10/05/2026
MONTHLY PASTOR LETTER -- October 2026
Good or Bad
To the uninitiated, it might be surprising how much the Bible says about money, possessions, and wealth and how contradictory those messages can sometimes seem to be. In 1 Timothy we are told “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith.” In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus says “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus, in particular, seems to take a dim view of accumulating wealth.
And yet 1 Chronicles and 1 Kings tell us David was “full of riches” and that his son, Solomon “excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.” The book of Job begins by describing Job’s great wealth and God says of Job “There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.” In the New Testament Joseph of Arimathea, Cornelius, Joanna, Philemon, and Lydia, among others, are all described as wealthy Christians and are lifted up as good examples of Christian discipleship.
So, is wealth good or bad? As is often the case, the answer is more nuanced than can be fully addressed in this space, but one element to consider is the purpose of wealth for those who possess it. Job, David, and Solomon are portrayed as people for whom devotion to God is more important than the acquisition and accumulation of wealth. And for the New Testament figures listed above, wealth does not appear to be an end in itself but rather a means to help others and to support Jesus and the fledgling church.
As confusing as the messaging about wealth can be in scripture, one consistent thread seems to be that what we have is a gift from God and with God’s gifts come the expectation that we will use those gifts to serve God’s purposes. When wealth is craved, sought after, worshipped, it becomes an idol. But when wealth is shared and dedicated to God’s work, it becomes a tool to help build the Kingdom.
The Bible talks a lot about money and resources and how we use them, which is why the church teaches stewardship. It is not a bad thing to be well-compensated for one’s work, to inherit generational wealth, or to be frugal and accumulate savings. But part of being a person of faith is good stewardship of what we have been given. Which means using some of those gifts to train disciples, spread the good news of Jesus Christ, support missions that are doing God’s work in the world, and provide opportunities for worship and spiritual growth to all who would seek them. And since none of us can do those things effectively on our own, we come together as a church community to do them together.
The Overbrook Stewardship Campaign is upon us and over the next few weeks, you’re going to be hearing more about how our church is serving God and how we can contribute to that good work out of the gifts God has given us. I hope you will receive that message and join me in prayerfully committing to be a part of God’s Kingdom-building work here at Overbook Church in the coming year.
Bill Gause
https://overbrookchurch.org/
