Drawing close to Jesus, listening to Him, and doing what He says are the most important things we, as believers, can do. This is especially true for pastors and church leaders because, when He speaks, the entire trajectory of a church can change. This revelation is often referred to as vision.

This vision is to be treasured, fought for, and communicated with passion and clarity. All church leaders seek and beg God to reveal His will to them, to show them how to lead His Church. However, there is something that can suffocate the vision given by God in a church leader’s heart – debt.

Debt and vision have a direct inverse relationship.

As debt increases, vision decreases. You feel constricted and confined by certain parameters set by a bank. As debt decreases, vision increases. You see the church’s future as a blank canvas on which The Lord will paint a beautiful mosaic.

There are several reasons a church may have debt. Maybe a season of exponential growth forced sudden facility expansion. Maybe a church leader grew impatient and rushed to step into a future God hadn’t given them yet. Or maybe the church was planted around the Great Recession and were left with significantly more debt than expected.

But, there are also reasons why churches stay in debt. Maybe the sheer size of the debt makes you think any attempt to pay it off will feel inconsequential. Maybe it feels like it will be too difficult. Or maybe you believe your people won’t respond because it isn’t as compelling as a building campaign. Failing is a silent fear for many pastors.

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“Failing is a silent fear for many pastors.”

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In light of the (legitimate) concerns concerning debt-reduction, it is important to consider the benefits as well:

• Paying off debt opens your eyes to unique opportunities in your church’s community, both within the congregation and outside the church walls.

• Paying off debt allows you to dream freely, seeking God for His will for the future of the church, with no strings attached.

• Paying off debt gives the church a sustainable future. The next pastor and leaders in the church are allowed to freely reach their generations without the fear of debt restricting them.

To many pastors, a capital campaign to eliminate debt sounds like getting teeth pulled with no anesthesia. We get that. However, what if we told you there is a way that will help you lead a debt-retirement campaign with energy, passion, and expectancy for what God will do? What if we told you real life-change will take place in the hearts of your congregation throughout this journey? We believe a different perspective on the issue can invigorate you to slay the debt monster.

Key elements to effectively and efficiently pay off debt include:

• Realized Opportunity Costs
• Leadership Unity
• Unique Vision
• A Comprehensive Plan

In our brand new eBook, Slaying the Debt Monster, we take church leaders on a journey towards paying off their church’s debt sooner than they could’ve imagined. You can join the hundreds of other church leaders who have downloaded this free resource by clicking here.

Debt no longer has to call the shots. Learn how to Slay the Debt Monster! Download this free resource HERE.