Why I No Longer Believe in Mortgages and Consumer Debt

[Intro: A Leadership Shift]

There comes a moment in leadership when you stop asking what’s allowed and start asking what’s right—
Not just for your house, but for the people God has placed under your care.

This is that moment for me.

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[A Personal Conviction]

I no longer believe in mortgages and debt—
Not because I’m trying to be deep,
Not because I want attention—
But because I’ve watched how this system traps people.

And I’ve watched how leaders sometimes participate in that trap, unknowingly leading people into pressure instead of peace.

When God entrusts you with others’ resources, that’s not just money—it’s spiritual weight.
It’s accountability. And I refuse to misuse that.

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[COC Community: Our Standard]

At COC Community, we’ve drawn a line:

• We do not allow consumerism
• We do not welcome liabilities
• And we do not carry bad debt into our future

This is not just a financial stance—it’s a spiritual standard.

How can we preach freedom while building ministries on financial chains?

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[You’re Free to Believe Differently]

Hear me clearly:

You are free to believe what you believe in your personal and private life.

But when it comes to this house, this vision, this movement—

We are not here to look blessed, we are here to be a blessing.

We will not invest in temporary structures
when we’re called to make an eternal impact.

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[Matthew 18: The Foundation]

Matthew 18 is our foundation.

Jesus wasn’t just teaching about forgiveness—He was teaching about:

• Responsibility
• Humility
• How we treat the little ones

That chapter is about stewarding relationships the right way.

If we truly honor that,

We won’t treat people’s giving lightly.
We won’t build empires off offerings meant to feed the hungry.

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[Philippians 2:3 – The Heart of Servant Leadership]

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” (NKJV)

This is our posture.
We don’t lead to be seen.
We lead to serve. 🙏

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[Acts 2:44–45 – The Model of True Church]

“Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.” (NKJV)

That’s church.
That’s love.
That’s power.

And that’s our blueprint.

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[Proverbs 22:7 – The Trap of Debt]

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” (NKJV)

Debt creates bondage.
And the church should be leading people out of bondage, not deeper into it.

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[A True Story: The Cost of Scaling Without Discernment]

I remember a young pastor—full of passion, vision, and drive.

• Started with 30 people
• Quickly grew to 250
• Momentum was real

But then came the decisions.

• A $2 million personal home
• A $6 million church building

That’s $8 million of financial weight—
Sitting on one man’s shoulders—
While many of the people giving were still struggling.

It wasn’t my place to judge.
And I didn’t.

But it was a blessing to watch.
Not to criticize—but to learn.

Because what I saw taught me what not to do.

He didn’t do anything illegal.
Nothing looked wrong on the surface.

What grieved me wasn’t the size—

It was the speed.
The lack of margin.
The absence of restraint.
The disconnect between ministry growth and people health.

And he’s not alone.

I’ve watched several stories like this unfold.
And God used each one to sharpen my vision.

Faith is not reckless.
Vision must be filtered through stewardship.

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[Not About Judging — About Responsibility]

To my fellow leaders—this isn’t judgment.

It’s a wake-up call.

I’ve made mistakes.
I’ve learned.
And now I lead from a place of responsibility, not just vision.

We must:

• Stop chasing image
• Start building impact
• Stop calling consumerism “faith” when it’s really pressure in a church suit

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[Our Real Investment: People]

We’re not here to build monuments—

We’re here to build people. 🧍‍♂️🧍‍♀️

We’re not here to impress—

We’re here to impact.

We’re not here to be seen—

We’re here to serve.

That means every:

• Dollar
• Resource
• Opportunity

…must be stewarded for Kingdom good, not personal gain.

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[The Future Is Not Bigger Buildings]

Let me say this clearly:

The future of the church is not in bigger buildings.

It’s in:

• Bigger hearts
• Debt-free leaders
• Healthy homes
• Family Connection Without Walls

We don’t need stained glass and stages to experience God.

We need trust, love, humility, and Spirit-led leaders. ✝️

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[Closing: A New Culture]

We’re creating a culture of freedom.
A culture of love.
A culture of stewardship.

That means:

• 🚫 No bad debt
• 🚫 No image games
• 🚫 No consumerism disguised as success

Just:

• People
• Purpose
• Jesus