Is It Biblical to Make Money as a Christian Writer?

As Christian writers, many of us quietly wrestle with guilt over wanting to earn money from our books. Somewhere along the line, we’ve been made to believe that desiring financial freedom—or building a profitable author business—is somehow greedy… or even unfaithful. 

But is that really what the Bible teaches? 

In this powerful episode, we open up a much-needed conversation about the tension between faith and finances for Christian creatives. You’ll discover why feeling guilty about making money isn’t from God, what Scripture actually says about wealth and abundance, and how to examine your heart motives without shame. 

If you’ve ever questioned whether it’s wrong to want money as a Christian author—or feared that success might pull you away from your calling—this episode is for you. You don’t have to choose between being faithful and being fruitful. 

🎙️ What you'll walk away with:

• A fresh, biblical perspective on money, guilt, and calling 
• The truth about Romans 8:1 and how it applies to your author business 
• A heart check on motives and identity around wealth 
• Encouragement to walk in financial freedom—God’s way 

Let this episode be the permission your soul has been craving. 

You are anointed to write. You are anointed to earn. And yes—you are anointed to thrive.

👉 Listen now to find out how God feels about wanting and having wealth as Christian writers!

Transcript

You know, somewhere deep down, many of us carry this quiet guilt about wanting to make money as Christian writers. Like we're doing something wrong by desiring success or dreaming of financial freedom through the words God has given us that if we dream of building a profitable author business or desire wealth, we are being greedy, or worse, unfaithful. And that guilt, it lingers. It makes us second guess our calling and question whether we are still honoring God with our work. But friend, if that's you today, you need to hear this episode.

Because in today's episode we are going to talk about what scripture really says about money and why you don't have to choose between being faithful and and being fruitful.

Stick around. You don't want to miss this. This is episode 21.

I'm Urcelia Teixeira, ex real estate agent turned award winning Christian fiction author. When I wrote my first novel on a bucket list whim, I had no idea it would spark a spirit spiritual journey that would redefine my calling.

But you know what friend? Self publishing wasn't easy. I got caught in the hustle, chasing rankings and sales while desperately trying to stay rooted in Christ. Now, by God's grace, I'm building my author business his way.

And now he's called me to help you do the same. Welcome to the Anointed Scribe Podcast where faith meets business for Christian writers. Lets write, publish and grow our author business God's way.

Are you ready? Well then, let's get started.

Hey, it's your author friend, Urcelia. And welcome back to the Anointed Scribe Podcast where we build thriving author businesses God's way.

As always, I am so thankful thankful to be here. And I am thrilled you are here with me today. Because today's episode is one of those conversations we don't have often enough.

And I believe it's one we shouldn't shy away from. But before we get into today's topic, if you are new here and this is your first time listening to the show, let me officially welcome you to the Anointed Scribe Tribe.

I hope that you are blessed with today's episode and that you enjoy it enough to want to come back for more. Because being a Christian author myself, I know this is a resource I would have appreciated back when I first got serious about writing for the Kingdom.

I know firsthand the challenges that come with wanting to serve and honor God with our writing and at the same time wanting to hit bestseller lists and earn a decent living.

There are many challenges, of which most are rooted in worldly business principles that clash with Scripture and our relationship with God. Right?

But thankfully, after trying to run things my way, God has set me free from the hustle and striving and showed me his way to write, publish and thrive as a Christian writer.

And so that's what this podcast is all about.

So welcome.

And if you are a regular listener and subscriber, I just want to say thank you for tuning in again. Your showing up here each week honestly means the world to me.

I appreciate your willingness to share in the Facebook group and via the Message Me show link, and I'm just so humbled that you trust me with your time and heart.

It's such a blessing to be included in your writing journey. So really, honestly, thank you.

I want to also remind you that I have a Google folder full of free templates, Bible plans and writing tools that I personally use. And if you sign up for my newsletter, I'll send you the link to access my entire resource library for free.

You'll find the signup link in the show description and the show notes okay, so let's dive into today's episode because I know this is often something that comes up and it's foundational in our author business.

Fair warning though, it might jump around a bit initially, but hopefully it'll all come together in the end. So just stay with me, okay? Because what I want to talk to you about today is something that many of us, as Christian creatives and entrepreneurs wrestle with, but often we keep it to ourselves.

It's this lingering feeling of guilt and even shame around wealth and making money from our books.

For some reason, the moment we start thinking about wanting to be financially free, wanting wealth and building a successful business from selling our books, this little voice creeps in, questioning whether it's okay to want that, whether it's okay to be profitable, whether it's okay to dream about abundance without feeling like you are betraying your faith somehow. We even go as far as feeling that we are not humble if we earn a decent living from selling our books like it's a sin to be successful.

We feel guilty to firstly want to make money and then when it comes, we feel ashamed of having it. And I get it. That guilt. It's real. I've felt it.

Many of you feel it.

Maybe you are there right now.

But I want to tell you right out the gate that feeling guilt or shame is not coming from God.

The guilt and shame you may feel around wanting to make or have money, it's not holy and it's certainly not Biblical Feeling guilty or ashamed for making money is not Holy Spirit conviction or God's doing.

It is 100% the enemy lying to you.

In fact, I fully believe that the desire to grow a successful, profitable author business can be and absolutely is Biblical.

I believe that God wants us to be financially fruitful. He wants us to prosper in the good work of our hands, especially when our hearts are fully surrendered to Him.

Now, I know all this might be a bit uncomfortable to hear, especially if you've been taught directly or indirectly that money and ministry can't coexist. But hear me out, please, okay?

Because I'm going to substantiate my claim with Scripture backing it up with the truth, the Word of God.

And here's the truth about guilt and why I know that feeling guilty about having money is not biblical because the Word of God says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

That's Romans 8:1.

What does this scripture have to do with feeling guilty about having or wanting money from selling books? Well, let's dig into it.

The amplified Bible expands this word condemnation to no guilty verdict and no punishment.

The dictionary defines the word condemnation as a strong expression of disapproval or the act of judging someone or something as wrong or bad.

Now let's read Romans 8:1:2 from the Passion translation, which often puts things into better perspective for me. And it says it like this.

So now the case is closed. You can just imagine a court case going on, huh? So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life union with Jesus the Anointed One.

Now here, verse two for the law of the Spirit of life flowing through the anointing of Jesus has liberated us from the law of sin and death.

Friend, that Jesus anointing is what makes of us anointed scribes.

It's what has set us free from feeling any guilt or shame about our writing and our business.

See, because when Jesus Spirit dwells within you, you cannot be condemned, that is, be found guilty or judged for doing something wrong.

But only if we are joined in life union with Jesus.

How do we do this?

By daily abiding in him, reading the Word of God, praying, meeting with God over our business in our writing, communing with God the Father, Jesus His Son and His Holy Spirit.

Because if we are in life union with the Spirit of life, guilt and shame cannot also be present in your life and your business.

That's what Romans 8:1 tells us in no uncertain terms, that there is no condemnation for those Who? What are in Jesus Christ?

None. No judgment, no guilty verdict, no punishment if you are joined in union with Jesus.

See, guilt and shame are often at the root of the unease we feel around money. If we feel guilty about wanting to be financially free, about desiring wealth, as an author, we contradict Romans 8 by accepting condemnation and allowing ourselves to feel guilty, which then leads to shame.

Now, it's important to understand the difference between guilt and shame, because they're not the same thing, even though they are often linked together.

The word guilty in the Oxford Dictionary is defined as feeling ashamed because you have done something that you know is wrong or. Or shouldn't have done.

See, guilt usually comes from something we did, some action we took that impacted others or that we believe went against what is right.

But shame, Shame goes much deeper. Shame doesn't just say, I did something wrong.

Shame says, I am wrong. It ties your actions to your actual identity.

So when you say I feel guilty about making money,

what you are actually implying is that you believe making money is a mistake, or worse, that you are wrong for wanting it.

And guilt leads to shame, which is in direct conflict with your identity as a Christian writer in Christ. You already have your identity in Christ.

It creates this internal conflict between who you are in Christ and what you are being called to do.

And you know what? It's what the enemy wants.

If he can make us feel guilty for wanting money and ashamed for having it. When the harvest comes, the harvest that God promises us, then we can't do the work God has called us to do, Right?

You see, Satan can't penetrate your heart without penetrating your mind first.

Your feelings originate in your mind first. He'll twist your thoughts just enough to get you questioning what God has already affirmed in Scripture. There is no condemnation. That is what God's already affirmed in Scripture.

That's why the Bible teaches us to renew our minds daily on the word of God. And if you don't take those thoughts captive, they will transpire into your feeling guilty and ashamed for running a profitable author business.

You see, the enemy will have you believe that as a Christian entrepreneur, you shouldn't be wealthy and that it contradicts humility that if you profit well from selling your books, you have somehow forfeited your faith that you can't be both spiritually and financially free.

I see it all the time. Christian authors who feel led to write, who feel called to build a business. But somewhere along the way, they start to question whether it's selfish or prideful to want financial success from Their books.

They love Jesus, they want to honor him. But they are afraid that by charging for their books, by building their brand, by dreaming of profit, they are somehow stepping outside of God's will.

Well friend, I beg to differ.

Now let me just speak some truth over that for a moment. God is not intimidated by your desire for abundance. He's not offended by your dreams and goals to want to be wealthy and financially free.

And you know why friend? Because he is the one who gives you the ability to produce wealth.

Deuteronomy 8:18 says, but remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth and so confirms his covenant, his promise, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is to today.

Wealth is not something you are conjuring up by yourself, friend.

God gave you the gifts, the creativity, the passion, the step by step guidance, and yes, even the entrepreneurial spirit.

God is giving you power to make wealth, to make money from selling your books.

And so you see friend, when we understand that God is the source of all provision, that everything we have flows from his hand, then we begin to see money not as a reward or something we need to feel guilty for having, but as a resource, a tool for kingdom purpose.

Now I want you to take a minute and think about this quick.

Where in the Bible does it say that having money is bad?

That being wealthy disqualifies you from righteousness? You won't find it. In fact, there are countless examples of men God blessed abundantly. Abram, Isaac, Joseph, David, Solomon. These were people God used powerfully.

And many of them were very, very wealthy.

But here's the thing.

It wasn't their wealth that led them to sin and caused their downfalls. It was their love of money,

their motives behind their wealth.

The issue was always their heart posture. Because here's the truth. Money itself isn't the problem. It's neutral. It's not good or evil. It simply reflects the heart of the one who holds it.

There's this scripture in the Bible that says money is the root of all evil.

And it often gets quoted by Christians as a means to warn against pride and arrogance associated with having money. But when Paul said this in 1 Timothy 6:10, he wasn't condemning money. He wasn't saying having money is bad. He was warning against loving it, against idolizing it, against building your whole identity on it.

The problem isn't having money, it's when money has you.

And that's where we need to do the heart check, right?

Why do you want to make money? Is it to impress people, to prove something to someone, to stroke your ego, to feel important, to look a certain way, perhaps the way the world says you should look. When you have money, do you equate success as an author with driving a nice car, luxury travel, or having a healthy bank balance?

Because if that's what's driving you, friend, then yes, your identity is tied up in money. And it's pride that it's at the root of your desire to want money.

But if you want to make money so you can tithe faithfully, bless others, support your church, invest in your family, and fund kingdom work, then, friend, that's not greedy or pride.

That's what the word of God says is godly stewardship.

When you get to the root of why you want money, you'll uncover what's really driving your guilt. Because when your motive is aligned with God's purpose, there is no room for shame or guilt.

So many of us carry guilt around abundance because we've been taught that holiness means lack, that humility equals poverty, that being spiritual means living on the edge of burnout and struggle. But that is simply not the heart of God.

Jesus himself said, I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. That's John 10:10. Now, that abundantly doesn't necessarily equate to financial abundance. It's spiritual abundance. But when spiritual abundance comes, financial abundance follows.

Abundant life isn't about private jets or prosperity preaching or name it and claim it affirmations.

It's about living in the overflow of God's goodness, spiritually, emotionally, and yes, financially, so that we can pour out into others into serving our kingdom. You see, God will pour in if you pour out.

Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, more than all we ask or imagine.

That's the kind of God we serve, friend. A God of abundance, not scarcity. A God of provision, not punishment.

And when we trust him, when we walk in obedience and surrender, he blesses the work of our hands. Not always in ways the world understands, but in ways that build the kingdom.

So if you've been feeling that tug, that guilt or hesitation when you start to dream a little bigger, when you think about charging more or scaling your business or finally stepping into financial freedom,

I want you to pause and ask yourself this. Who told you that was wrong?

Because I guarantee you, it wasn't God.

It might have been tradition, it might have been church culture, it might have been the enemy, but it wasn't the voice of your heavenly Father,

God. Is not looking to condemn you ever. He's looking to equip you and transform you. He's looking to raise up faithful writers, anointed scribes who are unafraid to step into both purpose and prosperity not for their own glory, but for his.

I wholeheartedly believe that as Christians we should absolutely be blessed with money IF, and this is a big capital IF, we give God the credit for providing it.

If first we seek the kingdom and its righteousness,

if we do not have selfish desires or motives for wanting money, and if we give tithe and offer to build uplift and grow the kingdom of God.

The Bible is full of scriptures to support how God feels about us having abundantly more than we can ever imagine.

But it also warns us. It warns us to not make an idol of money, not to take all the credit for having it, and to not be boastful about it.

So let me leave you with this friend.

You are allowed to make money. You are allowed to prosper. You are allowed to be a Christian and an entrepreneur.

You are allowed to thrive in your calling.

As long as you don't love money more than you love God.

Just stay surrendered. Keep your motives pure, give God the glory tithe and be generous with your giving.

Stay rooted in the Word and never ever let guilt talk you out of the very thing God is trying to bless you with.

Friend, you are anointed to write, you are anointed to earn. And yes, say it with me. You are anointed to thrive.

Friend. Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of the Anointed Scribe podcast. I would love, love, love to know what resonated most with you today. So do let me know by leaving a review in the show description please.

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If you want to continue discussions on today's episode or just want to connect with me directly, I love if you join the Anointed Scribe tribe, you'll find the link to my private Facebook group in the show description.

So friend, I hope that you are leaving feeling inspired, encouraged and on fire to step boldly into your calling as a writer chosen and set apart to fulfill a unique purpose in God's plan.

I look forward to our next episode together. And remember, for such a time as this, this you have been called to thrive as God's anointed scribe.