DAILY GUIDE DEVOTIONAL: Transparency with Church Finances

Text: 2 Corinthians 8: 16-24

Paul took meticulous care towards the collection of offering, its delivery to the designated recipients and the authenticity of its usage for the very purpose for which it was made. He picked three men of notable character amongst whom only Titus is mentioned by name. 

Why would Paul who always focused on Christ and his finished work on the cross be asking for collection and offering in the first place? It is because Jesus laid us an example of offering. He offered the highest possible asset; himself, his life. He became poor that we may be rich. 

Giving is a spiritual responsibility. It in fact demonstrates our maturity in the faith and our willingness to serve the cause of Christ with our substances. It is an evidence of our total surrender. We need not be coerced to give. Without finance, Evangelical outreaches to the ends of the earth may not be possible. 

Paul took care to ensure that the offerings did not get into wrong hands. This shows the need to be transparent before God and before men. The Corinthians already had some doubts on him. He can't afford to give anymore chance to his doubters or detractors to find fault.

Read also: God loves a cheerful giver

Many churches have been torn apart due to financial crises and misuse of funds and outright embezzlement. We ought to be an example to the world in financial matters but rather we have become a reproach. Even people who preach so mightily change their message when it comes to money.

Church money is meant basically for the furtherance of the kingdom of God. It is not for affluent living by church workers. It is not for buying of the best houses, cars and aircrafts. It is not for living the best kind of life the world can offer. 

Church leaders who live in affluence while their members live in abject poverty are going against the faith. Churches amass wealth in the guise of doing God's work but often it ends up doing their own work. We must always remember that we can only fool men and not God. Let us all learn from Paul today that in all we do we must do so in the fear of God, especially, where it concerns money. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

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