How to approach congregational conversations about money

Talking about money is a spiritual imperative.

It’s that time again! Many congregations launch stewardship campaigns in the fall to coincide with budgeting for the following fiscal year. Talking about money can be awkward for pastors because the largest portion of most church budgets is devoted to personnel costs. This is not a bad thing, by the way. Staff is the most consistent, forward-looking asset a congregation has.

It can feel self-serving to urge people to give more so that compensation line items, among others, are fully funded. Talking about money can be hard for parishioners because they don’t have enough for day-to-day expenses, they have accumulated significant debt or they have been taught that finances are private matters.

Photo by Josh Appel on Unsplash.

But in a world dominated by capitalism, most of us are hearing and thinking about money – and certainly spending it – every day. The Church shouldn’t be a haven where we don’t have to discuss it. Church should be the place where we learn how to utilize money in ways that are consistent with our faith. Here are some spiritual frameworks for addressing the spiritual side of stewardship:

Keep reading on the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship blog.