WHAT DOES YOUR SPENDING REVEAL?

 

          Have you considered the questions: What are my priorities? How do I determine what they are? And then, carry those questions a little further and apply them to our church? What are our church’s priorities? How do we figure out what they are?

          What does our spending reveal about our priorities? This is an important consideration. It’s not that we don’t have priorities; we do. But we have to figure out what they are. If we look at what we’re spending our money on; what we spend our time on; what we spend ourselves on, then we’ll be able to see what our priorities are.

          I’ve sometimes said that a checkbook is a theological document. It is one way to see what someone’s theology is. Financial generosity is reflected in a checkbook. Lack of financial generosity is also reflected in a checkbook.

          A calendar can also be a theological document. It is another way to see what someone’s theology is. Generosity of time is reflected in a calendar, just as a lack of generosity of time is.

          How our finances are spent is a great way to show what is important to us.

          How our time is spent is another way to show what is important to us.

          So…look at those personal theological documents: your calendars, your apps, your checkbooks, your computer programs, and see what they show. What is important to you?

          Look at your church’s theological documents: how the building is used, how time is spent by staff and volunteers, what financial reports show, and see what they show. What is important to the church? Is it making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, or is it something else?