Why Christian Financial Health Looks Different

For many Christians, the struggle with money isn’t about earning too little or saving too late. It’s about following the wrong map entirely.

In a world that idolizes wealth accumulation, financial independence, and early retirement, the Christian call to financial health stands in stark contrast. Art Rainer, author of The Money Challenge, believes that many believers have unknowingly adopted a secular financial framework one that quietly trains hearts to trust in money, not in God. But according to scripture, financial health for Christians isn’t about maximizing returns. It’s about radical generosity.

Rainer’s message is disruptive, even uncomfortable. While most financial advisers encourage individuals to plan for comfort and build security, Rainer challenges believers to pursue financial health so they can give generously. He says, “My hope is that I am able to be a part of a generation that gets financially healthy not so that they can spend money on whatever they want, but so that they can live and give generously as God has designed us to do.”

This mindset flips conventional wisdom on its head. Instead of prioritizing retirement goals and asset growth, Rainer centers the financial conversation around stewardship, contentment, and eternal purpose.

The cultural model of success own more, travel more, retire early has subtly reshaped the Christian imagination. But Rainer points to 1 Timothy 6:17-19 as a blueprint for real financial health: “not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God.” Paul’s instruction isn’t about rejecting money, but redirecting its purpose toward generosity and kingdom impact.

Recent surveys from the National Christian Foundation show that only 5% of regular churchgoers tithe, despite the biblical expectation of proportional and sacrificial giving. Rainer sees this not merely as a budget issue, but a heart issue.

“What He’s most concerned about is our heart management,” Rainer explains. “And what we see is that money management reflects heart management.” In other words, every financial decision becomes a window into what we truly value and trust.

That makes Jesus’ interaction with the rich young ruler especially poignant. The young man walked away sad, unwilling to part with his wealth a wealth that had become his identity and security. Most modern readers assume they’re safe from such idolatry. But Rainer challenges that assumption by naming common symptoms: envy when others seem more successful, anxiety when the market drops, frustration when dreams get delayed. These are not merely emotional reactions they may be diagnostic signs of misplaced hope.

Rainer offers a clear and actionable framework called the “8 Money Milestones,” a system that encourages believers to take steps toward financial health with generosity at the core. What’s countercultural is that giving is the first milestone, not the last. While the world teaches us to give once we’ve achieved comfort, the Bible tells us to give first even when it’s uncomfortable.

Consider Proverbs 3:9: “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.” Or Jesus’ praise of the widow who gave all she had (Mark 12:41-44). True biblical giving is not about the amount it’s about the heart behind it. The early church in Macedonia gave beyond their means out of deep joy (2 Corinthians 8:1-5), embodying a kind of generosity that defied logic.

This isn’t just a call for the wealthy. Even those living paycheck to paycheck can begin with small acts of obedience. Rainer’s message to them is: start where you are. The act of giving not the size of the gift is what shapes the heart and aligns it with God’s purposes.

He insists that the local church should be the first recipient of Christian giving, as it remains the central avenue through which God advances His kingdom on earth. Beyond that, believers are free to give to other ministries and causes, but the church should not be overlooked.

The core of Rainer’s message is that you can have a strong financial portfolio and still be financially unhealthy if you're clinging to your wealth. Conversely, you can have very little and still be spiritually thriving if you're trusting God and giving generously.

According to a 2022 study by Ramsey Solutions, more than 70% of Americans report stress related to money. For Christians, that statistic becomes not just a financial problem but a spiritual opportunity. What would it look like to live free from fear not because the savings account is full, but because the heart is anchored in God?

This kind of financial freedom doesn’t insulate you from risk it releases you into mission. It's not freedom to hoard, to upgrade, or to retire early. It's the freedom to serve, to give without hesitation, and to fund kingdom work that outlasts this life.

As Rainer puts it, “There’s a reason He gives us these resources to have the freedom to be able to use these resources to advance God’s kingdom in our own community, and also around the world.”

Imagine if the church embraced this vision. Imagine if believers measured success not by net worth, but by kingdom impact. If every Christian asked daily, “How can I use what I have today to reflect God’s generosity?” the financial landscape of the church would transform. And so would the world.

Financial health, in this vision, becomes an act of worship. It becomes less about retirement plans and more about eternal rewards. And as Jesus made clear: you cannot serve both God and money.

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