JesusDrivenLife.org
Confronting the top 10 threats within the church
Debt, Church & Christians

It is commonly accepted that both parents have to work today because a single earner can no longer provide a comfortable lifestyle. And when two earners can’t support it either, most people, including Christians take on debt.

The beds in European castles of Medieval kings showcase mattresses that would be refused by today’s homeless shelters, yet those kings enjoyed them just fine. What’s the point?

Comfort is ultimately a relative notion. Define it by what our indebted peers have, and we won’t be “comfortable” until we end up in their situation. But define it as what we can afford within God’s guidelines, and we’ll be comfortable regardless of what our peers have, and have a lot more time for our family and the Lord, who forbid and warned about the slavery of debt:

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender's slave.” (Proverb 22:7)

“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:8)

“The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.“ (Deuteronomy 28:12)

Why isn’t the church speaking out more against debt?

Again, it would be hypocritical because churches are deeply in debt. The largest evangelical denomination in America internally reports that for every $1 its churches spend on missions, $5 is spent to pay the interest on the mortgage on church buildings. And for every $1 spent to meet the physical needs of people, $8 is spent on those mortgage interest payments.

Jesus told us to feed the hungry and to spread the Gospel. He never told us to build buildings, and especially not on debt. Yet, much of the money collected for God in America is heading straight into the pockets of bankers.

What should be done?

1. Getting rid of televisions will reduce the desire to spend money, as it will eliminate the 220 television commercials that bombard our homes everyday and fuel our desire to buy.

2. We should spend what is earned, possibly by one earner, less the first fruits offered to God. If that means moving to a smaller house, buying a used car instead of leasing the latest model, shopping for clothes at the thrift store, so be it.

3. Churches should delay purchasing or constructing buildings at least until they can pay for it in cash. If the sum never accumulates, it means the Lord doesn't want your church to buy or build yet another building with money that could be put to more biblical use for the body of Christ around the world (see the Future page of this site for recommendations).