The Christian Minister and Financial Security by Dr. Jeff Iorg (with commentary by Daniel Fusco)

Climbing the Mountain of Financial Security

 

I recently heard this message by Dr. Jeff Iorg, who is the President of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, in Mill Valley, CA.  Dr. Iorg’s website can be found at www.jeffiorg.com.  I was blessed by the message and thought that it would be a benefit to those reading the articles on the Calvary Church Planting Network.  Dr. Iorg graciously forwarded me the bones of the message.  I will give my own commentary in italics (all of Dr. Iorg’s material is in normal type).  I think that this message is important because many well meaning Christian ministers are just plain naïve when it comes to dealing with money.

Introduction

1.     Stock market meltdown, lost retirement savings, lost income on investments, lost confidence in our financial future has marked the past few weeks.

2.     Financial pressure creates stress in our lives. 

3.     God wants us to us money appropriately and live stress free in this area.

Dr. Iorg’s focus for the Seminary where he is the President was to prepare the students for a life in full time Christian service.  Part of that life is dealing with finances.  When this message was delivered (October 23, 2008), it was in the midst of some of the most volatile times in the New York Stock Exchange.  There is abundant discussion of a ‘global recession’.  As the Seminary students prepare to enter the ministry, having a clear vision and outline for their financial life is essential.

Body

1.      Financial security rests on affirming all we have belongs to God.

a.   God owns everything by creation.

            Gen. 1:1  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Rev. 4:11  “Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and because of your will they exist and were created.”

            b.  God owns you, and everything about you, by redemption.

                        Eph. 1:7  “In him we have redemption (purchase back) through his blood…”

                        1 Cor. 6:20  “…for you were bought with a price, therefore glorify God…”

 

This point really needs no commentary.  All of our lives are His and really all that follows here trickles down from this point.  But we must make this affirmation if we are His disciples.

2.      Financial security rests on giving more than a tenth of your money back to God.  Malachi 3:7-12

a.  The tithe (10%) is God’s basic standard of giving.

b.  The tithe (10%) assures us of God’s provision. (Mal  3:10)

c.  The tithe (10%) assures you of God’s protection. (Mal 3:11)

d.  The tithe (10%) is the base – Jesus fulfilled the Law!

Dr. Iorg made the point here that after affirming that all we have is the Lord’s, he immediately made the point that a Christian minister must not be content with just giving a tithe (10^th) but should be a cheerful giver in giving more than a tithe.  He said that he personally would not feel comfortable preaching to the body if he was not giving exceedingly.

3.      Financial security comes from making and using a spending plan – a budget.

Proverbs 20:5  “The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless only becomes poor.”

a.      Make a plan to live within your means.

b.    Make a plan to live on a margin.

c.    Make a plan to live out your priorities.

d.    Work your plan!!

This is a nice, simple, and practical piece of godly advice.  Figuring out what your means on and living within it are essential to financial security.  Dr. Iorg spoke extensively on realizing that you don’t go into the ministry for the money and you have to live differently than those around you.  The Christian minister cannot expect to live like their friends who are executive.  Dr. Iorg’s counsel was to set a budget and understand that there are additional expenses that are unexpected but should be expected.  Cars break down and other things happen so budget in some savings to pay for the expected expenses that happen unexpectedly.

4.      Financial security involves investing in a get rich slow scheme.  Ex. save, invest, and wait

Proverbs 12:11  “The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks sense.”

Dr. Iorg obviously used the ‘get rich slow scheme’ in a tongue in cheek manner.  But the wisdom of this point should not be missed.  He counseled that a Christian minister should systematically save and invest money, a little bit at a time, and trust that it will grow over time (the power of compounding interest).  This is the greatest mistake many Christian ministers make financially.  They think that ‘trusting God’ means being naïve and not thinking through stewardship for the long haul.  Luke 16:1-13 contains the parable of the unjust steward.  In it, Jesus encourages us to be shrewd like the steward (just without the sin).  Now what follows is not, in any way, investment advice.  It is just something for you to think about.   Christian ministers should be wise as serpents and systematically invest in a savings account, retirement plans (even if you never plan on retiring), 529s (to help your kids with college), and other investments.  Dr. Iorg also made the point that traditionally buying a home was one of the finest investments a person could make.  Brothers listen, don’t think it’s unspiritual to plan for your financial future.  Obviously ‘a man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps’.  So be shrewd and plan your way and the Lord will direct you!

5.      Financial security is preserved when you avoid sin taxes. Ex. lottery, cigarettes, liquor, pornography, alimony, child support, greed, etc.

Proverbs 12:3  “Man cannot be made secure by wickedness…”

The final point states what billionaire Warren Buffett says ‘Never lose money’.  The Christian minister preserves his finances by not having to pay extra money for sins that he should never have committed.  If we follow Christ for our lives, there shouldn’t be certain expenditures of capital that other people have.  Godly living should keep us from sin taxes.