Mike's musings

Money and the Church: why the big fuss?

Well, I really set myself up for this one, didn't I? I chose a sparky little title and thought "well, this shouldn't be too difficult to write about, should it?"

So, I started to think about it. What could Jesus have had to say about money? Well, there's the bit about not serving God and Mammon. That's a bit negative. And he mentioned giving unto Caesar that which is Caesar's. That's not too helpful, either. Oh, and giving up all you have to follow him. And there's the very confusing bit about the woman who'd spent all the money on perfume which the disciples thought she'd wasted on him. Or the parable about the woman quietly putting a small amount of money into the collection when the hypocrites made a huge deal about putting in lots. And the whole overturning the stalls of the money-changers in the Temple episode.

Oh dear. Jesus had lots to say about money. And it's, well, not all very positive, is it? My excuse is that I want to look after my family as best as I can. Make sure that they're safe, and happy, and well educated and the rest. And I think that that's quite a good excuse, as they go. I'm intending to be a priest, and not to cost the church much, beyond training. That's good, too, isn't it? So, it should be OK to carry on in a highly paid job whilst other people aren't, as long as I give myself (well, bits of Sundays, and the odd evening a week - not _too_ much, obviously) to God. Well, the church, anyway.

It's actually very difficult, and I struggle with this. These things aren't always easy. There, it's said.

Synchroblog

Today is a "synchroblog" on the subject of "Money and the Church". If you've liked what you read here, or, more particularly, if you didn't, and you'd like to read some other opinions, please visit one of the other participating blogs:

• The Check That Controls at Igneous Quill
• Pushing The Camel: Why there might be more rich people in Heaven than in your local Church at Fernando's desk
• Sally Coleman at Eternal Echoes
• Lord, Won't You Buy Me a Mercedes Benz at Hello Said Jenelle
• Zaque at Johnny Beloved
• Walking with the Camels at Calacirian
• Greed and Bitterness: Why Nobody's Got it Right About Money and The Church at Phil Wyman's Square No More
• Kirk Bartha at Theocity
• Money and the Church: A Fulltime Story at The Pursuit
• But I Gave at Church at The Assembling of the Church
• Moving Out of Jesus Neighborhood at Be the Revolution
• Money and the Church: why the big fuss? at Mike's Musings
• Coffee Hour Morality at One Hand Clapping
• Bling Bling in the Holy of Holies at In Reba's World
• Magazinial Outreach at Decompressing Faith
• Money's too tight to mention at Out of the Cocoon
• Bullshit at The Agent B Files
• The Bourgeois Elephant in the Missional/Emergent Living Room at Headspace
• When the Church Gives at Payneful Memories
• Who, or What, Do You Worship at at Charis Shalom
• Greed at Hollow Again

Labels: church, money, synchroblog