The Heart of Money

Bridging the Gap Between Faith and Finances

• Courtney Markley • Season 3 • Episode 46

Share episode

What if the real tension in your finances isn’t about math, but about desire? In this episode, we look straight at the quiet canyon many believers feel between the life of faith they affirm and the money choices they make—then trace that divide to its source in the heart. With Scripture, lived experience, and clear-eyed data, we map how cultural wealth, silence in our churches, and rising anxiety have normalized a Christian lifestyle that is nearly undistinguishable from its non-Christian neighbors.

If you’ve felt the ache between your values and your Visa, this conversation offers clarity, courage, and next steps. We want to help you cross the canyon with trust, and your wants are slowly reshaped toward Christ. 

If this resonated, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help more people find these honest, Christ-centered money conversations.

SPEAKER_00:

Welcome to the Heart of Money Podcast. This is the place to go for deep, Christ-centered, 20-minute or less money conversations that lead to heart change and generosity. I'm your host, Courtney Markley, and as a certified Christian financial counselor, I have helped hundreds of people transform their finances and grow closer to Jesus in the process. So let's get started. Welcome everyone to the Heart of Money Podcast. I'm your host, Courtney Markley, and I am thrilled that you're joining us today to discuss a topic that is so near and dear to my heart. We're going to be talking about a struggle that many Christians express, and I'll preface it with this. We are entering into this conversation very gently as there are so many facets to today's theme. Alright, today we're going to be exploring the gap between our faith and our finances. And I ask you just to join me in prayer that God just meets us here in this conversation today. Alright, let's dive in. Why does this gap between our faith and finances exist and how can we get to understand it better? Well, when I first started financial counseling, one thing that surprised me was how similarly Christians and non-Christians behaved with money. Essentially, everyone was pursuing the same financial goals, the same lifestyles, retirement goals, and so on. And that's not necessarily a statement of judgment, but just simple observation. For many of the Christians I was talking to, it seemed like faith was on one side and their money was on the other. And they weren't really sure how or why the two things connect together. And many of us just have this tension now between how we behave with money and what God teaches. And even more, there's just some confusion of, well, does God call Christians to live differently with their money? Is it okay if my lifestyle and my financial goals look nearly identical to my non-Christian neighbors? So we see this, there's there's some confusion, there's just this gap that's continuing to grow and exist. But not only does the gap exist, but it's actually continuing to grow as our wealth increases. Throughout history, we see this interesting trend where as a society, as we've increased in wealth, we actually talk about money less. One place that I see this happening quite frankly is even in our church. And I'm talking the big C church. So as a whole, as our society has grown wealthier, the church has talked less and less about money, and that is happening in our homes and in our friendships, and so many things. We've just kind of put money off to the side as this thing that we do not talk about. But now there's this growing movement happening, this desire and a pressing need to reintroduce God's people to his teachings on money and possessions. And I'm excited that that's why you're here and that's why we're doing this great work together. But we see here that there's a gap that's been created. It's a deep chasm separating our use of money and our obedience to God, and now we're charged with bridging the gap. But before we build a bridge, it would be helpful just to pause and ask ourselves: how did this chasm come to be? If there's a breakdown in, let's say, a marriage or a certain relationship, we certainly take steps towards healing and restoring that relationship. But if we don't discover what caused the breakdown to begin with, well then it's likely to happen again. And to help frame up the urgency of this discussion, I want to just share a few statistics that are very telling in terms of the connection between our spiritual health and our money. So as our wealth has increased over the years, what we're seeing here in the US is that the amount we consume has also increased. So the average American now throws away 81 pounds of clothing per year. Americans are spending more money on dining out than on groceries. And since the 1950s, the average house size has doubled, while the average family size is reduced by half. So we have half the amount of people living in twice the amount of home. Now, the average American household ranks within easily the top 4% wealthiest in the world, and yet 77% of adults admit that they have considerable anxiety around finances, and money fights and money problems is a leading cause for divorce. Now, how are all of these things affecting our giving? Well, dollar for dollar, so accounting for inflation, Christians give less today than they did during the Great Depression. And for churches in terms of giving, there's been a study developed that shows it will take 10 generation Z givers to replace one baby boomer. So we're living in a unique time in history where as a society we have more money than ever, but we're primarily using that money on ourselves. More resources are actually making us less happy, causing issues on our relational, mental, and physical health. And as Christianity declines in the West, we see a direct correlation between our giving and our willingness to follow Christ. So if we want to see these statistics turn around, we must address the gap. Why does it exist and what can we do about it? I'm so glad you're joining me in today's discussion because I truly believe that money conversations are the battleground where God does some of his best work. So let's lean in and remember that this is my take on the subject. As we discuss the gap, I encourage you just to get curious about this topic with me and see what God may bring up for you. So it strikes me that we often talk about bridging the gap between our faith and our finances, and many of us sense this great separation where money is here and faith is over here, and we feel called to do something about it. And as I was preparing for this message, it again struck me that many of us can see the gap, we can identify it, but how well do we actually understand this divide? So while we're talking today, I want you to picture yourself standing at the edge of a canyon. And while we're standing on this ledge, you can see to the other side. But there's this deep chasm that exists between these two big pieces of land. And our job today is to get curious about this deep divide and take a closer look and recognize where did this chasm come from? Why does it remain and what can we do about it? So let's start with where did it come from? Again, you're picturing yourself standing on the edge of this canyon or this great chasm, and as you're looking down, it's evident that this gap has existed for thousands of years and it's slowly grown larger after centuries of erosion. And I believe the same is true with the gap between our faith and our money. In Genesis chapter one, God creates Adam and places him in the garden to tend to it and keep it. So he gives Adam a job to do. So we see that work is always part of God's divine plan. God gives Adam a dominion over every living thing, the plans, the animals to enjoy. And we see this image of a loving father who desires to bless his children abundantly. But of course, we know in chapter three, the fall happens. Man sins, and here we have the birth of the great divide. The relationship between man and God is severed, and the relationship between man and work is severed, along with the relationships between man and creation. So we were intended to work alongside God and the cultivating of his kingdom to enjoy the fruits of labor as an act of worship. But now sin has entered the world, and now I face the temptation to grow my own kingdom, and I'm tempted to worship the blessing instead of the one who blesses. And even my purpose as a human being, my identity, and my relationship with God has all been disrupted and distorted, and a chasm is born. So why does the gap remain? You know, I'm not saying anything new per se. If I had asked you beforehand what causes chasm, many of you listening probably would have said sin. And so the question becomes why does the gap remain? Why does the gap remain? Well, a gap represents a separation. So when we talk about a gap between our faith and our money, we're really talking about a separation that exists between us and God. So again, picture yourself, you're standing at the edge of the canyon. The side that you're currently standing on is tethered to money and by association, the things of this world. And the side across from you represents your faith and for that matter, God. And now, if I as a Christian, I can identify the gap, I see the divide, what causes me to stay tethered to my money instead of going to God? If I as a Christian believe that Jesus is the ultimate mediator, that he creates the bridge that allows me to cross over the chasm, what causes me to stay put? It strikes me in this moment that one problem we have in understanding the gap is recognizing where we stand. We don't exist in the chasm. We're not straddling this canyon, this large gap, but rather we're standing on one side. So do me a favor. If you identify as having this gap between your faith and your money, simply ask yourself, which side are you standing on? Because we can't straddle this line. Jesus confirms it when he says that we cannot serve God in money, he's telling you that you must choose a side. Now, with all the statistics we reviewed earlier, it's hard to make the argument that the majority of Christians have let go of their attachments to money and now are standing on the opposite side of the canyon, the faith side with God. And when I look at my own life, I think the same could be said. This is something that the majority of us struggle with. As I was putting this material together, it dawned on me that the question probably isn't why does the gap remain, but rather why do we choose to stay on the wrong side? Jesus has already conquered the chasm, he's built a bridge, so why do we stay put? Well, let's explore in John to give us some answers here. In John 1.38, we read about Jesus calling his first disciples. So they were two followers of John the Baptist, and they were hanging out together when Jesus arrives and they turn and they begin following him. And knowing that they're following him, Jesus turns around and he asks them this very important question. What do you want? Jesus asks his potential disciples, what do you want? He doesn't ask them what do you believe or what do you know. He asks them, What do you want? This is important to note because as humans, we naturally orient our lives around the things that we want. This aligns with the study that psychologists have shown that we make up to 90% of our financial decisions based on emotions. Our wants spring from the deep longings of our hearts, and they are at our core and essentially create who we are. Our wants determine who we become. And this is why Proverbs 423 tells us, above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from Him. We make decisions based on our desires and we live towards what we want. Discipleship to Christ forces us to face this head on by recognizing the gap is ultimately between what we say we want and what we really want. I'm going to say it again in a different way. I don't think the gap that exists is truly between our faith and our finances, but I think the gap that exists is from what we say we want and what we actually want. When we experience a gap between our faith and our money, we have to ask ourselves if we truly desire to become more like Jesus? Do you hunger for Him? Does your soul crave to be with God so desperately that you're willing to let go of your rights, your comforts, your financial security? Are you willing to lay down all of it at the foot of the cross? You know, I recognize some hesitancy within my own heart when I think about the cross. I have often viewed the call to pick up my cross as mainly negative. Kind of similar to the rich young ruler, I mourn over the things that I must surrender. As I like having control, my husband will attest to this. I like being comfortable. I like a lot of my stuff. And all of these things, though, are in direct opposition to the cross. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ suffering, which every man must experience, is a call to abandon the attachments of this world. This is the tension many of us find ourselves in. But he continues, and Bonhoeffer says, The cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise God-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. Friends, at the cross, we are reconciled to Jesus. At the cross, we learn how to love God. At the cross, our true identity is discovered. That friends, we were not created for the sole purpose of work and accumulation of things. But we were created to commune with our Heavenly Father, and we were created for worship. Augustine said, You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you. God made us for himself. Our hearts are restless until we abide in him. But so many of us look to our money to provide the things that we long for. We want to stay comfortable. We don't want our faith to be tested, and we live as if we can straddle the gap. Many of us are looking for security, for love, and we are restless, and we will remain that way until we meet Jesus at the cross. So, friends, this is my take on the gap. Why it exists and why it remains. Not only is it a gap between our faith and our money, but ultimately it's highlighting the discrepancy between what I say I want and what I truly desire. Now pause for a moment and reflect. Where do you recognize the gap in your own life? And what do you think is at the source? As we wrap up, friends, I want you to know that this is not a message to convey that we've got it all wrong and we're standing on the wrong side. This is a conversation that acts as an invitation to move past the status quo. I believe that as his people, as his bride, God is calling us to go deeper. And remember, he is not a safe God, but he is a good God. And we need bold examples of kingdom-centered living. We need to share stories about how we're honoring God with our money, not to bring ourselves glory, but really rather to raise the bar on Christian living. So, friends, let's revoke the silence. Let's talk openly about our giving, about our lifestyles, and let's spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Because I believe we can claim more territory for Christ than we ever thought possible if we're willing to cross the chasm and meet him at the cross. Friends, thank you so much for joining me in today's message. If you desire more conversations like this, please feel free to visit our website at www.financial discipleship. We have Bible studies, online courses, we deliver sermons, workshops, and even provide one-on-one counseling. You can message me directly at Courtney at Financial Discipleship. Thank you so much for joining us. If you enjoyed the conversation today, then share it with a friend. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast so that you never miss an episode. And again, thank you so much for joining us on our mission to change the way we talk about money one conversation at a time. I'm your host, Courtney Markley, and this has been The Heart of Money.