Consistently giving to your church is a big step in your financial health.

It is also the first step.

Many struggle with the idea of giving to their church. There is a barrier between them and the offering plate (or online giving site).

Often the excuses for not giving are based on a misunderstanding of Scripture or a misunderstanding of their church.

Here are five bad excuses for not giving to your church:

1. God doesn’t tell us to give. You question whether the Bible actually directs us to give. The reality is that the Bible is filled with verses about generosity. From Proverbs 3:9 to 1 Timothy 6:17-19, God demonstrates that we were designed, not to be hoarders, but conduits through which His generosity flows. Here are just a few generosity verses found in the Bible.

2. I don’t make enough money. You feel like money is too tight right now, and that giving is for those with surplus. In the first point, we looked at how the Bible directs us to give. As you read verses about giving, you will notice something missing—an exclusion clause. In Luke 6:21-14, we see Jesus commend a poor woman because she gave, not out of surplus, but out of poverty. When the Bible talks about giving, there is no “out.” There are no loopholes or exclusion clauses. To the contrary, those who give out of sacrifice are celebrated more than those who give out of abundance.

3. I am in debt. You feel like your first obligation should be to pay down debt. While you absolutely should pay down debt, giving still takes a priority. You should not let one bad financial decision (getting into significant debt) lead you to make another bad financial decision (not giving).

4. My money won’t make a difference. You feel like your small gift doesn’t really mean much to your church. As a former administrative pastor at a church, I can tell you that it really does make a big difference. It is amazing what God does when a lot of people give a small amount of money. He takes the gifts and multiplies its Kingdom impact. People hear about and trust Jesus as their Savior. Marriages are mended. Addictions are broken. The hungry are fed. And all because you gave.

5. I know how to manage money better than my church. You feel that you know how to better invest your money for impact than your church does. I find that most of the time, this is because the giver doesn’t understand or see the Kingdom impact of their church, often because a lack of involvement. Only on a very rare occasion would I recommend halting one’s church giving. And in those situations, I would simultaneously recommend finding another church. On most occasions, here is what I recommend—meeting with a pastor to hear about the church’s impact and get involved. Your involvement will probably open your eyes and ears to what God is actually doing through the church.

If you are not giving to your local church, take some time and consider how God talks about generosity in the Bible. Talk to your pastor about it. And get involved.

Don’t miss out on financially participating in your local church. Financial health doesn’t end with generosity, it starts with generosity.

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Written by Art Rainer, member of the Summit Stewardship and Generosity Ministry Leadership Team.

The Summit offers a variety of stewardship classes to help equip you to become a faithful steward.

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