8 Reasons Churches Need to Teach Budgeting

When churches plan their discipleship strategy, too few churches include basic budgeting in their curriculum. Perhaps they assume that most people know how to budget, or maybe they don’t have anyone prepared to teach a budgeting lesson. No matter what the reason for this omission, churches need to teach budgeting. Here’s why:

1. Good stewardship is a basic component of discipleship. God owns all things, and He expects human beings to steward His creation—including the dollars they earn. A failure to budget well is a failure to steward well.
2. Many Christian families are strapped with debt. They made unwise choices in the past, and those choices are costing them in the present. Meanwhile, some of them keep spending with credit cards, even though the stress of financial worry often affects their marriages and their homes.
3. Young couples want the help. I’m still surprised by the number of my married seminary students who don’t live by a budget. They’re asking for help, though, often because no one helped them in their church or in their pre-marital counseling.
4. Young adults often fail to think long-term about stewardship. They sometimes haven’t thought about retirement, disability insurance, and a will—all important issues for them to consider now. Budgeting well forces them to consider some of these issues.
5. Wise stewards are more likely to give to God’s work. They don’t waste funds, and they’re willing to budget for kingdom work. Their giving often becomes a regular component of their spending.
6. Generosity brings joy. Anyone who has learned to budget well and give sacrificially will tell you this truth: there is a lot of fun in giving to others.
7. Good budgeting requires us to identify and forsake our idols. Give me some time to look at your checkbook, and I can probably identify some of your idols. Breaking them will not only free you spiritually, but also likely free up some dollars.
8. Teaching personal budgeting requires the church to be wise in its own congregational budgeting. When its members are better stewards, the church must also be wise in its own stewardship.

Church leaders, tell us what resources you use to teach budgeting. Let’s help each other.