The Sunday Mail
Malvin Chidzonga
Religion Correspondent
MAKING and managing money is an important part of life and the Church.
However, Jesus said real happiness comes to those who are “conscious of their spiritual need,” (Matthew 5:3). He warned that a person’s interest in spiritual matters can be chocked by such things as “the deceptive powers of riches”. (Mark 4:19).
It is important that churches be guided by God’s Word and maintain a balanced view of money, (Proverbs 11:4).
The financial duty of the Church to its members and other stakeholders also needs to be looked at.
The financial traffic should not flow in one direction with the Church being the only recipient. The Church should assist members financially when it comes to funerals, sicknesses and weddings.
It can create an emergency fund and co-ordinate group life assurance schemes for members, which are cheaper than individual policies.
The Church can also play its role to lessen the financial burden on the community by being involved in development projects such as school and hospital construction.
Churches need to have proper plans and be prepared to execute them as illustrated in Proverbs 21:5.
Whether they use simple methods or something more elaborate, the important thing is they should know where their money is going, always putting necessities first.
Churches should avoid envying other churches as this can lead to a lot of challenges as noted in Proverbs 28:22. They are encouraged to keep their operations humble and be content with what is really needed as instructed in Timothy 6:8.
Some churches are tempted to want things that other churches want and this can be a trap. Churches should also avoid unnecessary debt as instructed in Proverbs 22:7. 2 Kings 4:1 and Matthew 18:25.A church in Nigeria once considered raising money through issuing a bond which was supposed to be secured and paid against future offerings and tithes.
They actually approached a bank to handle the transaction for them but the bank later declined on moral grounds.
Further, what would have happened if the church defaulted on interest and the principal?
A bankrupt church is a far sorrier thought than a bankrupt company. It would have been too risky for investors and depositors’ money to be placed in such a bond.
Churches are encouraged to save and to work hard according to Proverbs 6:6-8 and 30:24.
They are also called upon to diversify their investments as guided by Ecclesiastes 11:2 and implement ideas as advised by Ecclesiastes 11:4 coupled with investing every time according to Genesis 8:22.Mr Modern Mutumwa, managing partner at MJV Chartered Accountants, says: “These good governance principles are of relevance if the churches are to grow and present a form of transparency to their congregants. It is important to grow the cake through investments and it is also vital to have books prepared by a competent person.
“Basic bookkeeping is a must if churches are to foster a sense of accountability and transparency. Auditing further gives assurance to congregants that funds are being used in the manner indicated in the financial statements. I am sure this will reduce incidences of finger pointing as the members choose auditors and what the auditor says is what they will trust.”
As Ecclesiastes 10:19 so wisely says, “A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry, but money answers all things.” Due to its usefulness and the multitude of things it can obtain, churches need to exercise self-control continually and always keep money in its place, that is, as an instrument and a servant.
Church’s attitude towards money should be wholesome.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 should alert the Church to the danger of cultivating a craving for money.
I implore the Church to draw financial engineering inspiration from 2 Corinthians 4:7-10. Indeed, we can come up with several financial solutions that can propel us to greater heights.
As a body of Christ, we are more than conquerors!
