A Letter of Warning from Ananias and Sapphira By Chris McDaniel

The Warning:  Church, Don’t Make the Same Mistake We Did!

Church, we write to you from beyond the veil, not to haunt you, but with an urgent warning to you. We were once part of the early Church. And we walked among the apostles. We saw miracles with our own eyes. We heard the Gospel preached with boldness, and we witnessed lives being transformed in the name of Jesus Christ.

And yet, we fell.

It wasn’t that we lacked knowledge. We didn’t fall because we were outside the faith. We lost because we valued the appearance of faith over obedience. We loved the applause of men more than the approval of God.

Our Story

You’ve probably heard our story in Acts 5:1-11. We sold our land just like Barnabas did. But unlike Barnabas, we wanted the reputation of generosity without the cost of true sacrifice. So we conspired—together—to keep back a portion of the money while pretending to give it all. We wanted to look holy without being holy.

God didn’t strike us down for poor accounting. He struck us down for lying to the Holy Spirit, for pretending. For him, thinking about it wouldn’t be a mockery of sacred generosity.

Church, please hear us: God takes our giving seriously—because He takes our hearts seriously.

We didn’t just hold back money. We held back trust and the truth. We held back reverence for the God who sees all and deserves all. Our downfall wasn’t in withholding dollars—it was in withholding devotion.

Your Story

You live in an era marked by branding, image management, curated content, and public generosity. But the God who saw through us sees through you, too. He sees what you give, but more than that—He sees why you give.

• Are you giving to be seen?
• Are you sacrificing only when it feels safe?
• Are you treating generosity as a performance rather than a form of worship?

Let us be your cautionary tale. But let Christ be your Redeemer.

What God Requires

God doesn’t need your money. He wants your heart. He wants cheerful givers, not calculating pretenders. He wants open hands and surrendered spirits—not people who try to impress others with partial devotion wrapped in holy packaging.

We never got the chance to repent. You do.

Be Generous

So we encourage you to give generously. Not to be seen—but because you have seen the One who gave everything for you. Give with honesty, with joy, with freedom. Give because the cross broke the power of greed. Give because Jesus, the richest of all, became poor so that you might become eternally rich.

We failed. But you don’t have to.

Let our story stir a holy fear—not a fear of punishment, but a reverent fear of pretending before a holy God. Let it awaken in you a passion for authentic worship, pure hearts, and radical generosity.

Don’t give to look generous. Be generous to look like Jesus.

Sincerely,
Ananias & Sapphira

Chris McDaniel is the Vice President of Sales for vTECH io. He leads a sales team that delivers cutting-edge technology solutions, combining industry knowledge with a passion for exceptional service.

Learn and Grow with a Worldwide Network of Christ-centered Believers

Join us for the fifth annual Outcome Conference Global Digital Experience, September 1- October 31, 2025

Find a place to connect, learn, and grow in leadership! Transformation begins here!

Registration open through August 22, 2025!

CLA members can register using their member credentials for a $200 discount

SPECIAL SAVINGS: If you register for the Outcome Conference Global Digital Experience, you will save $100 off your Outcome Conference 2026 registration between September 1-30, 2025!

You’ll learn more on the conference websites!