By Teri Ong

The current big deal in our national church association is “planned giving.” I think that term might fit G. K. Chesterton’s profile of an “evil euphemism.” It amounts to giving to a financial institution now what you might have planned to still have left at the end of retirement (which is a euphemism for “when you die”). The program is being touted as a great boon to the church over the next decade as we oldsters leave the vale of tears, and leave behind what we can’t take with us.

Money, especially lots of money, is a great boon because the Gospel doesn’t seem to be able to advance very far without it– at least in the opinion of the financial planners who want to manage our largess, and who, by the way, stand to make a decent profit managing it. At least, we can presume, they will be tithing on their portion of the interest during the decade-long waiting period before the dividends start showing up in meaningful amounts in the churches. Meanwhile, shepherds of God’s flock are turned into hireling salesmen for financial products.

The financial products are being promoted as “win-win.” Of course, they are. You can’t sell anything these days that isn’t. They have two stated benefits*: 1) “They can help sustain the ministry of your local church with increased income,” and 2) they can “provide peace of mind for the future.” Let’s look at the first benefit more closely. We will look at the second one in part 2 of this blog.

1) “They [the financial products] can help sustain the ministry of your local church with increased income.”

Godly people are usually very generous. Evangelicals give a disproportionately high percentage to all sorts of charitable causes that include their churches and a host of other worthy parachurch programs that help the unborn, addicts, trouble teens, refugees, victims of disasters, disadvantaged people needing medical care or education, etc., etc. The biggest share is given by individuals who give to meet needs in the moment. God lays needs on our hearts, provides the resources, and we get the blessing of obediently meeting the needs.

This was the pattern shown to us in the early chapters of Acts. Grateful believers, empowered by the Holy Spirit, liquidated their personal assets to meet the needs of fellow believers in the moment. The assets were not collected into a mutual fund, put out at interest, and dispersed in ten years when the return was good. It is a good thing that it didn’t happen that way, because God’s method of “advancing the Gospel” was to allow a great persecution, which drove the believers out of their homes into the far reaches of the Roman empire where they started over, shared the Gospel with their new neighbors, and formed underground congregations without benefit of “ten year plans” for managing the bequests of the martyrs.

But then again, the sustainability of the church in the New Testament was never linked by Jesus or by the Apostles to wealth management. Poorer churches gave to relatively richer churches. Richer churches often struggled with the moral problems that accompany greater financial “freedom.” Poorer congregations were more sensitive to the needs of the pastors and missionaries. Richer churches tended to live out their in-dependence and self-sufficiency. [see for example 2 Cor. 8]

There is only one thing that guarantees the sustainability of a local church– the blessing of Jesus Christ. He had this to say about the sustainability of Laodicea.

“Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,  18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.”  Rev. 3:17-18

Their opinion of their viability and sustainability was entirely wrong. They thought they were in marvelous shape. They had social buzz, an air of excitement, plenty of material resources for the “advancement of the Gospel.” But Jesus was so disgusted with them that He wanted to vomit them out. (Rev 3:16)

The church at Sardis was no better off. This is what He said to Sardis:

“I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  2 ‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” (Rev. 3:1-2) 

They had a reputation for being a lively place, but they were spiritually dead. If they didn’t repent and strengthen the little that was left of their spiritual life, Jesus would let them die. He also gave the same warning to Ephesus.

“Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place — unless you repent.” (Rev. 2:5)

The churches at Pergamus and Thyatira were given stern warnings about giving in to worldly practices that put a stumbling block in the path of believers. If they didn’t repent of their wicked ways, Jesus said He would make war against them or put them in a sick bed.

It should be abundantly clear that all of the things that make us successful and acceptable in the eyes of the world are an abomination to the Head of the church – Jesus Christ. And He is the only sustainer of His church. Unfortunately, no one wants to sign up to be like one of the sustainable churches in Revelation 2 through 3, the church at Smyrna.

“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  10 ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.  11 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.” (Rev. 2:9-11) 

Anything we do in the flesh to keep a church humanly “viable” is akin to giving CPR to a body doomed to be DOA at the hospital. The old standard for proper external pumping of the heart was to pump to the rhythm and tempo of the pop song “Stayin’ Alive.” It is a catchy tune, and somehow appropriate– “uh, uh, uh, uh, stayin’ alive!” How many congregations are jiving around, pumping and jumping, when in God’s eyes the church is already dead or nearly dead.

Those of a certain age will remember Miracle Max’s distinction between nearly dead and all dead. If a body is all dead, all you can do is go through the pockets looking for loose change. Maybe that’s what the church financial planners are doing– going through pockets looking for loose change to invest in a nebulous, uncertain future.

For a church body that is “nearly dead,” Jesus gives the miracle remedy– repent! And it is not the “sin” of not making good enough investments or of not stockpiling enough money that we are to repent: we are to repent of worldly-mindedness, immorality, self-centeredness, self-sufficiency, covetousness, and greed. (See Rev. 2-3)

We must remember that Jesus Christ created the church, builds the church, and holds the church together for one reason– that He might have the preeminence that is due Him as our King and our Redeemer. No amount of money can buy His glory or His pleasure. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. Col. 1:16-18

*Reference:

Regular Baptist Ministries, “Planned Giving Toolkit,” p. 2