that the list is often a straw man argument or cover for one’s immaturity. Church is messy and a reflection of all the people in it. The format will be rating, the list in question, and my response.

The synopsis: Life is stewardship

The Bible talks more about economics than heaven or hell. To not talk about it would be to miss out on a massive portion of Scripture. The writer of this list pushes back on this area, yet it takes teaching on this to be healthy. As for pastoral exploitation, that is extremely rare. Most pastors struggle financially. A biblical qualification of a pastor is to not be in it for financial gain, but that does not mean he cannot talk about economics. Churches talk about economics because life is a stewardship of the resources God entrusts us with.

The List: Money and Finances

• Has a sermon before or after the sermon about tithing
• Pastors exploit tithes for mansions and luxury cars, while families struggle to make end’s meet.
• Telling you god will honor your finances if you start giving more to the church.

The Response: Be generous

Deconstruction collapses on itself in this area. Economics is often a pushback on Christianity. In talking with those who espouse these lists, there is an awkward pause on this issue. Discussing economics is viewed as abusive and so is underpaying staff. Those two things are not congruent. In our culture’s desire for transparency, it is an even bigger head scratcher. Way too often when giving is addressed the accusation of always talking about money is tossed out. I know of one church who only talked about giving twice a year, that’s it, and the accusation was given. So how to respond to this?

From a classical understanding, the Bible says more about economics than heaven or hell. That was an astonishing reality when I saw that. Classically economics was about doing the most with what you have. It views life as stewardship. Jesus addressed this frequently when he taught. If the job of the church is to teach all that Jesus commanded, then addressing giving is part of that. Raising funds to help those in need, further the Gospel, and paying people what they are worth requires asking. 

As with anything, giving can be abused. I’ve heard numerous stories of churches abusing giving. I have heard of stories of pastors exploiting their churches. But another fact rocked my world: You can gather all the mega church pastors and fit them into a 747. That is a BIG plane. But to gather all the small church pastors you would need a large stadium. That is significantly bigger. Too often we judge something by the worst of something rather than the reality of it. Fear is a potent force. There are lots of things that are abused, like food, but I still eat. I eat because I need to. There are those who abuse the topic of giving, but I still give. I give because I need to.

A generous spirit breathes life into people and communities. Hence, God loves a cheerful giver. As Christians we need to live generously because of the over generous grace that God pours into our lives. It comes from an understanding that everything, even our time and abilities, are gifts form God to be used to bless others. The Bible does say it is better to give than to receive. It is a blessing. It is the one area where God says to test Him. Giving is not a burden, but it is a delight. Stinginess is a prison, generosity is freedom. I am who I am today because people gave. And those people share in the joys of my success because it’s their success too. Generosity breathes life.

”Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper,
    but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.“ Proverbs 11:11 NLT