Most pastors quickly learn how to dance around the issue of money without ever naming it. A young minister went out to serve his first congregation. Early one November, he told the sexton to go out to the bulletin board on the street corner and put up the words, "Stewardship Sunday." He put together a stewardship sermon and preached it to the congregation. Afterwards someone came up and said, "Pastor, thank you for that sermon. When I saw the bulletin board, I was a little anxious. But your sermon calmed my fears." The minister said, "I'm glad to hear it. Did I say something helpful?" "Oh, Reverend, it was better than that," the man said. "Today you said absolutely nothing at all."

It is tempting to keep silent in the church when it comes to money. We dance around the issue with large, general steps. The church talks in generalities about the electric bill, the rising cost of church school curricula, and mission projects worthy of our support. Those are worthy topics of conversation. That's usually where the conversation remains with the list of the good services the church provides. Any actual mention of money seems distasteful.