Impact of Finances God’s Way

Pastor Edgar walking to greet more people coming into church

Pastor Edgar is married and lives with five of his children and a grandson. He is fifty-nine years old and takes advantage of every opportunity to learn more about his Christian faith, to bless his congregation with new wisdom. He pastors a small church in northern Managua, Nicaragua. This fifty-three member church is located in a neighborhood close to Lake Managua.

For years welding was a side job where he earned around $250 a week. He has taken a break from his welding job and is focusing more on pastoring his congregation. For a year he has been solely dependent on God’s provision. During this time he has witnessed God’s blessings through donations to his church from individuals in Mexico, Panama, Canada, and the U.S.A. through faithful Christians God has touch their hearts to give to his church.

Worship Time! Kid on the drums can bang out beats!

He has been preaching for thirty-two years and has rejected the ‘prosperity gospel’ and preached against it his whole life. He was against prosperity preaching so much that he was not able to clearly see God’s plan for his own finances. He believed the subject of money had no place in the church. However, the Hole Spirit put it in his heart to participate in our Biblical stewardship course.  

After taking the course he felt encouraged to buy a funeral contract to pay funeral costs for himself and his wife, as well as for three other members of his family. He wants to make sure they will be able to pay funeral costs and prevent his family from asking around in the neighborhood for money. He stated he is planning ahead, like the ant in Proverbs chapter six!

He started putting money aside in a ‘chanchito’ or piggy bank, and it has started filling up! His goal is to save up to $100 dollars. He shared, “I did not have this custom of savings before the course, and I now save in a piggy bank. I realized that it is important to have a savings for emergencies, especially for my wife and myself because we are getting older.”

Biblical stewardship has renewed his mind toward trusting and depending on God more than ever. “My confidence is in in the Lord Jesus Christ more than my job, or my own strength.”  He has been seeing God’s blessings and provisions toward him and his family. He is currently paying off a debt of $300 that he took out to buy stands and shelves for his wife’s small convenience store.  He now owes $180. He works on a budget with his wife and adult children who live on the property. Each family member contributes to basic food expenses for the household. He no longer takes out loans and currently is paying off past debts.

We asked Pastor Cajina where in his finances has the Holy Bible impacted is life the most. He values God’s ways of managing finances. He gives more to his family, and blesses his wife. “God blesses me so that I can bless and take care of my wife fully. My life and way of thinking have changed.”

Nicaragua is facing many political challenges right now. He is applying God’s financial wisdom as he leads his congregation.  As pastor he realizes his church is in crisis too. Some members have lost employment and are hearing rumors of others becoming unemployed. He is using this time to instruct and encourage his church to not panic but to faithfully trust in God. “They really need to hear teachings and participate in financial courses. I am preparing messages on becoming free from debt to share with my congregation; I am sharing what I’ve learned in the finance course and mentoring sessions.”

Pastor Edgar’s vision for his church is to see them encouraged and experience their own mental renewing concerning God’s plan for their lives and finances. He expressed his church has a poverty mentality. They say “I can’t do or won’t do anything, I don’t earn enough money. A lack of motivation exists; they don’t know that they can succeed in life.” After they have gained the knowledge of faithful stewardship he believes the congregation will have a better understanding of God’s plan for them. Income generating ideas will come and they will lose fears of taking risks. They will become more creative and bless their community during their countries time of need.  

Pastor Edgar invited me to share a message at his church. Leading a prayer.

Surrendering All

So I want to encourage all of you to pray about surrendering your finances to God. Then try to practice it. Before you make a large purchase ask yourself if this where God wants me to spend His money? Practice being an administrator. Bring the peace of Christ into your lives! ¡Trae la paz de Cristo a tus vidas! 
 

¡Trae la paz de Cristo a tus vidas!