Church: Treat It Like Your Car Payment
(Because Jesus Actually Is Ride-Or-Die)
Let’s start with an uncomfortable truth:
Most of us can tell you exactly what our car payment is.
Not approximately.
Not spiritually discerned.
Exactly.
We know the interest rate.
The due date.
The term length.
And if we’re honest, we could probably tell you how many miles we’ve put on it since the last oil change.
But when it comes to our monthly commitment to the church?
Suddenly it’s all vibes and improv.
“Well… I give when I can.”
“Depends on the month.”
“After Starbucks, Spotify, Amazon, rent, and whatever emotional support Target run I needed.”
Amazing how the Corolla gets a spreadsheet and the Kingdom gets leftovers.
Jesus Was Shockingly Unimpressed with Casual Commitment
Jesus never said,
“Blessed are the occasional givers who remember Me when it’s convenient.”
He said:
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
— Matthew 6:21
That’s not poetic. That’s diagnostic.
Translation: Your bank statement already knows what you worship.
If your car payment gets first priority and God gets what’s left…your heart may be parked closer to your driveway than the Kingdom.
You don’t have a “church payment.”
You have a Kingdom commitment.
And if you can remember to pay Toyota on time, you can remember God without divine intervention.
The Data Is… Not Great, Bob
Here’s the not-so-fun fact:
The average Christian gives about 2.5% of their income to church.
That’s way below the historic 10% tithe.
And yes — giving rates today are lower than during the Great Depression.
Apparently people could tithe during bread lines, but we struggle during Amazon Prime.
Meanwhile, nobody forgets their car payment.
Funny how the bills that auto-draft from our account feel “mandatory,”
but the ones tied to faith feel “negotiable.”
We remember what we plan for. And we plan for what we value.
Plot Twist: Giving Is Actually Good for You
Here’s where God quietly smirks.
Research shows generosity:
increases happiness
lowers stress and anxiety
improves physical health
even reduces risks like high blood pressure
In other words:
Giving is like a gym membership for your soul — except it actually works.
God doesn’t charge interest on generosity,
but the returns look suspiciously like compound blessings.
Turns out obedience has side effects.
Generosity Is Contagious (Yes, In a Good Way)
Here’s another inconvenient truth:
Giving spreads.
When people see generosity modeled, they’re more likely to become generous themselves.
Consistent givers don’t just fund ministry — they set the culture.
And let’s be honest: The culture at Heritage needs a hard reset.
Right now, we’re operating with a consumer mindset, and it is absolutely toxic to growth, outreach, and any hope of expanding ministry.
Consumer Christianity doesn’t build churches — it drains them.
How do I know? Let me give you a painfully clear example.
When I arrived, “Guest Parking” was shoved to the back—on the gravel—while member parking was front-and-center on the nice concrete, right by the door.
Let that sink in.
We literally made visitors walk farther so regulars could walk less.
If you’re wondering why that matters, ask yourself this:
What does that say to someone visiting for the first time?
“Welcome! We’re glad you’re here. Please enjoy the long walk.”
That’s not hospitality. That’s entitlement with signage.
Every Christian eventually has to put down the bib and pick up the apron.
The church is not a restaurant. It’s a mission.
And here’s the financial reality that makes this even harder to ignore:
Nearly 50% of Heritage gives less than $10 a week.
That’s $40 a month.
Let’s be real — what could you drive with a $40 car payment?
Not a car.
Probably not even the city bus.
Yet somehow we expect a church — with staff, ministry, outreach, and mission — to run on what wouldn’t even cover an oil change.
Your giving teaches people how to live whether you realize it or not.
It teaches guests whether generosity is normal here.
It teaches leaders what’s possible.
It teaches the next generation what faith actually costs.
And generosity isn’t a solo parking-lot move.
It’s a culture-shaping decision.
If we want a different future, we need a different posture — not as consumers, but as contributors.
Because churches don’t die from lack of vision.
They die from people treating the mission like an optional add-on.
It’s a churchwide chain reaction.
Imagine If You Treated Church Like Your Car Loan
Let’s be honest about how car payments work:
You don’t “hope” you remember them.
You don’t wait to see how you feel that month.
You schedule them.
So what if church giving was:
planned
consistent
automatic
decided before everything else spent your money first
Not “whatever’s left after coffee,” but “this matters, so it goes first.”
You pay for what you value.
What you value reveals who you are becoming.
Why This Actually Matters
Church giving supports:
pastors who shepherd
worship that reaches seekers
outreach that serves real people
kids and students who need formation
But it does something even deeper:
It shapes you.
Giving isn’t just a line item.
It’s a spiritual discipline.
And disciplines change people.
Final Truth (With Loving Sarcasm)
Your car does not care if you skip a payment.
Your credit score absolutely does.
But your Kingdom commitment doesn’t just affect a number —it shapes your soul.
So here’s the invitation:
Treat your church commitment like your car payment.
Not optional.
Not accidental.
Not “if there’s anything left.”
But intentional.
Consistent.
And forward-looking.
Because Jesus didn’t come to make life easy.
He came to make it worth it.
If your monthly giving is smaller than your monthly car payment,
your priorities may be parked in the wrong driveway.
Let that sit.
And then let generosity move your heart toward heaven.
Rev. John Roberts
This is a very important message! What we invest in our churches [I sort of go to two regularly] need us to care and invest! God gives us all we have, and we should be glad to give back to Him!