As North Americans, we live in a money-crazed culture, filled with contradictory messages about wealth and human value — even in church, from pastors, preachers and biblical interpreters. What’s a faithful Christian to think ? This insightful article from Christianity Today may help navigate the choppy waters with a look at some of the most […]
Many churches and church leaders mistakenly avoid talking about money. In fact, a theology of money is central to our individual spiritual formation, the health of our institutions and the way we participate in God’s mission in the world, writes David P. King, director of Lake Institute on Faith & Giving. He explains why and […]
Pope Francis stirred controversy when he recently declared that people should not hesitate to give money directly to the poor. “Help is always right,” the Pontiff said. But is it wise to give your spare change to panhandlers on the street corner? What if they use it for drugs, or booze? What if they’re really […]
Forget the latest John Grisham thriller or Sue Grafton’s whodunit — this summer put some stewardship books in your beachbag! There’s never been a better selection of brilliant, informative reading material to help you plan and execute your congregation’s stewardship program. From the practical to the theological, there’s something to fit your congregation’s need. This suggested […]
Money gets a bad rap in some churches. The thinking goes something like this: Even though we ask for money every time we collect an offering, the truth is, we shouldn’t need it; we shouldn’t want it; we should be able to get by without it, just like Jesus did. After all, money is the root […]
Scientists and church folk alike know that living a life of gratitude reaps benefits spiritually, mentally and physically. “Thankfulness releases us from anger and from materialism,” says Doris Whitaker, University of Mississippi Medical Center chaplain. “It helps us acknowledge that there’s something greater than us.” Here, with links to lots of other resources, are some ways to cultivate generosity.
“Stewardship is another way of talking about ministry, and it would revolutionize ministry if people could think of it in terms of stewardship—that we are accountable to God for what we do and with what he has trusted to us,” says R. Paul Stevens in this Christianity Today interview. (Photo: Keoni Cabral, Creative Commons)
One of Christian theology’s most prophetic voices offers a challenging biblical analysis of the role of money in our culture. Wealth in America, Brueggemann says, acts as a narcotic, numbing us. “The great contradiction is that we have more and more money and less and less generosity — less and less public money for the needy, less charity for the neighbor.” (Photo: Prisoner 5413, Creative Commons)
As people become wealthier, they tend to think in more individualistic terms and they become less responsive to needs of community, say researchers studying the habits of people in different income groups. One theory? Poor people need to rely on others, and so they weave a tighter social fabric. Fascinating story you an read or listen to.
Robert Wuthnow, Andlinger Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for the Study of Religion at Princeton University, wrote this article for The Christian Century a decade ago, but his observations and critique of the failure of American churches and synagogues to address issues of faith and money in a substantive and effective way […]
