In the course of Releasing Kings, one of the challenges in the church is getting Christians to get their hands dirty with filthy lucre. Money is really just a medium of exchange, and it is neither good nor evil. In fact, all ministry costs money, so the folks who are too spiritual to make it or handle it are usually in the offering camp of poverty, please send me your money."
Our minds ask, "Does God want me to have money?" Here is one answer, of many.
I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full. Proverbs 8:17-21 NIV
Our hearts ask, "Why does God want me to have money?" The simplest answer is ministry. If you want to be part of the Kingdom, it starts with learning to multiply finances so that you can convert some of it to ministry. If fact, the newest spiritual reality of marketplace ministry is that if you haven't learned how to make and multiply money, you've missed out on one aspect of the gospel, the one that results in ministry. First we learn to make money and then we learn to convert it to the true riches of eternal ministry. Not too complicated, is it? When you are involved in an activity that generates a lot of money, you are considered rich in money, but when you create a system of activity for others to generate money and success, then you are considered wealthy, having true riches. Then, those you bless can also convert money into ministry. It's actually quite contagious and fun.
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? Luke 16:10-12 NIV
It's not Magic
Our tradition is that if we seek the Kingdom first, then God will give us money and take care of all our needs (Mt 6:33). The problem is that we haven't usually made a distinction between church and Kingdom, so that verse translates seeking the church first and putting money in the offering plate and hoping for a miracle, in reality, a formula for poverty! There are seven mountains in the Kingdom. The church is one mountain; that equips the saints for the work of ministry in the other six. Our mandate is to go into the other six.
Wealth and wisdom are connected in Scripture. The wealth of the wise is their crown (Prov 14:24). Just as in the parables of the talents and the minas, we are given the opportunity to multiply money and, depending upon our success, we are rewarded with the opportunity to be stewards over cities / ministry. Wisdom is a wealth mentality that has both a strategy to make and multiply money, and a vision to convert it to ministry. That's how Kingdom ministry works. We're not throwing rocks at the church. Taking offerings for priests who make disciples is great. By contrast, Kings operate in the six other mountains and they fund their ministry out of their own ability to multiply wealth.
The Wealth Mentality
What's the wisdom behind people who live in abundance and minister out of the overflow of their hearts and their finances? They all have a few common ingredients.
1. Heart's desire: Wealthy people enjoy what they do and they see the connection between their work to generate wealth, and ministry. They are doing the Father's business and putting the Kingdom first, and they enjoy the process because they realize that God put that desire in their hearts. They are not ashamed to simply do what they enjoy in the marketplace. What is in their heart and what is in God's heart is the same thing.
Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. John 5:19-20 NIV
2. Blessing people and nations: The wealth mentality blesses other people. Wealth isn't defined by the amount of money in the bank. It's the wisdom, integrity, character and creativity that will generate money and ministry in the future that define true riches. People who have wealth always include others on their team in a way that blesses them and helps those people reach their goals… employees, partners, investors, customers, suppliers, etc.
"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Gen 12:2-3 NIV
3. Character: People with the wisdom to create wealth and convert money into ministry have a hidden depth of character, as opposed to a public display of spirituality. They are willing to work hard on their heart's desire. They are also willing to invest in themselves to improve their performance. John Wooden is considered the most successful college coach in sports. He coached basketball at UCLA and won eleven national championships. His trademark skill was his ability to bring the best out of his players both on and off the court. He loved them, and his goals for his players went far beyond the game. He invested in their lives. Over the years he developed a Pyramid of Success that summarized the character qualities required to achieve greatness. I want to suggest that it is one of the great contributions to understanding Biblical integrity. Developing those character qualities is one of my continuing lifetime goals. I'm investing in myself when I develop them.
The integrity of the upright guides them. Proverbs 11:3 NIV
4. Hidden: Just as a practical example, I doubt that Mike Huckabee or Sarah Palin can get elected as president in the US. They are both Christians with excellent credentials and I would vote for either of them. However, in public, they have worn their spirituality on their sleeve in a way that alienates others. They have not been wise in their public display of spirituality. Politicians are elected on the merits of their political ideas that make others successful, nothing else. The best ideas are Godly, but it is unwise to suggest that we have a special connection with God, with the unstated implication that others do not (even if might be true!). It disrespects the values of others whose votes they need to get elected. Giving glory to God is a private devotion based on our public success. Giving glory to God publicly, in the church mountain, is great; it doesn't work the same way in the other mountains.
"But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:17-18 NASU
Substitute your work in your mountain for fast/fasting in the above verse and read it.
John Garfield
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