Years ago I heard this—and I do not recall the source—don’t seek to live above your congregation or beneath your members, but live among them. Money is always a temptation for the pastor—to be covetous to have more of it. We can be covetous and seek to have a standard of living that exceeds that of the common people who give sacrificially so we can be on mission for God. You don’t have to have a big house and fine car and live in luxury. That is damaging to your witness. But you can also be covetous when you have a meager amount of money for it is more about what is in your heart than your bank account. But, we do need enough, for God says that if we do not provide for our household then we are worse than an infidel! That can harm the testimony of the church, as well. Someone may look at the smoking rust bucket we drive down the road and conclude that God’s people are not putting their money where their mouth is! I can truthfully say that God has always allowed us to live modestly as we raised five children. No one would look at the houses we lived in or the cars we rode in or the clothes we dressed in and say, “Those folks make too much money” or “those folks are poor.” They wouldn’t think much about it either way—and we have tried to view finances that way.
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