Are church bond issues biblically sound?
The concept of church bonds is scriptural only under certain guidelines. In Deuteronomy 23:19, God says not to lend to a brother at interest. This naturally would encompass the church. The principle of stewardship in Scripture teaches that Christians are not owners of wealth; they are merely stewards of God’s wealth (see Luke 16:10-13). It’s difficult to understand how we could lend money to our Master and charge Him interest on His own money. Although lending to God’s people through bonds may be biblical, charging or expecting to receive interest is not. Financing church expansion with bonds When a church finances expansion with a bond issue, the church is essentially borrowing from itself. Church members purchase the bonds, which means that they loan their money to the church for a certain number of years; then, when the bonds mature, the ministry pays back those who had purchased them, plus interest. Although some bond issues appear to have been successful, bonds can be virtual time
