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The Cancer of Currency: When the Love of Money Corrupts the Mission

There is a poison that does not announce its presence with a foul stench or a flashing red warning. Instead, it cloaks itself in opportunity, reward, and advancement. It speaks in boardrooms, whispers in pulpits, and beckons behind closed offering envelopes. That poison is the love of money, and make no mistake, it is a cancer to relationships, to ministry, and to the very spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul wrote with divine clarity in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Notice the Scripture does not condemn money itself, but the love of it, a soul-level infatuation that blinds men to their calling, their character, and their Christ.

A Personal Encounter with Corruption

When I was just 18 years old, green in years but already watching the world with spiritual eyes, I witnessed something that forever shaped my understanding of money’s misuse. A local pastor, known by many as a man of power and persuasion, held a gathering that concluded with a generous offering from the people. But instead of preparing a deposit, praying over the gifts, or ensuring accountability, he opened his briefcase. Not a bank bag. Not a financial office. A briefcase. And with quiet efficiency, he emptied the basket into it, closed the latch, and drove away.

In that moment, something in me shifted. I saw how money, when mishandled by spiritual hands, can mar the beauty of ministry. That briefcase didn’t just carry cash. It carried compromise.

I’ve since seen CEOs run companies aground with their riotous demands. I’ve watched nonprofits operate more like for-profits, chasing grants, not grace, and returns instead of righteousness. I've seen churches split, families fall apart, and partnerships poisoned over money that was never meant to master us.

Filthy Lucre and Blind Ambition

The Bible speaks plainly against “filthy lucre,” an old phrase that still rings true today. Titus 1:7 warns that a leader must “not be given to filthy lucre.” Yet ambition for wealth has crept into sacred spaces. Pastors chase platforms. Preachers charge per post. Churches twist stewardship into a sales pitch. And all the while, the gospel suffers.

Jesus Himself, who had nowhere to lay His head (Matthew 8:20), treated money as what it is, a tool, not a treasure. When asked about taxes, He didn’t reach for His own purse but said, “Show me the coin” (Mark 12:15). He flipped the tables of those who commercialized the temple (Matthew 21:12–13), declaring that the house of prayer had become a den of thieves.

What a tragedy it is when ambition blinds the anointed.

Money is a Tool, Not a Throne

Money is not inherently evil. It can feed the hungry, house the homeless, print Bibles, build shelters, and bless nations. But when it becomes the mission instead of the means, we have fallen into idolatry. Jesus said plainly, “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). He didn’t say you shouldn’t. He said you cannot.

We must teach this truth boldly. Money is one thing, a tool. Nothing more. It’s not a god to worship. It’s not a trophy to parade. It’s not a passcode to enter the elite. It’s a hammer in the hand of the righteous to build what pleases the Lord.

Following Christ in All Things

I follow Jesus, not Wall Street. Not trends. Not greed. I follow the One who taught us that the widow’s mite was worth more than the rich man’s surplus (Luke 21:1–4). The One who sent disciples with “no gold, nor silver, nor copper” (Matthew 10:9), because their message was their wealth.

If we are to be faithful to our callings in ministry, in business, and in relationships, we must crucify the love of money. Not manage it. Not negotiate with it. Crucify it.

Let us be watchful. Let us be honest. Let us handle resources with integrity, transparency, and humility. For the world is watching. And even more, He is watching.

Final Thought

When you see money clearly, you see the mission clearly. Let us not fumble our witness at the feet of gold. Let the church return to its first love, not lucre, but the Lord.

 

Written with tons of love,

Pastor Frank