"I hate stewardship, in terms of being the up front guy," one pastor said, "but I like the results."

All the pastors around the table nodded.

The admission came early in our conversation, but it was important to get it out. Most pastors don't like talking about money. We don't like preaching about money, most of us aren't good at handling it, and many people—even Christians—think that's all we're interested in: their money.

Yet, money is what makes our ministries possible.

The pastors we met at this roundtable discussion in Minneapolis have had success because of it, and in spite of it, and they still feel the tension between God and money.

At the table:

Rich Doebler, a former Leadership editor who five years ago returned to the pastorate at Cloquet Gospel Tabernacle in Cloquet, Minnesota.

Michael Foss, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville, Minnesota, for almost ten years.

Knute Larson, for 19 years the pastor of The Chapel in Akron, Ohio, which recently pledged $26.5 million ...