seen as a mere tool, not a way of life. This book is a challenge to make stewardship the controlling idea of congregational and individual life.
Those involved with other religions and their adherents soon discover that they all are concerned with the same thing: discovering and promoting the purpose of life. The differences are many and profound in how they go about this, but in the final analysis, they are pursuing their understanding of how to live properly in our world.
This is no less true of Christianity. If you are a Christian, you have a basic understanding of why you are here and what you should be doing with your life. Depending on your denomination or theological understanding, such issues as evangelism, sanctification, liberation, justice seeking, and the like compete for a Christian’s first allegiance. Just as with differing biblical interpretations, each one has its able defenders. What we need is a way to make them all essential without having them compete with one another. By broadly applying biblical stewardship principles, each is elevated and transformed.
One of the problems with stewardship as it is taught in our churches today is that it is a “program,” and one that is relegated to underwriting the annual budget. So biblical stewardship is undermined in two ways. One, it is seen as being about money, and two, it is just another part of the life of the church. Neither of these is healthy nor helpful. Until stewardship is regarded as a vital aspect of everything that touches the life of the church and individual Christians, we will limp along with mediocre impact on our world and ourselves. Ironically, when stewardship is seen comprehensively, that is, as a way of life, money will no longer be an issue.
One of the “givens” of Christian teaching is that the world is in need of redemption. Judaism teaches us that the world is in need of sanctification, that is, it needs to be regarded as set apart for God’s purposes, and appropriately considered. Whether you take a literal view of “The Fall,” or regard the Theory of Evolution as more to the point, most agree that the state of our world is dire. Humanity is consumed with hate for the “other,” and the planet is on its way to polluting itself to death. Our God, through Christ, is in the redemption business. The “good news of the gospel” is that all forms of oppression, of either individuals or the planet, are in the process of being overcome. When we pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we are acknowledging our need for radical change in our world and our commitment to assist in this change. However, our work only begins with prayer; it ends with action.
A story is told of a recalcitrant man who continually resisted the urging of the local pastor to attend Sunday worship. The man was a very successful gardener, and his garden was the envy of all who passed by. One day the pastor stopped by to admire the garden and found the man working the ground. “My, what a beautiful garden the Lord has given you, brother.” “Well,” said the man, “You should have seen this ground when God had it all to himself!”
We will investigate the basis of why God calls upon us humans to partner with God in returning the world to its rightful state, shalom (universal wholeness). God will wave no magic wand over Earth. Only stewardship in its fullest expression can make the earth and us whole again.
1 “Consumerism describes a society in which many people formulate their goals in life partly through acquiring goods that they clearly do not need for subsistence or for traditional display. They become enmeshed in the process of acquisition — shopping — and take some of their identity from a [possession] of new items that they buy and exhibit.” Peter N. Stearns, Consumerism in World History (London: Routledge, 2006), p. ix.
2 Joseph Blenkinsopp, Creation, Un-creation, Re-creation: A discursive commentary on Genesis 1-11(London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2011).
3 Time Magazine, Friday, May 31, 1963.
4 I’m Right and You’re Wrong!: Why we disagree about the Bible and what to do about it, (Gonzales, Florida: Energion Publications, 2015).
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