Money and discipleship
Jesus taught his disciples: in everything do to others as you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12).
If we apply this to the whole of our lives, this includes the way we spend money and how we interact with the economy. What values are at the heart of our spending?
The cost of what we spend
We are connected to others every time we spend money – to farmers, producers, small businesses and multi-national companies.
Do we buy what we want, or what we need? What questions do we ask about the products we buy and the companies we buy from?
Using our purchasing power
Churches and other faith communities have been influential in movements for trade justice and in campaigning for businesses to pay the Real Living Wage.
By making more ethical choices and engaging with the businesses we buy from, we can help tackle inequality and care for creation.
What can I do?
Learn more about the impact of your spending
As Christians, we are called to seek right relationships with our neighbours and the earth.
We can do this is through paying attention to our spending and making more ethical choices. We can hold companies to account where they are causing harm, and call for regulation that ensures all businesses work for the common good.
Take a look at the spending-related resources and blog posts at the bottom of this page.
Take action
Look for accredited marks and schemes that tell you more about the ethics of a product or company. For example:
Choose to support businesses that have a positive impact, like social enterprises, B Corps and co-operatives. Support local businesses that serve your community.
Call on businesses to behave better. Whether that’s around climate action, tackling modern slavery or reducing plastic pollution, use your voice. Show that there’s demand from customers for change. Our Ethical Buying guide for churches has ideas for campaigning.
Overconsumption puts huge demands on our planet. You might ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ already, but what about ‘rethink’ (do I need it?), ‘rehome’ (what will I do with things I no longer need?) or ‘repair’ (through one of the growing network of repair cafes).
Green Christian’s Plenty! course is a great resource for exploring the topic of consumerism.
Help your church ‘buy better’
Download the Ethical Buying Guide for churches
Find out how your church can use its purchasing power to help shape a fairer, greener world.
Reflect and pray
What steps could you take to form fairer, greener habits with your spending?
Share with others
I'm trying to make more ethical spending choices, to connect my faith and my finances. Check out the #MoneyMakesChange resources for individuals and churches.
Related resources and blogs
What do we know about the clothes we buy?
The garment industry is awash with human rights abuses and our throw-away fast fashion culture has a huge impact on the environment. Dr Lindsey Hall
Make a change with your spending this Christmas
Rosie Venner, Money Makes Change Programme Manager, reflects on the need to transform the way we spend money. Billions of pounds will be spent over
How church buying can shape a better world
Our new Ethical Buying Guide for churches launched this week, as part of ECCR’s Money Makes Change programme.