Earlier in the week, a friend sent me a link to J.D. Payne’s blog “Missiologically Thinking” about the #1 critical issue facing North American church planters. Care to take a guess? Yep, money. In fact you could easily substitute North American church planters for missionaries, foreign ministers, foreign church planters, inner city workers, itinerant preachers or any other Gospel worker who isn’t serving a larger, established congregation. According to J.D.:

“Of all the leaders in the Kingdom who should receive compensation for their labors, missionaries rank at the top of the list. These church planters are on the front lines of Kingdom advancement, laboring in trenches where the enemy is the most ferocious. There is clear biblical support that speaks on matters related to supporting those doing such apostolic labors. Therefore, I want you to know that I fully believe that is good and proper to provide financial support to missionaries.”

As one currently raising financial support for foreign service I wholeheartedly agree with J.D.’s assessment. Last week I let my emotions get the best of me on another bloggers post forcing me to issue an apology on his blog and then write through it here. The tone might have been a bit whiney but the sentiment was correct. Something is wrong when many American preachers make a comfortable living and foreign servants facing the front lines have to take a vow of poverty to extend the kingdom. Yet, this week I was reminded of something that I had almost forgotten in the melee of emotion...from theartistfarm.com “What Truly Wealthy People Know About Money:

“In the deepest sense money isn’t real. It’s true. Intrinsically it has no real value. It’s just a fancy piece of paper. If you were to take our money to an alien world what could you use it for? Money is simply a mutually agreed upon token we use to exchange for things that provide REAL VALUE to us like food, community, comfort and shelter. It is the thing we buy with money or the thing people buy from us that has actual value.”

(I’m speaking mainly to my missionary colleagues here) Didn’t Jesus tell us not to worry? Didn’t Jesus say our heavenly father would provide? It is so easy to forget that money has no intrinsic value, only that it is used solely to barter for what people find valuable. If through our work we can extend what is truly valuable, what is priceless, that which money can’t buy we will never be without. Brothers, and fellow laborers, heed these words: “But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” Luke 12:31

Instead of seeking money, seek to provide value in your preaching, in your counsel, in your friendships, in your care, and in your leadership. Trust that what you’re offering is so valuable that giving it away will always create provision. Seek the Kingdom first, and all else will be added to you.

Tags: Money, Missionary Life, Missions