Church folks often say that they do not want people to know about their financial situation.  “My money is a private matter” is their standard answer. Yet, these same folks will go to buy a car and disclose every bit of their money history to a complete stranger.  People will sit down with a tax preparer at various sites and completely share all of their financial lives with a person they have never met before. Folks talk about money all of the time, but they do not want to do so at church. 

So much of that comes from the reluctance of the pastor to talk about money.  Pastors usually only get into any sharing about money, when forced to preach an annual stewardship sermon.  But we have to change this pattern, if we are going to grow disciples of Jesus Christ.  Discipleship includes our money.

It is not just about how much money we are giving to the church. Discipleship and money is so much more.  It involves how we view money, using credit, and saving for the future.  But the church will never have any influence in this area of discipleship, if pastors fail to talk about money. Map out a plan in preaching and teaching about discipleship to include discussions of money.  It will make a difference.