Investment

So how is your financial picture?

What a question! In light of the current economic situation what does the faith community have to say to the world?

What is it that we can share that will help folks find some hope?

I attended Catalyst (a conference in Atlanta for leaders) a couple weeks ago and heard Dave Ramsey speak. He talked about “unity” and afterwards he was asked what he had to say about the current crisis. He shot back quickly…”If you had done what I have been telling you to do you wouldn’t have to worry.” Dave is a big “debt free” person. He believes in being debt free, having an emergency fund, and in living within your means. He speaks often about tithing, but more about the fact that all we have is God’s and we are just stewards of it. We know that, but do we live into it…do we practice it?

Many of our churches face budgetary challenges. Many of our mission centers and institutions are in a financial crunch. It is easy to allow the pressures of this challenge to pull us apart. We have to pay bills and salaries and bank notes… it can be overwhelming. It seems like there just isn’t enough to go around. We have to choose what we pay first and what we must cut. It can get ugly fast. People can lose jobs and entire communities can be devastated. It is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of panic and pessimism. At the local church and conference levels there is talk of short falls and lack of resources. Blame is cast and tension rises. This doesn’t solve anything! How we deal with this issue is a witness to the type of people we are and to what we value most. How would God have us act?

Now is when the “Church” can live into its true identity. We are the children of God. This God is a God of abundance. In God’s Kingdom there is always enough for everyone! What does that look like? Maybe the Second chapter of Acts captures the picture.

“Everyone around was in awe--- all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.” (Acts 2:42-ff Peterson’s Message)

Maybe what we have to teach and learn is that what we think we need isn’t really need and what we want isn’t always what is best. We live in a culture of individualism and abundance. Many around us have been in economic crisis for all their life. We are (even in this crisis) for the most part still very wealthy! We have bountiful resources. Best of all we have each other. All of this is God’s gift to us. We have a chance to be awesome in the eyes of this world by just sharing what we do have with those who don’t have. Sound too simple? It is. We make it complicated. We decide that we have to have all this stuff in our churches and our houses and all the time there are those who have no stuff or houses. Maybe the scare of losing what we have shouldn’t drive us to fearfully hoard all we can, maybe it should drive us to remember who’s it is and what God would have us do with it. What if our spirit was that of those first century saints who found the riches of God’s kingdom in each other and not in their banks? What if our churches weren’t asking how can we make budget or keep our building open, but who needs what we have to survive? Some will say this is niave. The truth is that we often justify our indulgence and call it need. We have much to learn together. I cannot wait to see how God will perform the signs and wonders that will lead us forward in faith.

As stewards of this great bounty we have will God find us faithful? Will the world see us share and be drawn in by our generosity and compassion? If we want more people, more young people, more diverse people…let’s model this Biblical stewardship and love the people in need with our resources and not just our prayers.

This is Thanksgiving time. We have so much to be thankful for. Many have nothing. Could we set a place at the table for them? Could we sell what we have to help them? If we did I think it would look like a Kingdom Feast. It is time for a return to a simpler way, to a time where people are more important that things. We need to be communities where relationship is our primary currency and love our treasure. Money will not and cannot save us! Let this season be a time for generosity and sharing. “For God so loved the world …”, this is how we are saved! What an awesome God! See you at the feast and I hope you’re not alone.

Live Loved,
Steve