“Read that and weep.” This was the not-so-cheery announcement from our church’s business manager when he dropped the monthly financial statements on my desk.
My heart skipped a beat and my nerves cranked up as I anticipated some bleak reading. It certainly wasn’t the most encouraging end of month statements I’d ever read.
Our manager was a good man (and still is I assume), competent and generally efficient. However, these attributes don’t always equal financial intelligence. It’s not smart to approach a financial challenge with doom-and-gloom, read-this-and-weep kinds of pronouncements.
We had a heart-to-heart conversation. I coached him in how to deliver bad news and help me process it in a healthy way. He took my advice on board and smartened up.
On my journey I’ve discovered godly and honest Christian leaders sometimes lack financial intelligence. They are often naïve and not always shrewd when it comes to money matters. These levels of naivety and ignorance are unfortunate with sometimes serious outcomes. I believe no Christian leader should neglect the development of their wisdom in financial matters.
I believe every Christian leader, every pastor, every key leader in your church should seek to become financially intelligent. Our call to serve Christ demands us to serve Him wholeheartedly with prudence, wisdom, and courage. But never with stupidity and ignorance.
Financial intelligence is vital
Financial intelligence is important for our personal and family economic well-being. However, if we focus only on our own financial needs, we risk missing the primary point of becoming financially intelligent and fiscally responsible as church leaders.
Our journey to becoming financially smart enables us to help others improve their financial world. I’ve helped scores of church boards and pastors with their finances through the lessons we have learned.
And I ultimately had a crucial conversation with our business manager about how to deliver bad financial news to your boss. I encouraged him to approach financial challenges with confidence and faith and not yield to despair. Dare I say I think I helped him grow his financial intelligence.
Think about this
Your leadership world forces you to find courage to face daunting circumstances.
Your financial world demands courage to face reality.
Your leadership world requires you to manage risk appropriately.
Your financial world involves risk whenever you decide to invest or conversely not invest.
Your leadership world entails patience and self-control.
Your financial world thrives when you diligently delay gratification.
Your leadership world necessitates refraining from covetousness and hankering after what other church leaders have.
Your financial world prospers when you reject greed and embrace contentment.
Your leadership world requires you to love Jesus with all your heart and soul.
Your financial world flourishes when you refuse to love money.
A rarely understood benefit of growing your financial intelligence is the growth in spiritual fruitfulness you will experience. Jesus defined money as ultimately a heart issue. Your heart follows your treasure so when you disciple your treasure you are discipling your heart.
Character development is central to Christian leadership and yes, it’s primary when it comes to developing financial intelligence. In ordering your financial world you need diligence, generosity, goodness and self-control. If you become an investor these attributes become even more vital. Of course, the very same attributes are vital in your leadership world.
As already stated, there is a core connection between you working on your financial intelligence and you working on your leadership life.
Here’s an interesting thing I have observed.
The same attributes developed with financial intelligence boosts both your money world and your leadership life.
People with poor financial habits—who are sloppy or stingy with their money, who spend with minimal self-control and mismanage their own finances—usually don’t succeed over time in leading a church into fruitfulness.
Money Money Money
Money plays a significant role in the lives of the people we shepherd. They earn it, count it, spend it, save it, and perhaps invest it. However, many people are financially illiterate and are bereft of understanding how to manage money well.
The people you lead often have a limited understanding of budgeting, savings and investments. They struggle with the love of money and avarice. In other words, they are human and need discipling in their financial world.
How easy is it to rack up credit card debt? Many of us have experienced the temptation to spend impulsively. And there is the common misconception that a car is an asset. With all of this, many struggle to be generous because of their misshaped priorities.
Church leaders must grow in financial intelligence
An often-unrealized truth is Christian leaders need to become financially intelligent for the sake of their flock. This means you, as a church leader, need to have a working knowledge of personal finances including budgeting, savings, retirement provisions, debt, interest rates, various investments, crypto, and so on.
Over the years I’ve made it my mission to improve my financial intelligence.
In the course of my own financial education, I have attended investment seminars, read widely, listened to podcasts, and watched YouTube videos. I’ve talked to people who’ve done well with their money and sought to understand their mindset and the strategies they’ve employed to increase their net worth.
I’ve bought and sold shares. I’ve bought and sold properties. I’ve bought and sold crypto. I’ve lost money. I’ve made money.
I’ve also wrestled with the greed, and love of money which afflicts my heart. I’ve learned to be content, grow rich slowly, and be extravagant in my generosity. I’ve allowed the Lord to change me and shape me to be a wise and prudent steward.
Primarily I chased an education.
I see this as the way of wisdom.
I think it’s the way of Jesus because there has never lived anyone wiser than Jesus when it comes to money.
This excerpt is from my new book, Financial Intelligence for Church Leaders, coming out in April. Click below to join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is published
