Today’s guest post comes to us from Ted Schroder for VirtueOnline.org.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, preached a wealth of words about money. Wesley made enormous sums from the sale of his writings. In an age when a single man could live comfortably on $60 a year, his annual income reached $2,800.

He believed that with increasing income, the Christian’s standard of giving should increase, not his standard of living. When his income rose into the thousands of pounds, he lived simply and quickly gave his surplus money away. He was afraid of laying up treasures on earth, so the money went out in charity as quickly as it came in income.

Wesley offers four questions to help his hearers decide how to spend money:
1. In spending this money, am I acting as if I owned it, or am I acting as the Lord’s trustee?
2. What Scripture requires me to spend this money in this way?
3. Can I offer up this purchase as a sacrifice to the Lord?
4. Will God reward me for this expenditure at the resurrection of the just?

Finally, for the believer who is perplexed, Wesley suggests this prayer before making a purchase:

Lord, thou seest I am going to expend this sum on that food, apparel, or furniture. And Thou knowest I act therein with a single eye, as a steward of thy goods, expending this portion of them thus, in persurance of the design thou hadst in entrusting me with them. Thou knowest I do this in obedience to Thy Word, as Thou commandest, and because Thou commandest it. Let this, I beseech Thee, be an holy sacrifice, acceptable through Jesus Christ! And give me a witness in myself, that for this labor of love I shall have recompense when Thou rewardest every man according to his works.

He is confident any believer who has a clear conscience after praying this prayer will be using money wisely.

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Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

P.S. – As pastors there’s also much we can learn from John Wesley that applies to church growth. Pick up the exclusive resource from one of the foremost scholars on Wesley, Dr. Bob Whitesel. Today though Monday only, in our Thanksgiving Sale you can secure your copy for just $25 (regularly $299.95) – Click here to save now!

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.