If you’re a Bitcoiner and want to get your church on a Bitcoin standard, but have no idea where to start — or maybe you’ve already tried and been shot down — this series is for you.
If you’re not a Bitcoiner, you may prefer to start with some of our other talks, such as Tim’s Bitcoin and Theology series.
Meet your guide
So before we get started, first let me introduce myself. My name is Jim McAndrew, and I’m an entrepreneur and software engineer. I started Magnalia with Tim Fox to help the church understand Bitcoin in light of the riches of Scripture and Christian theology.
I’m also a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. Your church may not have deacons, or your deacons may function more like the elders in our denomination — but even if this is the case, I’m willing to bet you have members in your church who perform the same role.
Historically, the office of deacon has been one focused on sympathy and service for those in need, which is often called mercy ministry. Deacons first show up in Acts 6, when there were some widows being neglected in the daily distribution:
And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.”
Acts 6:2–3
In other words, the first deacons were appointed to care for the physical and material needs of the poor — which of course involves collecting, saving, and using money wisely on behalf of the church.
It’s true that the church is first and foremost to provide spiritual nourishment for God’s sheep, but this is not to the exclusion of providing for those in need. James warns against such an error:
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
James 2:15–17
So the church is to be concerned with both the spiritual and the physical well-being of our brothers and sisters. This means we should take care to avoid things that prevent us from doing this well, and we should be diligent in looking for new ideas and technologies that will help us better serve the kingdom and bring even more glory to God in the process.
At Magnalia, we believe Bitcoin is a great example of a new technology with tremendous potential for the church, and as a ruling elder I’ve spent many years making the case for Bitcoin at the churches I’ve attended. The content in this series comes from my own personal experiences and learnings over the years, and I hope it will help you become a winsome Bitcoin maximalist — and help you avoid the same mistakes I’ve made along the way.
The trap of the toxic maximalist
We’ve all experienced the excitement when we finally start to understand Bitcoin, and we may even be genuine in our joy in wanting to share it with others we love, especially our church. The problem is, sometimes in this excitement we can be perceived as having an arrogant, condescending, patronizing, or even spiteful attitude.
Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;
Romans 14:10
In the end, being a toxic Bitcoin maximalist won’t get you very far. Instead we would do well to listen to guys like Michael Saylor. In his talk, 21 Rules of Bitcoin, he ended with this: spread Bitcoin with love — don’t give people the excuse that Bitcoiners are mean.
If you haven’t watched the whole talk, it is well worth the time, and I’ll include a link to it below. To summarize the point, Saylor is saying that how you spread Bitcoin is just as important as spreading it in the first place.
I’m not sure if Saylor is a Christian, but his message of love is biblical.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7
As Christians, we of all people should be able to agree with Saylor’s point. But sometimes, even if our hearts are in the right place, we can present Bitcoin in an unloving manner, and this is counterproductive at best and a bad witness at worst — even to the point that we are like nothing.
And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:2
In other words, you can be 100% right about Bitcoin and what other people and churches should do with their money, and you may even get them to come around on Bitcoin and solve all the fiat problems in the world — but if you are unloving, even in your thoughts, but especially in your words or deeds, you are nothing.
Patience for the long journey
Earlier in his talk, Saylor also makes the point that everyone is against Bitcoin before they are for it, and if someone is against it, it’s because they don’t understand it. While no one ever fully understands Bitcoin, be honest with yourself: try to remember how long it took you to understand Bitcoin enough to be convinced, and be patient as you help others along the journey.
Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:1–2
So even if it feels like someone has no sense of urgency and might be missing an opportunity to get in at a lower price, remember that in the long run, a few extra months or even years are likely to be trivial compared to the magnitude of the opportunity before us, and how very early we still are. In the end, we are to bear with one another in love.
Later in James, in chapter 3, it says:
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
James 3:13
And it goes on:
And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
James 3:18
Are you showing your meekness when you share your wisdom, or are you expecting a harvest of righteousness while sowing seeds of discord? Is your first inclination to go in guns blazing, like you know everything and have the solution to everyone’s problems? Bitcoin is amazing, and it can and does solve many problems, but it doesn’t solve every problem — and it certainly cannot and does not replace Christ, the head of the church.
So if you feel like this attitude might be your tendency, check your heart, and pray that the Spirit would grant you the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, and guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
Christian first, Bitcoiner second
Adopt a posture of listening, service, and humility, being willing to accept that getting your church orange pilled as soon as possible may not be the highest priority for a while. In short, be ready to spread Bitcoin with love, but be in it for the long haul.
Magnalia means “mighty deeds,” and while orange pilling your church could lead to mighty deeds, we don’t know the ways of God. Instead we rely on his promises and wait for him with patience.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
The LORD has wonderful plans for his church, and he will not forsake us. So take heart and remember: you are a Christian first, and then a Bitcoiner.