I wonder…

Could it be said – that for the men and women in your church – MONEY is their Chief God - that their world and life view is driven and shaped by the gospel of materialsim?

What about you? Is MONEY your chief God?

Richard Towner, Executive Director of Good Sense Stewardship, wrote, “…the worship of material wealth in our culture takes on an insidious form that imitates Christianity.”* 

1. Things bring happiness.

2. It’s liturgy is called “comsumerism.”

3. We worship in temples called “shopping malls.”

4. We have imbued this diety – called “money” - with god-like attributes: omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence – the ultimate form of idolatry.

A provocative question: Have you bought into this lie? Are you “spreading the gospel of materialsim” – the gospel of prosperity?

According to Towner the bigger question is: How can the Church engage the public conversation in a cogent, grace-filled and convincing way to effectively counter the pervasive and persuasive message of materialsim?

How will you transform others to be rich toward God? Or will you allow “The Gospel of Materialism” become our God?

Just wondering …

*Towner, Richard J., “The Church’s Leadership Role in Bringing Stewardship Front and Center,” in Revolution in Generosity: Transforming Stewards to Be Rich Toward God, Wesley K. Willmer, ed., Moody Press, 2008.

I “bought” a new hip 8 weeks ago. It’s an amazing thing! So I’ve taken some time to sit – limp – heal – and ponder.

I made a few discoveries:

I discovered yet another “dark side” to my heart. At the core of my spiritual journey has been my selfish, relentless pursuit of joy – joy that is bountiful – intense – exultant – and continual (as in “24/7″) – thinking, mistakenly, this was the path to deep inner peace. Sound familiar?

This pursuit has taken many side roads: college degrees – travel around the world – professional success – accumulation of “stuff” – relationships – and a scrapbook full of wonderful journeys and life experiences.

But- Where was the joy?

I’m 64 years old now – and for the most part - feel like the Old Testament sage who also concluded, “Vanity of vanity – it is all vanity.” (Paraphrase mine) I thought all of this was going to lead me to joy!

Why has it taken me 64 years to learn:

1. The self-centered pursuit of “utopian joy” is a crock! Vanity! 

2. Joy is not “24/7.” Most always joy lasts for just a few moments – a few hours – perhaps for a day or two.

3. BUT - joy is possible! Again and again! However – not in the utopian sense. My “bouts of joy” have typically opened up on the far side of sacrifices – sorrows – trials – disappointments – and opportunities lost.

4. This is a surprising discovery! Perhaps this is what C. S. Lewis meant when he wrote his classic, Surprised by Joy.

5. I’ve also learned – much more pleasantly – that lavish generosity leads to my deepest sense of joy – exultant joy – lasting joy. When I have been “wastefully generous” with my time – my talent – my money - I have experienced -every time - deep, deep joy that DOES lead to a deep, deep inner peace.

6. I’ve learned that real generosity is not just giving 10% – it is not “giving until it hurts” – lavish generosity is giving until it’s all gone! Remarkably – slowly – surely – my selfish heart is being transformed by bountiful, free-spirited, exuberant generosity.

Why should I be surprised by this?

May I ask, Where are you on your pilgrimage? What surprises are in your life?

Peace and joy as you are transformed by the grace of giving.

Dick

Many well-known leaders have addressed this matter of the generosity of money. The well-known American evangelist, Billy Graham noted the important relationship between one’s spiritual health and their checkbook, “Give me five minutes with a person’s checkbook, and I will tell you where their heart is.” Colonel Sanders (1890 – 1980), the founder of KFC, quipped, “There’s no need to be the richest man in the cemetery.” The New York author, Christian Bovee (1820 – 1904) wisely noted, “Examples are few of men ruined by giving.” Anne Frank (1929 – 1945), the young Jewish girl who wrote a diary while in hiding with her family and friends in Amsterdam during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II, observed, “No one has ever become poor by giving.” Author Charles H. Burr put it this way, “Getters generally don’t get happiness; givers get it.” Bishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895 – 1979), renowned Roman Catholic Bishop and author, put a sobering understanding to generosity, “Never measure your generosity by what you give but rather by what you have left.” S. Truett Cathy, philanthropist and founder of Chick-fil-A Restaurants, was very comfortable about having money but warned, “It’s OK to have wealth. But keep it in your hand, not in your heart.”

The mark of leadership is to give, and give, then give even more of your time, talent, and treasure. Like God, be gloriously and wastefully generous. Like the greedy King, you will never be as happy as when you are giving away your money, your possessions, your time, and your talents. In the words of John Wesley (1703 – 1791), the founder of Methodism, “Earn as much as you can. Save as much as you can. Invest as much as your can. Give as much as you can.”

You are generous. You are a leader. This is the truth about leadership. This is the Genesis Principle of leadership.

This is my very first time EVER to BLOG: so please be kind as I reflect on what God has laid on my thoughts to ask.

In Scripture, Christ asks each of us to give of our time, talent and treasures.  I have often wondered why He mentioned time first, our talent’s second and our treasure last.  Could it be that Christ wants us to give (I like the word Serve) others is more important than our talents and treasures?  Have you ever wondered why money was the last of the three?

What I have experienced in my own life is the need to balance all three; time, talents, and treasures with what God has called me to do.  When I invest too much of my energy on one of the three areas, the other two areas suffer.  So what is the answer?

It’s just a thought!

- Bryce Beckett

IT/Video Partner

An article from the Harvard Business School showing the positive correlation between happiness and giving money to others….

Click Here

Another article on a study by the National Institutes of Health showing the increase in serotonin levels released in our brains when we give…

Click Here

Initial thoughts:

1. It’s nice to see that yet again, Science is affirming what the Bible has been teaching for thousands of years.
2. It is exciting to learn that being made in God’s image means that our bodies are literally hard-wired to find joy in the things He loves, even after the Fall!

What are your thoughts?

 Jonathan Michael

-Student Intern

**Sidenote** The new International Steward website is coming soon!! Stay tuned for updates…

As I begin my student internship with International Steward, I am immersed once again in the theology behind Biblical stewardship, and the importance of giving of one’s resources to those in need. I have heard these things before – growing up in a Christian fmaily, going to church regularly, etc…and yet, as is typically the case, my response often sounds like “I would like to give, but I just don’t have anything to give.”

I think at least the feeling behind that statement can be justified. I’m a married college student with one son, and another baby on the way. I work two jobs that give me an income that still falls below the poverty level. My family and I are living in the upstairs bedroom at my parents’ house, and we are barely making end’s meet. So yes, it is easy for me to feel like there’s nothing for me to give.

But then I’m directed to 2 Corinthians 8, where Paul boasts of the grace of giving that the Macedonians exhibited – giving what they had, and beyond their ability. Initially I feel the paigns of guilt as I read of those who were most likely worse off than I ever will be, giving more than I do. However, I’m encouraged as I read in verses 8 and 9 where Paul’s emphasis lies, and where the motivation for giving is found: when we compare our love to that of Christ’s.

This idea of “God Owns Everything, I Own Nothing” is not simply rooted in a fatalistic concept that I should give of my resources because it’s not mine anyways. It goes beyond that. God owns everything, and as His child, he has graciously given me everything I need, and blesses me beyond what I need. Not because I deserved any of it, but because of His great love for me, and for you. So now, as I am energized by the overwhelming joy of God’s grace – I am filled with a desire to show that love toward others.

I usually hear this concept of contemplating God’s goodness as a motivation for evangelism – and although it is an appropriate application, I find it interesting that Paul chooses to highlight God’s goodness as a motivation for the simple act of selflessly giving whatever I can to someone else who needs it.

When I begin to fall into the attitude of “I have nothing to give,” it acts as a spiritual barometer showing me my focus has veered off-course. It doesn’t matter whether I give financially, or of any other resource. What matters to God, and what is acceptable to Him, is that I give what I can and that my attitude is not “I have nothing to give,” but rather, “I have nothing to withhold.”

Jonathan Michael

-Student Intern

I never cease to be amazed at the fiber of the people we meet as we travel around the world.

In late March/early April, Eric and I conducted an Introductory Workshop to a group of ministry leaders in Serbia. This was a small – but inspiring – group of imaginative ministry leaders from around the Balkans. We were particularly moved by the zeal of Sasko (“sash-ko”). Sasko’s vision is to build and operate the only Christian television station in Serbia.

If I can be so bold – Sasko’s vision was ignited as he began to realize that his vision will come to fulfilment as he teaches his brothers and sisters in Christ learn to excel in the grace of giving.

Sasko is burdened for his homeland of Macedonia. As he put it, “We (Christians) have become a nation of “takers” – we must reclaim our reputation as “givers” – as those who taught the world to excel in the grace of giving.”

I just received this email from Sasko:

Just a couple of days ago, I returned from Macedonia. I gave the scripts (seminar materials) to a brother who lives there … he has already translated about 80 % of it. He does not have a computer, so he is doing it by hand.

I should go to Macedonia again and talk to some pastors and believers concerning the organisation of the stewardship seminar in Macedonia. Let us continue to pray and plan and see when it would be best for you to come to Macedonia.

After our seminar, a brother who is the editor of a Christian magazine here in Serbia, asked me to write an article about the seminar you led – somebody told him that I was very active at the seminar and that I was the right person to write that article. It was a special privilege for me – I was able to remind myself once again of all the principles you were teaching and go through the materials one more time. Thank you once again for an excellent seminar.

I wish to stay in touch with you and see how we can serve the Lord together here on the Balkans.

Many greetings to the whole International Steward team,

Sasko

On behalf of Sasko – and people just like you – for teaching our brothers and sisters how to excel in the grace of giving!

Dick

It’s an amazing thing what you can learn while sharing a cup of tea.

Samuel Balachander (Bala) lives in Bangalore, India. He is the Executive Director of Emerging Young Leaders International (EYL) – a rapidly growing and effective ministry to young people throughout India, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Bala has been a good friend and strong encourager of International Steward from almost the beginning.

Bala was my guest in Chattanooga, Tennessee just a few days ago. I had numerous questions for him about EYL. I want to discern how this ministry could expand so rapidly in his part of the world. So I brewed some good India tea and we sat down to talk.

Bala told me: “Dick, I will never forget the first International Steward workshop I attended many years ago! I was shaken by a fundamental but astounding reality taught in this workshop: ‘God owns everything. I own nothing!’”

“For the very first time in my life,” Bala continued, “I realized that I am but a steward – a manager – of all the things God has entrusted to me – my family – my ministry – even the land and home I had inherited from my parents – prized family possessions that have been passed down from family to family for many generations. The more I reflected about it, the more I realized that I had to act upon this gripping biblical truth: ‘God owns everything. I own nothing!’”

“But it was not easy. I had many restless nights. For months I awoke at 2 or 3 am. These words kept echoing in my mind and heart: ‘God owns everything. I own nothing!’ Then it became clear: I must give this property and home to EYL! But how was I to tell my wife and children? Give away the very possessions that validates my family? Would I be robbing my family of its ‘rightful’ inheritance? Or would I be robbing God? Even the Board of Trustees of EYL told me not to be ‘hasty’ about this idea. More and more, however, it became clearer and clearer. ‘God owns everything. I own nothing!’ I must give the family property and home to EYL.”

I poured us another cup of tea, added the “required” milk and sugar, and then Bala continued, “With great fear, I approached my wife and two sons. I told them that it had become clear that I should give our family’s land and property to the ministry of EYL. To my amazement, they agreed! There was no resistance – no hesitation. So we gave our property and home to EYL and turned it into the International Headquarters and Training Center. What an exciting – and scary time!”

“Then,” Bala explained, “EYL experienced unprecedented growth – across India – then into Myanmar – Sri Lanka – Singapore – Thailand! Staff has been added, hundreds of volunteers work each week with many more looking for ways to become involved in the ministry. Most importantly, thousands of young people are being developed into maturing, spiritual leaders – preparing to lead in the 21^st century!”

“Dick, this is all because of a simple truth: ‘God owns everything. I own nothing!’ Thank you, International Steward! Keep going and teaching this profound truth!”

Thank you, Bala! For what you do with what you know is what Christian knowing is all about!

Pray for International Steward, as we continue to let the world know, ‘God owns everything. I own nothing!’

Peace and joy as you, too, excel in the grace of giving.

Dick

Galatians 6:7-8 NIV ”Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”  

I recently came across this verse in my morning devotions.  It’s not that I had never seen this verse before – just never looked at it through the lens of a maturing steward.  If our motivations in the management of the resources that have been entrusted to us are purely for personal gain – are we indeed mocking God?  What implication does this have on prosperity theology?  The state of the emerging Church?  Western culture in general?

 The bible is very consistent that God is interested in the condition of the heart.  This passage in Galatians speaks to the issues of the heart.  Culture says “more for me” – God says “look to Me”.  Radically different lifestyles.  Very straight forward implications.  Because there is really no middle road you have to wonder  what implication mocking God does to our families, churches, ministries, countries.  As stewards of Gods creation, in what areas are we possibly mocking Him?

Leaders are supremely generous. It is part of your divine nature and responsibility, as a leader created in God’s image, to be supremely generous with your time, talent, and treasure.

Excelling in the grace giving is not an abstract, dusty, theological notion. God is exuberantly, cheerfully, and lavishly generous. God’s acts of generosity are transformative. God’s generosity is real. God’s generosity changes things. God simply loves to give.

God created you to be gloriously and exuberantly generous. The generosity of your time, talent, and treasure also changes things. In fact, in the final analysis, it may be the only thing that ever changes things. You will experience great joy and fulfillment as you learn to be generous. You will become the true benefactor of your generosity.

God takes great joy and delight in watching His people cheerfully and lavishly – even wastefully – bestow gifts of their time, talent, and treasure in changing people and the world about them. God gives cheerfully and God loves those who cheerfully give. When we give cheerfully we fill the earth with the glory of his image.

Generosity is the krypton of true leadership. The element krypton, appearing on the Periodic Chart of elements is, basically, an inert chemical. But, when used in fluorescent bulbs, krypton makes the light whiter and brighter. And when used in laser lights, krypton makes them more powerful and precise. Like the element krypton, wasteful generosity lights up leadership – that separates and distinguishes great leaders from good leaders. Effective leaders excel in the transformative, supreme generosity of their time, talent, and treasure.

The mark of your leadership is to give, and give, then give even more of your time, talent, and treasure. Like God, be gloriously generous. In the words of John Wesley (1703 – 1791), the founder of Methodism, “Earn as much as you can. Save as much as you can. Invest as much as your can. Give as much as you can.” You will never be as happy as when you are giving something - your money, your possessions, your time, or your talents.

Leaders don’t give just 10%. Leaders don’t give until it hurts. Leaders give until it’s all gone!

Peace and joy as you excel in the grace of giving!