Why Church Folk Are Poor: Breaking Free from Limiting Beliefs About Money

Have you ever wondered why people who love God, believe in the Bible, and attend church seem to struggle with their finances? I know I did. Growing up in the church, I often heard people talk about prosperity and God's promises, yet so many believers seemed to be stuck in financial struggle. It’s a question that plagued my mind for years: Why are church folk poor?

The world discovered the secret to prosperity—through the law of attraction—and began to prosper. But here's the twist: The truth of the law of attraction isn’t new. It’s been right there in the Bible all along, waiting for us to recognize it. Unfortunately, many of us have been conditioned to ignore or even reject the idea that the law of attraction is a principle of God. Yet, as believers, we are taught time and time again that God wants us to prosper.

The Biblical Truth About Prosperity

Did you know there are over 200 scriptures in the Bible that deal with money? These scriptures cover budgeting, saving, tithing, borrowing, lending, investing, and, yes—prospering. However, there’s one scripture that often stands out and is frequently misquoted, leading many of us to misinterpret God’s will for our financial lives. It's the famous verse, “For the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).

Many of us grew up hearing the phrase “Money is the root of all evil,” but that’s not what the Bible actually says. It's the love of money that is the problem, not money itself. Money is a tool, a resource to help us fulfill our purpose, not a curse. The truth is, God doesn’t want us to avoid wealth; He wants us to manage it well.

Eric Butterworth, in his book Spiritual Economics, puts it perfectly: "The right attitude toward money is the root of all kinds of prosperity." And that’s the key—attitude. You see, if you’ve been raised to believe that wanting money is wrong, you might find yourself sabotaging your own prosperity, even without realizing it. I had to unlearn those limiting beliefs about money and embrace a new mindset—one rooted in prosperity thinking.

Shifting Your Mindset: From Scarcity to Abundance

In 2006, I moved from Orlando to Los Angeles, and I honestly believed that homeownership would never be possible for me. The housing market in LA was outrageous, and my salary didn’t come close to matching the sky-high prices. But in 2016, something shifted in my spirit. I felt God urging me to purchase a home in Los Angeles.

I’ll be honest, I laughed at the idea. It felt impossible. But I decided to honor that prompting and completed a pre-approval loan application. Much to my surprise, the bank offered me a loan of $500,000. My initial reaction? There’s no way I can afford this. I had already written off the idea of homeownership, convinced that it was out of my reach. So, I only considered cheaper options—condos, which were still above my comfort zone.

But my realtor had other ideas. She refused to send me listings for condos or even single-family homes. Instead, she encouraged me to look at multi-family units. She told me that, if I wanted to be a homeowner, I needed to consider becoming a landlord as well. I was skeptical. After all, multi-family homes in Los Angeles were far more expensive than the condos I’d been eyeing.

Then I found a property I liked, listed at $629,000—still more than I had planned to spend. I was hesitant to even look at it. But my realtor asked me a question that changed my entire perspective: “Don’t you believe in God? Didn’t God say He would give you the desires of your heart?”

Those words hit me hard. I had been limiting myself and my expectations based on old, negative beliefs about money. I had failed to recognize that God was fully capable of providing me with the desires of my heart, even in a city as expensive as Los Angeles. From that moment, my mindset shifted. I began to elevate my thoughts, exercise my faith, and believe that God could—and would—provide for me in ways I never imagined.

The Power of Asking, Believing, and Receiving

One of the most profound lessons I’ve learned on this journey is that all we have to do is ask, and it will be given to us. When you pray and ask God for something, it’s not your job to figure out how it will happen. Your job is simply to expect that God will keep His promises. The Bible says, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7).

It’s a powerful concept: asking with faith, believing that it’s already on the way, and receiving it when it comes. I believe that our inability to receive often stems from the limiting beliefs we hold about money and our worthiness to prosper. If you’ve been taught that wealth is bad or that you can’t have both money and God, it’s time to dismantle those lies and embrace God’s promise of abundance.

Why Are Church Folk Poor? A Guide to Financial Freedom

If you’re ready to break free from the cycle of poverty thinking and step into the abundance that God has promised, my book Why Are Church Folk Poor is the perfect resource for you. In it, I guide you through practical exercises designed to help you examine your relationship with money and begin to shift your mindset from scarcity to abundance.

Each chapter is filled with self-reflection exercises that will challenge your thinking and help you align your financial life with God’s principles. You’ll learn how to:

• Develop a positive relationship with money

• Understand the Biblical principles of prosperity

• Create a financial plan that aligns with your faith

• Break free from limiting beliefs about wealth

This book is for anyone who is ready to live the abundant life that Jesus promised. Whether you're just starting your journey toward financial freedom or you're already on the path and need a little encouragement, Why Are Church Folk Poor will give you the tools and wisdom to create lasting change in your financial life.

Ready to Prosper? Let’s Get Started

If you’re tired of struggling with money and want to align your financial life with God’s promises, it’s time to make a change. The first step is to shift your mindset, and Why Are Church Folk Poor can help you do just that. Get your e-copy today and start your journey toward financial freedom and prosperity.

Remember, God wants you to thrive. Don’t let outdated beliefs or fear hold you back any longer. Your prosperity is waiting, and it’s time to claim it.

Click here to listen to Why Are Church Folk Poor and start living an abundant life today!

ARE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS KEEPING AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN SINGLE?

I turned fifty in October 2019, and I have never been married. Of course, it would be easy for me to blame that fact on the statistic that there are more African American women than African American men between the ages 25 and 54. And that doesn’t take into account of those men who are already married, incarcerated, gay, or prefer women of different races. Nevertheless, I know there is more to my singleness than that statistic. I am not one to blame my circumstances on something outside of myself. Therefore, I had to evaluate myself and my beliefs about marriage. Could it be that I am still single because I have held onto a few beliefs I learned in church too rigidly?

The scripture that is repeated often to single women in the church is Proverbs 18:22, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord.” Holding on to the belief that a man has to find us keeps us from approaching men, asking a man out and even subscribing to dating websites. In today’s society, that could lower our chances of getting married. A good friend of mine is constantly encouraging me to ask men out, but first, I have to change my belief that a man has to find me.

Another scripture that is popular in Singles’ Ministry discussions is 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” Now, somewhere, this scripture has been interpreted to include more than unbelievers. I have heard teachers and speakers include being a Christian, church attendance, and even education. There are many eligible men who believe in God but are not Christians or attend church. Did you know that we are the most educated population in America? I read for every one hundred college-educated African American women there are forty college-educated African American men. I have B.S. in pharmacy, M.S. in counseling, and a Juris Doctorate, if I’m waiting for a man to match my number of degrees, I may never become an “MRS.”

My latest book, Undefiled, is an inspirational romance novella that deals with forgiveness, love, acceptance, and intimacy. Liz and Anthony are thrown together when his mother falls ill. Their attraction is instant, and love blooms quickly, but their happily-ever-after is threatened when Liz learns an uncomfortable truth about Anthony’s past the night before their wedding. Liz has to decide if she can get beyond the shocking reality of Anthony's past, or will she leave him standing at the altar.

Liz, like so many Christian women, finds a good man, but because his past isn’t perfect, she is are ready to walk away. Let’s remember that the Apostle Paul was once Saul, a persecutor of Christians, and Israel was once Jacob, the trickster. I am not suggesting that out of desperation to be married that we marry a bozo, but maybe we should stop waiting for a Boaz. There are plenty of good men in between those two extremes. I am ready to let go of some of my strict “religious” beliefs about marriage and dating because they have not served me and my desire to be married.

To purchase a copy of Undefiled go to www.tolsonbooks.com/shop. You can get an electronic copy of Undefiled on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

“A fast paced, easy read with lots of food for thought and thought provoking situations. A true Christian read that makes you examine your beliefs versus being judgemental.”

"Undefiled" is a great read! The pages turn quickly, with humor, thoughtfulness, an attention to detail, and relatable characters. Tolson's spirit shines through in her writing! I would highly recommend it- and especially for a Christian audience!

“Undefiled is an unadorned story of love in all its forms: romantic, sexual, familial, and spiritual…a welcome sojourn into the lives of everyday, ordinary people.”

Can women handle the truth?

Undefiled is my latest inspirational romance novella. Liz desires to be married, but she chose a man just like her father who lied, cheated and ultimately left his family. When a "save the date” card arrives and announces her ex's engagement to another woman, it's the impetus Liz needs to move forward with her life. When Liz’s mentor, Edna, suddenly falls ill, she meets Edna’s son, Anthony. Their attraction is instant, and love blooms quickly. Anthony is the man of her dreams and the answer to Liz’s prayers, but one of Anthony's disgruntled ex-lovers threatens their happily-ever-after. The night before their wedding, Anthony tells Liz an uncomfortable truth about his past Liz has to decide if she can get beyond the shocking reality of Anthony's past, or will she leave him standing at the altar.

Undefiled is a thought-provoking story that seamlessly weaves themes of forgiveness, acceptance, love, and intimacy. Intimacy is often confused as sex. However, you can have sex without intimacy, and you can have intimacy without sex. The best definition of intimacy came from one of my former pastors. He said that intimacy means “in to me see.” Intimacy, to me, means you know me, accept me, and will give me a safe space to grow into the best me.

Liz, like many women, could not handle the truth when it is told to her. The R & B singer, Ne-Yo, has a song, Good Man. In the song, he sings, “Tell the truth, tell the whole damn truth. Never leavin' out the parts I know gon' upset you.” Women have encouraged the men in our lives to fabricate palatable facts or leave out important information to keep us from getting upset. Let’s face it, women, especially women of color, are like the Hulk when we get upset. If a man feels the need to withhold the truth from his woman, then there is no true intimacy in the relationship.

I am not giving men a pass for lying to the women in their lives. Anthony was wrong for not telling Liz about his past until the night before the wedding. Nevertheless, Liz’s anger was more about the truth of his past and not the fact that he omitted that truth at the beginning. Her reaction to the truth was exactly the reason Anthony chose not to tell her. How can we women provide a safe space for men to tell us a truth that may be difficult to hear? I would love to hear your suggestions.

Please read Undefiled, and let me know if you think Liz did the right thing. Undefiled is available on www.Amazon.com and www.BarnesandNoble.com. If you would like an autographed copy, go to www.raykeltolson.com. We will discuss this and other topics on my new podcast, Blessed, on https://www.spreaker.com/show/blessed_5.