Are You Ready to TalkAbout MoneyIn Your Church?

A new member approaches you to ask,

“How much should I give to our church?”

You respond …

A. “That’s a very important decision. So important that I could not possibly advise you on it”

B. “Pick a number – any number”

C. “What I do is give a percentage of my income. It’s a way of sharing what I have”

D. “Well, how much do you pay for your gym membership?”

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When the offering plate is passed …

… our people treat it like … A. A restaurant cheque no one wants to pay

B. Something embarrassing that should not be looked at

C. A symbol of generosity

D. Smelly cheese

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Our annual stewardship program …

… is as eagerly anticipated as …

A. The opening auditions for American Idol

B. April 30th

C. Actually, our focus on giving is year-round, not yearly

D. Wait, we’re supposed to do this every year?

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When our church …

… talks about money A. We argue

B. We change the subject as soon as possible

C. We envision the future

D. We don’t

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A newcomer to our church says,

“Some people say our church is in a financial crisis. What does that mean?”

You respond …

A. “We never have enough money to do what we need to do”

B. “The newcomers are not pledging enough”

C. “Our resources are great, but we have not figured out how to engage them”

D. “The minister wants a raise”

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Our church budget is …

A. A top-secret document

B. Available and understandable to anyone who is a CA

C. A tool for communicating our mission and ministry

D. Written in invisible ink, buried in a cave and awaiting discovery

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A long term member tells you that …

… tithing 10% of his income to the church has given him great joy throughout his life.

You respond by …

A. Pretending you do not know what tithing means

B. Saying, “I’m sorry, you must have mistaken us for a cult”

C. Asking him why he gives, what tithing feels like and how he got started

D. Tipping him

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Giving to other charitable organizations

Is different from giving to the church because …

A. You get a tote bag

B. You receive special treatment

C. Giving to the church is a tangible expression of your faith

D. You will be asked to stand and take a bow

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Jesus talked about money a good deal

Because … A. He grew up in the Great Depression

B. He got tired of talking about God all the time

C. He recognized that how we use money says a lot about what we value

D. He wanted to annoy people

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When a stewardship sermon starts …

… my first thought is … A. “Did I leave the oven on?”

B. “I’m so glad my shallow, materialistic neighbour is here to hear this”

C. “I wonder what God might have to say to me about my own stewardship practices?”

D. “OK, hit me with your best shot, hot stuff”

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People with healthy attitudes …

… toward money … A. Never talk about it

B. Never stop talking about it

C. Talk naturally about money as an integral aspect of their discipleship

D. Are sooo glad this quiz is over

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If you answered “C” to any question

You may be ready to talk about money in your church.

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If you answered “A”, “B”, and “D”

You might want to give some thought to revising your thinking!

Recommended reading -Giving to God: The Bible’s Good News About Living a Generous Lifeby Mark Allan Powell

Remember –

No matter who you or where you are on life’s journey,

Your generosity is welcome here.

GOD is still giving.

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With thanks to The United Church of Christ

Used and adapted with permission

Written by

Rev’d Lillian Daniel

Rev’d Martin B. Copenhaver

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