Questions Churches Should Ask: Where is the Money Going?

To give you a little background, the church I started attending when I was 7 had about 200 people. By the time I graduated from high school, it grew to around 3,000 people (maybe more). They've continued to grow over the last 9 years, and they also started a church planting movement (with over 10 plants in the last 5 years). I'm currently a pastor at one of the church plants. I've seen God do some truly incredible things over the last 20 years.

With that stated, I also know how much money it cost to plant our church. I've only been a student ministry pastor for two months, but I've already felt the pull to use money to solve problems. There's constantly the feeling that if only I had more money I could do the work of God.

• I need a better sound system


• I need better facilities


• I need money for events


• I need stage decorations

Oddly enough, I don't need any of those things. I've simply structured my ministry in such a way that success is dependent on having expensive supplies.

I'm not Frank Viola or a hardcore house church advocate, but I think we need to re-think how we're spending money. More importantly, we need to re-think how we think about money. Spiritual problems aren't solved by throwing money at them.