Most pastors admit they are hesitant to preach about money. I understand their reluctance because I once shared it.
However, I learned that my fears were not valid—nothing bad happened. In fact, the results were just the opposite.
Here’s why I love to preach about money:
1. Because I Love Knowing God Is Pleased With Me.
According to Acts 20:20 and 27, faithful pastors will not shrink back from preaching anything that is profitable for their people. When I preach about money, I refuse to shrink from my duty. That makes God happy with me and I like feeling His pleasure.
2. Because I Love Teaching the Major Themes in God’s Word.
I love preaching the great themes of the Bible such as sin, grace, justification, and heaven. Great themes have great power and are a delight to proclaim. Financial stewardship is one of those great themes.
You’ve heard the statistics. The Bible has over 2,000 references to money and the management of money. The book of Proverbs alone is filled with them. Jesus talked more about money than about any other subject, including heaven and hell. Of Jesus’ thirteen parables, sixteen deal with money. One out of every ten verses in the gospels has to do with money or possessions, a total of 288 verses.
3. Because I Love Teaching on Subjects That Fascinate People.
It’s fun to preach sermons with immediate, practical life applications because you know people have a felt need for them. When I preached through Romans, it was hard to focus people’s attention on the imputation of Adam’s sin. However, it’s easy to keep your audience’s attention when preaching on money, because everyone is interested in it!
4. Because I Love to See My Preaching Transform Lives.
I’ve never been satisfied to preach a sermon for its own sake. I want to see it make a difference in my people’s lives. I can’t think of any other biblical theme that does this so quickly. Every year I saw people’s lives transformed by my stewardship preaching. Moms came home to raise their kids, couples quit fighting over money, people cut up their credit cards, and tippers were transformed into tithers. Ministry just doesn’t get any better than that.
5. Because I Love the Satisfying Feeling of Tackling a Tough Subject Head-on for the Good of My People.
When you preach on stewardship, you go home Sunday afternoon knowing you did a courageous thing for your flock. I love that feeling.
6. Because I Love Talking to People Who Are Thankful.
During the twenty years I was a senior pastor, I received more expressions of gratitude for preaching about money, than for any other subject. When God used my stewardship sermons to get people out of debt, reduce marital conflict, and bring them financial blessings, they couldn’t thank me enough. I confess I like being thanked.
7. Because I Love to Have Fun.
Some of the most fun preaching experiences I shared with my people were in stewardship sermons. It’s not hard to find things to laugh about when talking about money. And it helps disarm the defensive: “A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down.”
Well, those are the 7 reasons why I love to preach about money.
Pastor, don’t miss out on the fun. Schedule a stewardship series. Go into the pulpit with a positive attitude and lots of humor. Watch God work.
And have a great time!