Welcome to the For the Gospel podcast, where we're all about providing sound doctrine for everyday people. I'm your host, Costi Hinn, and I've titled today's episode Three P's Money Should Never Get You in the Church. I've been reflecting recently on James 2, which says in verse 1, My brethren, do not hold your faith in the glorious Lord Jesus Christ, with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who's wearing the fine clothes and say, You sit here in a good place, and you say to the poor man, You stand over there or sit down by my footstool. Have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? Been reflecting on that passage and the importance of balance in the church, character in the church, and while there will certainly be people with wealth who the Lord uses mightily, and we know he does, there will also be people who are not of monetary means, who God uses greatly. The most important thing that we need to focus on, whether we are rich or poor, whether we have a lot or a little, whether we're young or old, is the character that God is developing. Our hearts are very important. And so I want to get into some uncomfortable territory and outline three P's that money should never get you in the church because we could be guilty of showing partiality over the past 17 years. I obviously grew up in the prosperity gospel. I got saved out of that. My first church was more of a seeker-driven church, and it wasn't crazy like the prosperity gospel. It was not filled with abuses. It was just your typical seeker-driven, attractional church. And then over to the Reformed-ish world, if you will. You know, throughout all of these different shifts theologically till today. I think I've seen my fair share of manipulative tactics by greedy preachers, no doubt. Prosperity gospel preachers are easy to pick on, but also wealthy parishioners in many different theological forums and pastors who show a great deal of partiality in these forums with people. I think that you can't just relegate money manipulation to one theological camp or only to leaders. I think there's a lot of people, in fact, all of us will struggle at times with partiality because sin is at war within every human heart. And using currency to manipulate others and reach a desired end is a temptation that can easily be found in the church today, and any one of us can be susceptible. Like you, I've seen people rise to power in the church, buying their way up the so-called ladder. I've also seen leaders turned a blind eye to sin because they don't want the church budget to take a hit. I remember talking to a beloved pastor friend a long time ago who was reflecting on the different the difficult moments in his ministry in which he had to take a stand on certain things, and doing so caused one wealthy individual to say, I'm out of here, and I'm taking my checkbook with me. This is about biblical priorities and our character as people and church leaders. I've also seen, you know, the family model. I'm sure you've related to this maybe in your own context where you have a bunch of nepotism and it's sort of like a mafia, again, not just in shady theological circles, but in many different circles. Maybe you've seen families cut off or people shunned, even by their own family members, for taking a stand or speaking up. Or you've seen an elder board in a church fill not with 1 Timothy 3 men, but people who are rich or people who are influential or people who are well connected. Now I do want to say this because I think it needs to be said. Board members in organizational leadership usually consist of people who are wealthy because they're pretty smart. They've made good decisions. In a Christian organization or a nonprofit, you want to make sure that those people have great character as well because you are leading an organization that is parachurch or not for profit, meaning it's supposed to come alongside and help churches or serve a better cause or a higher cause. But in the end, character always trumps cash. I think that's a good principle that we all need to keep in mind. So let's get into these three Ps. These are things to watch out for. You, me, as well, as a pastor and church leader, all of us. Let's trigger our own thoughts here and some conviction. The first P is power. Let me paint some scenarios for you that I've made up, but they're actually based on real experiences I've seen, heard of, or experienced firsthand. Bob is a money man with no desire to be a pastor, but he sure likes to be in control. He's run a successful business, he's received corporate awards for his decades of industry leading performance, and he's used to getting what he wants. He's real type A. His wisdom in the business world makes him an incredible asset to church leaders who aren't usually known for being business savvy, so he's eager to help. Now, whether he knows it or not, Bob begins to think that his money gives him power in the church, because he's a big player, he's a big shot. So instead of viewing himself as a gospel patron and a servant to the spiritual leaders, he starts to enjoy running the show and throwing his weight around. You know, he says his generosity is free will, but he starts to consistently push his agenda onto the pastor's desk. You know those guys that might say, you know, I can interrupt him anytime. He could be in the middle of prayer and study, but you know, no one else can bother him, not his own wife, but I can, because I give the big bucks. Well, Bob likes to have that kind of access. It makes him feel powerful. He shares the correct view that pastors are also servants, and that the Bible must dictate what the pastor preaches. He believes that the ministry vision and strategy should be derived from a biblical view of church and leadership, and yet his actions would indicate that he believes his big offerings should play a key role in the direction the pastor takes as well. Bob has become a problem, but an even bigger problem is the fact that the pastor lacks the guts to clear things up with Bob. Perhaps worst of all is the storm brewing under the surface of this kind of church. The other pastors are going to see the problem, the staff sees the problem, some members see the problem, and no doubt the pastor's wife and children see the problem. Without courage and conviction, this pastor's leadership credibility is steadily decreasing, conflict is inevitable, and likely already beginning to rear its ugly head in other ways. I think we'd all be thinking, Man, if only someone would lead with courage and lovingly put Bob and his checkbook in his place. It might be a lot easier if Bob would just figure it out, but how many of you understand that the human heart and our pride can often blind us from seeing we're that guy? And so when it comes to a Bob, the power player, the money man, who you wants to help, but sometimes his helping begins to hurt. We need to confront him in love. And if you might be a Bob, well you need to look at your heart, assess, look at Scripture, and ask the Lord to help you be put back in your rightful place as part of the body. Money doesn't get you power, and it shouldn't. The second P is the P of position. Sam is a big giver, and he wants in on the elder board. He's a newer convert, he's got some suspect beliefs, he's not really sure about everything yet theologically, but man, he's a CEO and he's such a big giver that he's fast tracked into leadership. You know, like a baseball player who shows up to spring training about 30 pounds overweight, the senior pastor figures Sam can just play his way into shape spiritually speaking. He's not all there. He definitely is carrying some things he shouldn't if he's really going to be a church leader. But maybe he can be around, the pastor thinks, because he gives so much. Sure, we could give him a position and let him work his way there. Maybe his his role on the board could just be to offer friendly advice and be loyal. Every pastor likes loyal people because ministry can be so lonely. You know, the pastor maybe thinks what's the worst that can happen? Well, before long, Sam has happily worked his way into a position of authority in the church, and he feels a sense of joy and calling and fulfillment. His wife is so proud of him, telling family and friends about how her husband is an elder at the church, and you know, things are going pretty well. As time goes on, there's two key needs that arise budgetary shortages and staffing needs. They need more money and they need more people. Well, both of these needs must be met, and Sam believes he's got the perfect solution. He's an eager guy. And so he says, Well, I'll lead the new ministry and I'll increase my giving as well, so it'll help the church, and then I'll handle the ministry. The pastor can hardly believe his eyes and ears. He's super excited. It's the miracle of both money and manpower that every pastor wants to see happen is wow, I we have more resources, monetary speaking, resources, and we've got people resources. This must be God, he thinks to himself. Within a few months, the problems will start to erupt. Sam's immaturity and his doctrinal confusions are going to begin to leak into the ministry that he's leading, and as a result, the people he leads become even more confused. Some of his views actually contradict the teaching from the pulpit, and perhaps worst of all, it's becoming increasingly obvious that Sam's home is plagued with habitual worldly sins, like many new converts or potentially even false converts. He's a drinker who insists on a few to wind down after a hard day, sometimes he has a few too many, even though he means well. And people begin to wonder, are all the elders like this? You know, maybe some are just different or uh well maybe this is the way that you become an elder, and maybe this is not the kind of guy that should be one, but because he's wealthy and eager, this church broke the code. They broke the law. They decided to tuck 1 Timothy three off on the shelf somewhere because they needed money and manpower. Well now the doctrinal issues come up as well. Should we believe Sam or the senior pastor who's teaching about certain things from the pulpit that he believes are the doctrinal convictions of the church? If both guys are elders, who do you believe? Well, whoever has more influence. So the pastor decides to give Sam some clear ministry direction for his role, but he's decided that he knows best. Because after all, the church wouldn't have such a hefty budget and it wouldn't have this ministry covered if it wasn't for him. And because Sam is a newer convert and he was fast tracked into leadership, well, he lacks the maturity to deal with these issues faithfully and biblically. He lacks the character of a first Timothy three man, but he's already been given authority and power. This means war in the elder room. Sam should have never been allowed onto the elder team, let alone invited to elder meetings. His doctrine was suspect, his ambitions were self-serving, and his ultimate goal was position, but we have to ask, whose fault was it? Sam's for being eager, or the pastor for seeing green and not looking at the character, and not thinking I need to make a disciple before I make an elder. We can't always blame people. In fact, we really should look at pastors and our leadership. The divine mandate given to us to protect the church and lead as an example impacts perhaps one area more than every other area in the church outside of the pulpit. The elder team. No one should be an elder in the church because of their net worth. Deal with the Sams in your church. Don't allow the Sams in your church. Disciple the Sams in your church. Maybe God will call them to the elder team one day, but only after their spiritual character catches up and perhaps even far exceeds any of the other attractive aspects to who they are. We've got power, we've got position. Finally, pardon. Pardon is a P. Your money should never get you in the church. He's part of a large family, an extended family who attend the same church. Stan's entire family clan consistently cares for others. They even, you know, teamed up to buy a brand new SUV for one of the pastors after their old minivan broke down. Their membership at the church seems like a match made in heaven. They're so generous, they're so familial, they're really loyal, and they care for the pastor's practical needs. Until one day, when sinful actions came to light regarding Stan's brother in law, who also attended the church. Now not wanting his wife or their family to suffer the embarrassment of scandal, they asked the pastors to keep the situation quiet. To help show their humility and gratitude to the church, they not only gave the church a very large offering, but they also put a thousand dollars cash and envelopes with gift cards in them to each pastor for causing such a painful trial and challenge because of their family. Choosing to believe the best and not assume that this was bribery, all the pastors, especially the younger ones, graciously accepted the gifts, thankful, of course, to be cared for because they had poured out so much for this family, and they decided to do the church discipline privately and even take it a little easier because the family was so well intentioned. And so they assumed everything would be fine. Well, they went to Stan's brother in law privately to see if he would be willing to repent and just let it all settle down the easy way, get all the sides restored and not really have to bring in two or three witnesses or deal with much hype about the situation. Unfortunately, Stan's brother in law did not respond favorably or biblically to being called out for his sin. He arrogantly believed that the family had paid their penance, that they had done so much. Who were the pastors to make a big deal of it? The pastors finally made the difficult decision to make a public statement, eventually because Stan simply would not respond, his brother-in-law would not respond, the family had hoped it would just go away. Stan threatened to leave the church and sue them for defamation of character. And in his tirade storming out of their meeting together, and eventually his storming out of the church, he was sure to remind the pastors of all he had done for them. Stan wanted the pastors to side with his family's reputation. Stan wanted the pastors to side with friendship rather than the truth. The situation ends up splitting the family, splitting friends, splitting aspects of the church, and soying the reputation of believers with the on-looking world. These are three scenarios that I've changed the names and some of the details, but all in all, they're real. I've seen most of those up close. I would imagine you have as well. And it is a sobering reminder that you and I need to be incredibly careful with our hearts. We need to high hold highly integrity. We need to hold in high regard the internal more than the external. Now these scenarios may be things I've seen, but I bet you they're common in churches around the world because arrogance and pride, ego, and sinful manipulation is everywhere. Sin is normal. First Corinthians 10 13 says, No temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man, and God is faithful. He will not tempt you beyond what you're able, but with the temptation will provide a way of escape also that you may be able to endure it. God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you're able, is what Paul is saying there. He won't. There's nothing you're dealing with, or I'm dealing with, or churches deal with, that isn't common to all men. We're all guilty of sin. We're all guilty of ambition and pride and indifference and complicit behavior. This is why we so desperately need the gospel. This is why we so desperately need accountability in the pulpit and in the pew. And this is why we need to employ the leadership principle that truth and time go hand in hand. We need to allow people to grow. We need to put in the time to help them grow. We need to serve Jesus and his bride. We need to go slow, even for ourselves, washing feet, being a good setup man, following John the Baptist's model, pointing to Jesus again and again and again. I think that there is nothing wrong with wealthy people becoming leaders in churches. There's nothing wrong with that. We can't say that it's sinful. What we also can't say there's anything wrong with is for ambitious or driven, influential people not being allowed to become church leaders. Everybody who's gifted or been given resources, whether many or few, whether rich or poor, whether highly talented, whether a big talker or a background administrator, everybody has gifts that God is calling them to use. The question is, are we mature enough for leadership? And if we're not, being really honest about that, and just being honest about the process to get there. Hey, maybe you need a year, maybe you need three years, maybe it's five years, no matter what, God will sanctify you. He'll grow you into the leader he's called you to be. We just need to have the kind of humility it takes to wait while he governs the process. And so are you a money manipulator, or have you been leading a church or a part of a church that lacks the courage to make difficult decisions? Is it possible that like Eli in the Bible, maybe you have failed to correct those under your care, like 1 Samuel 313, when God calls that out plain and simple, we all need to turn to Christ in repentance on these issues, especially when it comes to money. Jesus talked about money so much because he is our Savior knew it would be something that takes hold of our hearts. And we need to be humble, servants, no matter what we have or what we don't have. And so today I'd encourage you to take up his mantle of mercy, to lay all manipulation at his feet, to lay your burdens, your fears. If you're a church leader, you're listening to this, thinking, man, this is going to mean some really hard decisions, lay those at his feet as well and surrender them. Go, Lord, those are yours. It's your church, it's not my church. Those are your people, it's all your money, and it's even your outcome. You do what only you can do, Jesus. Build your church the right way. I would absolutely believe that God would meet you where you're at. And if you're somebody who has been getting caught up in the riches and cares of this world, and you've been thinking, yeah, you know, who you are and what you have makes you deserving of something. Lay that before the Lord as well, confessing that your pride has taken over and you want to humble yourself before him. The Bible says that he opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. His grace will meet you where you are. My prayer is this episode will help all of us. Stay that way and have that heart. Watch out for the three P's. They are things that money should never get us in church. That is power, position, or pardon for our sin. We turn to the gospel every step of the way. Thanks for listening to this episode. To check out free resources or watch a series on marriage or dating or numerous doctrinal topics, go to forthegospel.org. If you haven't already, make sure you follow us on Instagram. 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