A Powerful Verse -“Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust true spiritual riches?” (Luke 16:11). Wow, faithfulness with money causes us to be trusted with true spiritual riches. Having good beliefs and habits about money, creates the foundation for God’s highest purposes for us to be fulfilled. This is an amazing truth!

My Fear About Talking About Finances - I remember as a new senior pastor feeling hesitant to talk about money. Part of it was bad beliefs and theology, but I also didn’t want to be labeled as a “prosperity preacher”. I had seen negative models of “tele-vangelists” who often use various schemes and spiritual pressures to try to pull money out of people. I feared what people would think if I spoke about money. Those fears resulted in me “throwing out the baby with the bathwater”, and I avoided talking about money. But as I began meditating on verses like Luke 16:11, I began to realize I was robbing my people out of one of the greatest areas I could equip them in. 

A Main Purpose of Leadership - Ephesians 4:11-12 talks about what is commonly known as the 5-fold ministry (prophet, teacher, evangelist, apostle, and pastor). It reveals that their purpose is to equip the saints for the work of ministry. I used to have a very narrow view of what it meant to “equip the saints''. I thought it was just to understand the Bible, how to evangelize, heal the sick, be able to use their gifts in serving others etc. Now I believe that equipping the saints for the work of ministry also includes helping people become successful in life’s important skills (to be strong emotionally, relationally, vocationally, physically, and financially). If people are weak in these areas, they cannot do ministry well. 

Too Many People Struggle With Financial Stress - As a pastor, I became convinced that I was going to equip people to become financially successful. This is more than just quoting verses about giving to the church. I believe giving to your local church is very important, but financial success is more than that. I want to help people believe God for incredible provision, overcome poverty mindsets, understand God has empowered them to create wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), learn to invest, overcome debt, and to eradicate poverty around them. Poverty is a curse, and abundance is a blessing (Deuteronomy 28). 

The Zealous Church Financial Team - I remember when we were pastoring in Central Nevada in the 90s, we created a team of faith-filled people who took ownership for the financial success of the church as a whole, and the success of the individuals who were part of the church.When we received the offering in our church meetings, four or five of them would go in a back room and pray blessing and increase over the tithes and offerings. They also would meet twice a month to pray and strategize on how to help our people become successful financially. This was a great season of financial breakthrough for many of our people (and for the church). We also saw a significant increase in the spiritual health of the church. This reinforced to me that our finances truly are the kindergarten of true spiritual riches. 

In closing, let me mention seven spiritual upgrades that will happen when we seek God’s heart and wisdom concerning money (which give insight into why finances is the kindergarten of true spiritual riches). We will have upgrades in:

1. Our integrity - “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold” (Proverbs 22:1). Having integrity (honesty, keeping our word, etc.) means we can be trusted to overcome the temptations that increased finances, increased favor, and increased spiritual power bring. 
2. Our priorities - “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) Putting God first will create a flow of provision of everything we need in life. 
3. Our theology - “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes, He became poor, that through His poverty, you might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) Jesus not only took our sin on the cross, but He took our punishment, shame, rejection, unworthiness, our poverty, debit, and curses so we can live the abundant life He promised in John 10:10  If we have a limited view of what Jesus did on the cross, we will have a limited experience in life. 
4. Our God-concept - “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him.” (Matthew 7:11) We have a good Father! A good Father does not send bad things to make us grow. Romans 2:4 says, “The goodness of God leads us to repentance.” If we have a bad concept about our heavenly Father, we will distance ourselves from the very One who wants to bless us. 
5. Our identity - “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law having become a curse for us. As it is written ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’ that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:13-14). Through faith, like Abrahamm, we are radically blessed people! As we pursue financial growth, our identity will be upgraded to understand who we are in the Lord. Ephesians 1:3 says we have already been blessed with every spiritual blessing!
6. Our generosity - “He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly” (2 Corinthians 9:6) Generosity unlocks the Kingdom. It is clear that generosity and giving on a regular basis taps into a spiritual law that increases the level of abundance we will experience.
7. Our risk-taking -  “And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours” (Matthew 25:25). As we study the Parable of Talents in Matthew 25, we recognize that God has empowered us to increase what we have. Overcoming the fear of failure is part of this process. Those who succeed most will seem to fail most. 
8. Our intentionality - Many financial teachers teach us to purpose to live on 80% of our income, give 10% away, and save 10%. Saving for the future is a biblical concept. Proverbs 21:20 says, “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling but a foolish man devours it.” Proverbs 13:11 says, “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.”  Proverbs 10:4-5 says, “A slack hand causes poverty but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.” There will be times where God asks us to do something radical that doesn’t make financial sense, but being a good steward with our finances requires wisdom and intentionality on a regular basis. The ability to save money will grow us in the character to receive true spiritual riches.

As we focus on finances, it will upgrade our lives in surprisingly massive ways. It truly is the kindergarten of true spiritual riches. 

As we talk about wealth and abundance, I’d like to invite you to join a FREE masterclass I’m doing on March 15th with my friend, Jim Baker. Make sure you're signed up for our newsletter to receive the link to sign up. If you can’t make it live, at 9am or 5pm PT, recordings will be available, but only to those who save their spot ahead of time. We'd love to see you there!