Past Commentary by a Common Terry
Either/Or faith in a both/and world (part 6)
November 1, 2026
The old adage among ministers is that when we start talking about money, we’ve moved from preaching to meddling. So, let me meddle for a bit.
This whole either/or idea of faith when we live in a both/and world is critical to how we manage, use, and give our financial resources. I’ve heard more than one highly respected teacher say that Christians may demonstrate their faith more truthfully in how they manage their money than in any other part of life. I doubt that’s always true, but it is certainly a reality when it comes to Christianity in the modern, prosperous, money-driven world we are in.
The Bible talks about money more than 2,000 times. Not all of it is some deep, critical, life-changing passage. Sometimes its just a description of a transaction or the summary of a financial circumstance. At other times, though, it cuts deeply. You might say that God’s word meddles in our finances.
Why have I suddenly gone here in this series? It doesn’t really fit with the first five articles. But, today at Westview, it is Missions Sunday. We are focused on the reach of Westview beyond our church family and the communities we live in. This morning we’ll hear about God’s work and our partnership in those works on multiple continents in many countries: Ukraine, Uganda, eSwatini (former Swaziland in the southeast corner of Africa), Honduras, Mexico, other Latin American countries, and India.
God has blessed us wonderfully and that gives us the chance and privilege to work alongside MP and Brother V in India. We join with Julian (Rufino’s brother) in Mexico. We support Duncan and his team in Uganda. We are able to put funds in the hands of Tito in Honduras as he distributes them to families with children who are desperate to meet basic needs. We help support our long-time friend, Javier, as he trains leaders and encourages churches in several Latin American countries. Just last week and this week, we arecontributing to the amazing ministry of Eastern European Missions, primarily focused in Ukraine right now.
God gives to us and we must make choice, quite often, how we use our money. Do we focus only on ourselves or do we look outward, choosing to give to God’s Kingdom cause instead of to our own comfort? It can be an either/or moment. I either indulge myself or I give it away and let God do with it whatever He wants.
It’s why God blesses us in the first place, not to make our own lives as comfortable as possible, but to join the greatest purpose in the universe – God’s cause and will. When Paul taught the Corinthians about this in his second letter to them, he told them that, “…God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (II Corinthians 9:8) But he wasn’t done. Still talking about generous giving, he then said, “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” (II Corinthians 9:11-12)
We make choices. I could continue my once-a-week treat of eating a 15 dollar meal or I could eat a couple of cheap sandwiches and take that $60-70 month and help support an orphan in Uganda or India. Either/or. The idea of sacrifice, in part, is to not give ourselves what we want, but treasure even more what God values and wants. That’s not always easy. (See, I’m meddling.)
Because of the generous hearts of the Westview church family, we can have a day like this, Missions Sunday, which not only celebrates what God has done and is doing, but excites us for what is still yet to come. What a concept! We see God’ blessing in our lives and do not first think of ourselves, but of others. This is God’s way.
This whole either/or idea of faith when we live in a both/and world is critical to how we manage, use, and give our financial resources. I’ve heard more than one highly respected teacher say that Christians may demonstrate their faith more truthfully in how they manage their money than in any other part of life. I doubt that’s always true, but it is certainly a reality when it comes to Christianity in the modern, prosperous, money-driven world we are in.
The Bible talks about money more than 2,000 times. Not all of it is some deep, critical, life-changing passage. Sometimes its just a description of a transaction or the summary of a financial circumstance. At other times, though, it cuts deeply. You might say that God’s word meddles in our finances.
Why have I suddenly gone here in this series? It doesn’t really fit with the first five articles. But, today at Westview, it is Missions Sunday. We are focused on the reach of Westview beyond our church family and the communities we live in. This morning we’ll hear about God’s work and our partnership in those works on multiple continents in many countries: Ukraine, Uganda, eSwatini (former Swaziland in the southeast corner of Africa), Honduras, Mexico, other Latin American countries, and India.
God has blessed us wonderfully and that gives us the chance and privilege to work alongside MP and Brother V in India. We join with Julian (Rufino’s brother) in Mexico. We support Duncan and his team in Uganda. We are able to put funds in the hands of Tito in Honduras as he distributes them to families with children who are desperate to meet basic needs. We help support our long-time friend, Javier, as he trains leaders and encourages churches in several Latin American countries. Just last week and this week, we arecontributing to the amazing ministry of Eastern European Missions, primarily focused in Ukraine right now.
God gives to us and we must make choice, quite often, how we use our money. Do we focus only on ourselves or do we look outward, choosing to give to God’s Kingdom cause instead of to our own comfort? It can be an either/or moment. I either indulge myself or I give it away and let God do with it whatever He wants.
It’s why God blesses us in the first place, not to make our own lives as comfortable as possible, but to join the greatest purpose in the universe – God’s cause and will. When Paul taught the Corinthians about this in his second letter to them, he told them that, “…God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (II Corinthians 9:8) But he wasn’t done. Still talking about generous giving, he then said, “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” (II Corinthians 9:11-12)
We make choices. I could continue my once-a-week treat of eating a 15 dollar meal or I could eat a couple of cheap sandwiches and take that $60-70 month and help support an orphan in Uganda or India. Either/or. The idea of sacrifice, in part, is to not give ourselves what we want, but treasure even more what God values and wants. That’s not always easy. (See, I’m meddling.)
Because of the generous hearts of the Westview church family, we can have a day like this, Missions Sunday, which not only celebrates what God has done and is doing, but excites us for what is still yet to come. What a concept! We see God’ blessing in our lives and do not first think of ourselves, but of others. This is God’s way.