05/22/2026
FINANCIAL INTEGRITY IN LIFE AND MINISTRY
I have been thinking about Financial Integrity, about how it is one of the most important aspects of ministry. How we "acquire" money and how we spend it are important. The Bible does teach us about man's relationship with money.
So here are a few thoughts that are on my mind:
1. Firstly we should remember that to serve in the ministry is a "high calling" from God. It is a holy calling. We live our lives before God, and He sees everything. Because of this we should resolve from the onset to establish and maintain 100% integrity in the way in which we handle money.
2. Choose to live comfortably but modestly. Don't live at a standard of living that is high above those who make sacrifices to support your ministry. This is a good "rule of the thumb" to live by. You do not always HAVE to have the latest and the most expensive things just because it is trendy in the world around us. In the New Testament, CONTENTMENT is a big thing, as opposed to "covetousness" which in the Greek simply means "A greedy desire to have more than what we already have". If we live simple lives of thanksgiving, contentment, and selfless sacrifice, then God's provisions will always flow our way!
3. In the ministry EVERYTHING that we have is God's. This is called the principle of "stewardship" as opposed to "ownership". Because we are stewards of God's provisions, we do not hoard for ourselves, but sow and invest into God's work. Help the poor, give to missions, etc. Jesus Himself said in Matt 6:19-21 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also".
4. If God uses you in the supernatural, then inevitably you will have a God-given influence over people that is because of the anointing upon your life. That influence is a holy thing, to be used as a conduit of God's blessings to others. NEVER use that influence to sell products to make money, or to prophesy over people to manipulate them to give to you financially. As a man of God your trust should be in God alone, and He will take care of you. Of course, if you are a businessman who is doing ministry on the side using your earnings to spread the Gospel, that is commendable and good. This is an area that we have to be careful with.
5. If money is given to you for a particular purpose, never use it for other things, even if these "other things" are pressing needs in other areas of the ministry. Use the money given for an express purpose for that purpose alone, and not for other things. Be very clear about these things. It is called "integrity". Sometimes ministries raising money put a phrase in very small print that "any excess funds may be used for other purposes" to cover themselves legally. Remember that legal loopholes never define morals, ethics or honesty. We should be 100% honest, simple, and clear with money.
6. Be very honest and transparent with how you spend money. If we have integrity we have nothing to hide. Britta and I decided years ago that anybody who gives to our ministry or prays for us can come and look at our books to see how we spend the money that God's people have entrusted to us. If they so desire they can come and see how we live our lives before God and before man. We have nothing to hide from God or from man.
There is a lot more that can be said, but I will close with this thought:
As ministers, when it comes to money, our marriages, our children, our relationships etc, let us live pure and transparent lives that please the Father and are an example for the next generation of believers. Let us be humble, accessible to people, living joyful lives of service, bringing glory to our Lord and Saviour in all things.