Movements and Money

Peter's conflict with Simon Magus by Avanzino Nucci, 1620.

The love of money has destroyed too many promising leaders and movements. Here’s what I’m learning about movements and money from the book of Acts.

When revival broke out in Samaria, thousands turned and believed and churches were formed throughout the region for the first time (Acts 8:9–25; 9:31). Satan’s counter-attack came through Simon the Sorcerer. He too had believed and was baptized, but like Judas, his heart was corrupted by the love of money.

Principle 1: Movements serve God not money.

Peter’s clash with Simon the sorcerer is a powerful illustration of Jesus’ teaching that you cannot serve both God and money. Leaders who use their position to gain money and power will corrupt a movement and must be confronted.

A disciple trusts God by placing obedience to his Word above the desire for money, comfort, and security. Just as a disciple who falls into the love of money will become unfruitful, so a disciple making movement that grows to love money will become unfruitful. Money does not fuel movements—commitment and faith do.

Principle 2: Movements ordain everyone.

At Pentecost, the Spirit fell on everyone, and they all declared the wonders of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

You cannot pay enough people to make a disciple making movement happen. Volunteers, not paid professionals, do most of the work in any movement. For every movement leader like Peter or Paul, there are hundreds, even thousands who devote their time and resources for the cause.

Principle 3: Movements keep their options open.

In Luke’s Gospel and Acts, there isn’t one funding model. God provided a variety of funding sources for the advance of the movement. Some missionaries supported both themselves and others through their trade. Some workers served at their own expense. Even the grateful inhabitants of Malta honored Paul and his companions and supplied their needs for the journey to Rome. Ordinary believers, wealthy individuals, and churches gave money and other resources. Hosts opened their homes to traveling teams; homes which then became meeting places for new churches.

Principle 4: Movements travel light.

The challenge of funding a movement isn’t only about raising money; it also involves keeping costs low. Jesus instructed his disciples to leave their wallets behind when they went out on mission. God provided through the people who welcomed them. The pattern of God providing through receptive households continues in Acts.

The movement Jesus started didn’t require a temple, a priesthood, or any of the trappings of the ancient religions. As the gospel spread, churches sprung up where they were needed, not where they could be afforded.

Principle 5: Movements stay nimble.

There was no supply chain from Jerusalem to the churches started in Samaria or on the Phoenician coast; nor was there one from Antioch to the churches in Macedonia and Achaia. Authority and responsibility were continually released to the field. The new churches soon had their own local leaders and were responsible for their own funding. It wasn’t long before these churches released resources and workers for new fields. In this way, the movement remained flexible and nimble, able to multiply. To organize and fund the movement centrally would have choked its life and growth.

Finally . . .

The oxygen of a movement is the commitment of its people—to give, to go, to serve without pay, to open their homes, to work with their hands, and to trust that God goes with them as they take the gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

This is an edited extract from my forthcoming book, Acts and the Movement of God: From Jerusalem to the Ends of the Earth. It should be out in May 2023.

Previously: It matters how movements handle money