Is Monetising Your Ministry Godly?
For many, the question of whether monetising your ministry is "godly" or not is controversial. While it can spark a lot of debate within faith communities. In our modern world, where online platforms and digital outreach are necessary, this question can create confusion. But realistically monetising your ministry isn’t as ungodly as many make it out to be. Especially when there are always costs associated with doing the work of ministry.
Is Monetising Your Ministry Optional?
Yes. But for many, ministry can only be free of charge if they have a financial system setup that can rely on consistent donations every month or year. But most ministries don’t start off that way. Ministries in the beginning have a start-up cost. These costs will be low in the beginning, but as the ministry grows, your expenses will too. This also depends on how you start your ministry; for example, if you start a YouTube ministry, a podcast ministry using Spotify for Creators, and a blog on a platform like Medium or Substack, they can start off free. But as you begin to establish a brand for your ministry online, using free platforms can only take you so far.
Many women today don’t realise that when it comes to growing an online ministry, you need to understand the costs of doing it full-time. For example, your salary, a ministry team, a website domain and hosting, an email address, and more. These are just some of the costs you'll have to pay when you do ministry full-time, and depending on what type of ministry you're called to start, you will notice that the cost associated with it will either be things you need to take it to the next level or expenses to expand it beyond the free platforms.
Deciding if you should make money from a ministry is a personal choice and should not be made lightly. Especially when you think about the possible side effects if you do or don’t.
Is Creating Financial Sustainability For Your Ministry Ok?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Especially if monetising your ministry can provide a source of income that enables you to cover the operational costs, pay your team, and fund future projects without relying solely on donations. Then yes. But the question we should all be asking ourselves is, can my ministry create impact and an income?
As Jesus says in Luke 14:28, take time to think about what it will cost to do God's work—ministry. This is a great time to do a ministry audit—this allows you to assess what your ministry’s needs are. Which you can bring to God in prayer, make a plan of action for, and create a financial system that will allow you to count the costs your ministry will incur doing the process.
How Do I Make My Ministry Sustainable?
If you consider monetisation as a helpful tool to achieve financial sustainability, rather than relying on it as your primary or sole source of income, making your ministry sustainable becomes not only possible but also practical. This mindset is important because it allows you to think of diversifying the way you fund your ministry while creating a financial system that can withstand the burden of doing ministry long-term.
Modern Examples of Monetising Ministry (Online):
Monetising ministry will look different for everyone, and based on your ministry goals, you may find that you are drawn to only one or two of these. For some inspiration, here are five possible actions you can take to help you get started, depending on your basic needs and abilities:
Digital Resources:
These can be a great source of passive income, as they allow you to create them one time and generate a steady, recurring stream of money over an extended period without needing constant attention. If this is something you genuinely see yourself creating and feel called to pursue, then trust your intuition and take that first step forward with confidence.
Digital Products/Services To Consider:
Online courses are a great way to teach a skill or topic you have knowledge and experience in that others would benefit from.
E-books, or workbooks that provide your audience with information and advice they can learn or implement.
Printable & Digital Planners are a great source of income if they align with your ministry’s purpose and vision. They can be practical tools that help your audience organise their time, set goals, and stay focused on your God-given assignments, making them both financially rewarding and spiritually fulfilling.
Crowdfunding:
Using online platforms to receive donations or crowdfunding support for you and your ministry or future projects, such as an office space, equipment, and more. This is a modern version of people bringing their offerings to the temple or supporting your ministry through a tithing system.
Platforms to consider:
GoFundMe—Is a way to start fundraising for yourself, a good cause, or a project you’ve always been dreaming of getting off the ground. It is a custom-built platform for crowdfunding, and it’s free to start your fundraiser. All you need to do is think of a snappy title, upload your fundraiser story and set the page live to see the donations rolling in.
Patreon—Is a great place to build community and set up a tier system that allows followers to support you and your ministry. You can share exclusive content, giving those who choose to sow into your ministry additional benefits.
Kickstarter—Help bring creative ideas to life. It's an online platform where supporters can fund your project with any amount and choose rewards based on the level of support.
Subscription-Based Model:
Offering exclusive content through using an online system like a membership that helps you earn monthly, quarterly or yearly income. Like Patreon, it builds a community, but it also allows you to provide products and services to your target audience with ongoing access to exclusive content for a fee.
Subscription-based platforms to consider:
Self-hosted platforms—have a limited membership feature you can use to build a membership area like Wix or Squarespace. They both allow you to restrict access to certain pages, content, or features on your site to members only.
Mighty Network—Is a platform where creators can offer memberships and courses while building their community. It has different pricing plans with features like community tools, course creation, and automation. It also gives your memberships different access levels, including pay-as-you-go options.
Kajabi—an all-in-one platform for online courses, memberships, and marketing. It is a website builder and management tool that gives you what you need to create exclusive experiences for your audience.
Circle—can offer you and your community membership features like discussion forums and live events.
Podia—An all-in-one, user-friendly platform designed for selling online courses, memberships, and digital downloads.
Sponsorships or Affiliate Marketing:
These are effective ways to generate passive income by recommending books, Bibles, or other valuable Christian resources. You can receive a small commission whenever those resources are purchased through your referral link. Additionally, promoting a brand that aligns closely with your ministry’s mission and values allows you to support your calling while earning income in a way that glorifies God.
A Call to Action: Monetising Your Ministry With God
At the end of the day, how you support and fund your ministry is a personal choice that should come from prayer and careful thought. If finding godly ways to earn money through your ministry is something you want to do, I would encourage you to do these four things:
Seek God's guidance through prayer and scripture reading.
Examine your own heart and motivations.
Seek counsel from trusted spiritual leaders.
Ask yourself, Does this action glorify God?
