"That money talks, I'll not deny. I heard it once, it said 'goodbye!'" I grew up hearing this saying, and it often made me chuckle. Maybe that'sbecause on our farm we had plenty of land and livestock but little cash. Once I began pastoring a church, however, the humor in that little jingle began to fade.There is little doubt that one of the great challenges for Christian leaders today is the task of securing adequate funding and other resources for ministry. There are numerous reasons for this, and Brother Vincent Nwankpa does a tremendous job uncovering these and other issues in his new book, The Joy of Faithful and Cheerful Giving: Wonderful Principles to Embrace. Enjoying the read, I found his research to be biblically solid, up-to-date, and relevant to today's realities.The people in our pastorate were generous. Even though our salary was low, they gave affection, time, energy, food, and faithful support to my wife and me as we began our ministry life together. But along the road, our years in ministry have been a financial struggle, and for most pastors and missionaries today, the difficulties are a real and present danger to their health, wealth, and mission.Kudos to Dr. Nwankpa for taking the time and energy to share biblical wisdom and a lifetime of experience to encourage and teach all of us in Christian service. You are correct, Brother Vincent, when you assert that too little instruction about giving is being given in churches today.It is time for a renewed focus on the basic principles of giving and the joy that comes from giving generously in the body of Christ!Mick Boersma, PhDProfessor Emeritus of Christian Ministry and LeadershipTalbot School of TheologyBiola UniversityJanuary 17, 2021
