Saturday, February 11- Missions

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?⁷Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,  if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.

--Isaiah 58:6-12

          It's easy to look around at our world and wonder how in the world it is that we got to where we are and is it possible at this point to make any significant long-term difference? How do we heal ourselves? How do we heal our world?
          Isaiah offers an amazingly simple formula. It begins at home and in our communities. We are to be a people who are fair, who don't point our fingers at each other every time something doesn't go just right. We are to be a people who don't gossip about each other and who take care of family. We are to love God and behave as people who are loved by God. Then comes the fun part!
          We are called to take this same non-judgemental love out into the world.We are called to feed the hungry, and help to provide clothing, housing and all the basic essentials for those in need. At the same time we are called to be a people who will never be satisfied until the unjust practices in our world, whether those practiced by government or by each other, are brought out into the light and forever removed.
           When we begin to live life in this fashion, it will be as if a light switch has been turned on in our world. God's light will begin to glow in the world and in and through each of us and all of us. God's light will begin to shine on all those dark and shadowy places in our lives and in our world and it will become easier and easier to see and remove injustice from our world.
          I love the image of God's love shining in and through us. As we reach out to others, not only is the world healed, we too are healed--one prayer at a time, one hand at a time.
          What are you doing to reach out and change the world? How are you using the blessings God has entrusted into your care to feed, clothe, house and care for our world? As you fill out your commitment card this week, don't forget to prayerfully consider where God wants to use you, your prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness to heal our world.
          If you are looking for a suggestion to help you get started. We are cooking and serving lunch at Open Table (New Hope Commons Service Road) this coming Wednesday, February 15. Come and join us!

Blessings.

Rich Greenway

Thursday, February 9 - The Call to Spiritual Formation

   

^"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved."

--Acts 2:42-47

          I love this image of the early Church. They were a ragtag group of people who were united in their belief that Jesus had been raised from the dead and would come again to turn this world into God’s peaceful and perfect kingdom. They spoke different languages, came from different towns, and practiced different cultural traditions – and yet God unified them into a community that generously demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone and invited others to follow Jesus.

          In these verses from Scripture we are given a picture of the sorts of things Christians are called to do together. From the beginning of the Church, Christians have “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” These practices are what we often describe as Spiritual Formation practices. In Acts 2, these practices helped to form the early church into a mission-oriented community who gave generously to people in need and who demonstrated God’s goodness through their words and actions.
          This week as you reflect on how you can express your love for God through your generous commitments of time, energy, service, and money, I encourage you to consider committing to a Spiritual Formation group. Join a Bible Study, attend Sunday School, participate in Youth Group or Children’s Christian Fellowship. The practices that we engage in together during these group meetings reflect the practices that the early Church celebrated – the study of Scripture and theology, prayer, and fellowship. As we engage in these practices, God makes us into people that are more loving, more generous, more mission-oriented, and more like Jesus. May God bless you as you devote yourself to these things, and may God work through us to demonstrate God’s goodness to everyone we meet.

Peace,
Laura

Wednesday, February 8 - Worship

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.

Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations."

--Psalm 100, NRSV

          Worship is who we are, it is what we do. We are called to be a people who worship the Lord. If you think about it, it is the focus that separates us from all of the other organizations in the world. Lots of organizations and community groups do good things. Lots of groups seek to make positive differences in their communities. Only the Church gathers to worship. Worship changes who we are. Worship recenters and changes how we do what we do. Worship gives us an interpretive lens through which to view the world.
          "God uses worship to transform lives, heal wounded souls, renew hope, shape decisions, provoke change, inspire compassion, and bind people to one another. God through Christ actively seeks relationship to us through worship. ...Through worship, God pardons sin, restores relationships, and changes lives. In a mindset of expectancy worshipers discover that God wants a relationship with them and seeks to say something through the time together." *
           Several years ago circumstances required that we take a good look at our worship services here at Union Grove. At that time we had two services on Sunday mornings, 9:00 and 11:00 am. Without a musician to play at the 11:00 am service, we decided to combine the services at 10:00 a.m. through the summer months. We made an amazing discovery, ...each other!
           "It's so nice to worship together." "I hope we don't have to go back to worshipping apart when the summer's over." Your voices were loud and clear sharing a deep and wide theological insight: to truly be a congregation, we have to worship together.
          As you consider your Extravagant Generosity commitments this week, I pray that worship will be first on your priority list. I pray that you will commit to being present in worship every week that you are in town. And I pray that you will work to reprioritize the other commitments in your life such that sabbath and worship might be the center out of which the rest of life finds life and meaning. Whenever any one of us is absent, the community is less than it could be.

Blessings.

Rich Greenway

*Worship quotes are taken from Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, Schnase, Abingdon, 2007
    

Sunday, February 5 - Delight

"Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being

so full of themselves and so obsessed with money,

which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to

go after God . . . to be rich in helping others, to be

extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build

a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life."

 — 1 Timothy 6:17- 19, The Message

          People who practice Extravagant Generosity give with unexpected liberality, they make giving a first priority, and they plan their giving with great energy and passion. They go the second mile. They do not give from a "what remains" mentality, but from a "what comes first" priority. Giving seriously becomes a a personal spiritual discipline, a way of serving God, and a means of helping the church fulfill its God-appointed mission. Focused conviction and intention causes them to give in a more pronounced way, without fear and with greater trust. Giving changes their lives.

          Extravagant describes giving that is extraordinary, over-the-top, and propelled by great passion. Extravagant is the generosity seen in those who appreciate the beauty of giving, the awe and joy of making a difference for the purposes of Christ. Extravagant Generosity is giving to God as God has given to us.

          People who practice Extravagant Generosity shift things around so that they can do more. Their generosity opens them to projects they never dreamed God would involve them in. They are conscientious and intentional. Generosity is their calling. They want to make a difference for Christ. They care.

          They grow in the grace of giving. They learn. They take small steps until generosity becomes natural. They deepen their understanding of giving through prayer and Scripture, and they foster generosity in others. They give more now than in the past, and will give more in the future than they do today.

          They push their congregations to become more generous. They advocate outward-focused ministry. They do not give in order to control the church but to support it. They excel in giving. They love to give. They are motivated by a desire to make a difference rather than by guilt, fear, desire for recognition, or to manipulate others. They give with humility. Yet, they draw others toward generosity and toward God through their example.

          People who practice Extravagant Generosity teach their children and grandchildren to give, mentoring them on how to earn honestly, save carefully, spend prudently, and give lavishly.

          They live with a sense of gratitude. They like receiving money, find pleasure in its responsible use, and experience joy in giving it to God's purposes. They do not become too attached, and are not stopped, deceived, slowed, misled, or detoured in their following of Christ by the possession of money. They delight in Jesus' way, the way of true life.

                    - How do you delight in the good you do through your giving?

                    - Do you give more now than in the past, and do you expect to

                      give in the future than you do today? How are you learning to give?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Saturday, February 4 - Generous Congregations

"What matters most to me is to finish what God

started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting

everyone I meet know all abut this incredibly

extravagant generosity of God."

--Acts 20:24, The Message

          Churches that cultivate Extravagant Generosity hold high quality annual pledge opportunities with wide participation, excellent preparation, and active lay involvement. While pastors provide leadership through preaching, teaching, and example, congregations rely heavily on the witness of extravagantly generous lay persons through testimonies, sermons, leadership talks, newsletter meditations, and website devotionals. They invite people into leadership who speak with integrity because of their own personal growth in the practice of giving, including people of diverse ages, incomes, and backgrounds.

          Vibrant, fruitful, growing congregations focus on giving during the season of annual pledging, but they also emphasize generosity throughout the year in preaching, Bible studies, and classes. They speak about how our relationship with God affects our views of money and how our relationship with money shapes our relationship to God. They teach about the place of wealth, affluence, acquisitiveness, materialism, selfishness, generosity, and giving. They do not avoid capital funds campaigns when they serve the mission of the church, and they enter into major projects with excellence, professional preparation, and outstanding communication. They regularly offer members the opportunity to support special appeals and new projects, knowing that giving stimulates giving; and they've learned that when special giving is aligned with the purposes of Christ, it enhances support for the general budget rather than diminishes it. They readily encourage charitable contributions and philanthropic giving by their members to service agencies and to medical, advocacy, and cultural causes that make a difference in the lives of people.  

          Such churches do more than encourage, teach, and support personal generosity, they practice Extraordinary Generosity as a congregation, demonstrating exemplary support for special projects, missions in the community and around the world, and denominational connectional ministries. They take the lead in responding to disasters and unexpected emergencies. Pastors and lay  leaders view "giving beyond the walls" as indispensable to Christian discipleship and to congregational mission and vitality. They look for more and better opportunities to make a positive difference in the lives of people. They develop partnerships; support agencies that help the poor; and fund mission teams, scholarships, service projects, new church starts, and other ministries that transform lives. They make the mission of the church real, tangible, and meaningful. Their reputation for generosity bears witness to Christ.
          Churches that grow in giving know that generosity increases with participation in ministry and community, and so they work to deepen the core ministries of worship, small-group learning, and mission. Many churches do not have enough money because they don't provide sufficient ministry and mission. Rather than becoming obsessed with income, survival, and maintenance, generous congregations continually return their focus to changing lives, reaching new people, and offering significant mission. By growing in ministry, giving increases.
          Congregations that practice Extravagant Generosity teach, model, and cultivate generosity among children and youth, Sunday school classes, after-school children's ministries, Vacation Bible School, and youth ministries all offer opportunities to give individually and to work together in groups to achieve a ministry goal that is significant, tangible, and compelling. Rather than collecting offerings in a perfunctory way, children's and youth leaders explain, teach and connect the action of giving to the work of God. Generous congregations equip parents with ideas, suggestions, and practices that foster generosity for children and youth of all ages.

                    - Would you describe your congregation as generous? Why or Why not?

                   - Would you describe yourself as generous? Extravagantly so?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Friday, February 3 - One of my Own

"The most generous God who gives seed to the

farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more

than extravagant with you. He gives you something

you can then give away, which grows into full-formed

lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you

can be generous in every way..."

--2 Corinthians 9:11, The Message

          A long-time member and proud grandfather stood a the baptismal font with his family for the baptism of his baby granddaughter. Another infant from another family that was new to the congregation was baptized at the same service. Following the service, the two families intermingled at the front of the church as they took turns having their pictures taken. At one point, the mother from the new family needed to get some things out of her bag, and the grandfather from the other family offered to hold her baby. Other church members commented on the grandfather with the baby; he found himself saying several times, "Oh, this one isn't mine; I'm just holding him for a minute."

          Monday morning the grandfather visited the pastor at the church office and said, "I want to change my will to include the church, and I want to talk to you about how to do that." The pastor was stunned and couldn't help asking about what brought the grandfather to that decision. The older man's eyes grew moist as he said, "Yesterday I realized something while I was holding that other baby. I kept telling people that he wasn't my child, but then it dawned on me that he was part of my family, part of my church family. I've been a member of this church for more than forty years, and in God's eyes I'm a grandfather to more than just my own. I've taken care of my own children with my will, but I realized I also need to provide for the children of the church. So I want to divide my estate to leave a part to the church as if the church were one of my children."

          Those who practice Extravagant Generosity have a God-given vision and faith to plant seeds for trees whose shade they will never see.

                     -  How have those who have come before you in your family, community,

                        and church paved an easier road for you through their generosity?  

                     - How have you paved the road for those who will follow in the

                       faith through your generosity?  

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Thursday, February 2 - The Old Life and The New Life

You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of

ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the

fire. ...So, chosen by God for this new life of love,

dress in a wardrobe God picked out for you:

compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline...

And regardless of what else you put on, wear love.

It's your basic all-purpose garment, Never be without it."

--Colossians 3:9, 12, 14, The Message 

          Vines, branches, seedtime, harvest, soils, vineyards, trees, fruits--the Bible  is replete with stories that lift high the notion that God expects us to use what we have received to make a positive difference in the world around us. Fruitfulness points us toward the result, the impact, and the outcome of our work for God's purposes and saves us from merely congratulating ourselves on our efforts, our hard work, or our input.

         But as any gardener knows, the biblical stories of plants and seeds and growth and vines and branches are incomplete without the idea of pruning. Some things must go. Some ministries are no longer fruitful and some programs have served their time and are no longer relevant or effective. Fruitfulness reminds us to ask ourselves, "Do our ministries really change lives and transform the world?"

          Peter Drucker, the organizational expert who focused much of his professional energy on churches and non-profits in the later years of his career, offers this as one of his top lessons for church leaders: Practice planned abandonment. Planned abandonment involves intentionally closing down work that no longer contributes to the mission.

          According to Drucker, the purpose of any non-profit organization is the changed life. If we are doing work and offering ministries that are no longer shaping lives in significant ways, perhaps we should stop doing them. As we initiate new ministries, create more effective mission projects, and plan how to better reach people, are there also services, activities, and outreach ministries that we need to reduce? How do we redirect our time, energy, and financial resources toward the ministries that most help us fulfill our mission? These are tough questions, but they are questions of stewardship. Jesus says, "Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (Luke 3:9) If it's no longer bearing kingdom fruit, stop doing it.

          Notions of fruitfulness and pruning also apply as we reflect on attitudes and behaviors in ourselves. In order for us to nurture the interior fruit of the Spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control--we must leave behind enmity, anger, dissensions, and things like these (Galatians 5:19-23).

          If we desire to become more generous, as I believe God would want for us, we will have to make some practical decisions that cause us to leave some behaviors behind. To give more to God may mean reprioritizing and spending less on other things that do not lend life and build us up. We may have to prune some expenses and change some spending habits to nurture greater generosity.

          No one tithes accidentally. No one happens to have enough money left over at the end of the month to be truly generous. Extravagant Generosity requires intentionality. Tithing results from deep commitment, but also from carefully planning. We do it willingly, and willfully, or we never do it at all. We have to think about it, pray about it, talk it over, and plan for it. It's a major decision involving everyone in the household. It requires us to change, and to begin to seek God's priorities instead of merely our own.

          The Apostle Paul uses another image instead of fruitfulness and pruning to describe the change that God workds within us by the Holy Spirit when we follow Chrsit. He says that new life in Christ is like getting rid of old ill-fitting clothing and putting on new clothes that God has picked out for us. Elsewhere Paul writes, "Everything ...connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life--a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you" (Ephesians 4:23-24, The Message).

                    - What attitudes, behaviors and values might you need to

                      prune in order to live more fruitfully in Christ?

                   - How much planning, praying and intentionality do you put

                     into your decisions about giving? How sould giving more

                     generously rerquire changes inside you and in your behaviors?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

         

Wednesday, February 1 - Through God's Eyes

"Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that

you fit in without even thinking. Instead, fix your

attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out."

 --Romans 12:1-2, The Message

          Vibrant, fruitful growing congregations thrive because of extraordinary sharing, willing sacrifice, and joyous giving of their members out of love for God and neighbor. Such churches teach and practice giving that focuses on the abundance of God's grace and that emphasizes the Christian's need to give rather than on the church's need for money. In the spirit and manner of Christ, congregations that practice Extravagant Generosity explicitly talk about the place of money in the Christian's walk of faith. They view giving as a gift from God and are driven to be generous by a high sense of mission and a keen desire to please God by making a positive difference in the world.

          The notion that giving rightly focuses on our need to give rather than on the church's need to receive is not a money-raising strategy, but a spiritually powerful truth. The practice of tithing benefits the giver as much as it strengthens the mission and ministry of the church. Americans live in an extraordinarily materialist and consumerist society. We are immersed in a culture that feeds acquisitiveness, the appetite for more and bigger, and that fosters the myth that self-worth is found in material wealth and that happiness comes by possessing. Thirty-year-olds feel like failures because they don't already have the kind of house that their parents own. Couples struggle under oppressive levels of debt that strain marriages, destroy happiness, and intensify conflict and anxiety. As one radio show host says, "We buy things we don't even need with money we don't even have to impress people we don't even know." (The Dave Ramsey Show).

          At root, these are spiritual problems, not merely financial planning issues. They reveal belief systems that are spiritually corrosive and that lead to continuing discontent, discouragement, and unhappiness. We can never earn enough to be happy when we believe that satisfaction, self-definition, and meaning derive principally from our possessions, and we can never trust our sense of self-worth when it rests on treasures that are material and temporal. A philosophy bases principally upon materialism, acquisition, and possessions is not sufficient to live by, or to die by. At some point, followers of Jesus must decide whether they will listen to the wisdom of the world or to the wisdom of God.

                    - How does living generously help you see the world through

                       God's eyes?

                    - How is your own philosophy of life shaped by materialism,

                       acquisition, and the desire to possess? How is it shaped by

                       the wisdom of God? How do you resolve the tensions?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

          

Tuesday, January 31 - Teaching the Tithe

          "Make an offering of ten percent, a tithe, of all the produce which grows

 in your fields year after year. Bring this into the Presence of GOD, your God,

at the place he designates for worship."

 — Deuteronomy 14: 22, The Message

          Tithing helps the followers of Jesus understand that all things belong to God and that, during their days on earth, followers are entrusted as stewards to use all they have and all they are in ways that glorify God. What Christians earn belongs to God, and they should earn it honestly and in ways that serve purposes consistent with being followers of Christ. What Christians spend belongs to God, and they should use it wisely, not foolishly, on things that enhance life and do not diminish it. What they save belongs to God, and they should invest in ways that strengthen society. What Christians give belongs to God, and they need to give generously, extravagantly, and conscientiously in ways that strengthen the body of Christ and serve the mission of Christ.
          One hundred and fifty years ago, if your great-grandparents were active in the faith, they tithed. Why were they able to tithe one hundred and fifty years ago, but yet we have trouble doing it today? Because they were so much wealthier than we are? The truth is precisely the opposite! We struggle with tithing because our hearts and minds are more powerfully shaped by our affluence. We find it harder to give extravagantly because our society's values shape our perceptions more than our faith's values do.
          Those who are new to the faith may find the practice of tithing extremely challenging. Take it one step at a time and grow into it over a few years. If you are so overwhelmed with debt that you struggle under an oppressive anxiety, first make the changes in spending and lifestyle that grant you freedom from excessive debt. When you can breathe again, begin to give proportionally, and grow in the grace of giving toward the tithe.
          On the other hand, those who have been active in the faith for twenty, thirty, or forty years and have attended worship faithfully and studied Scripture in classes and felt sustained by the fellowship of the church and offered themselves in service to others in Christ's name, but who do not tithe . . . I would simply challenge you to think seriously and prayerfully about why this is. Why are the other faith practices relevant and helpful, but the discipline of tithing is not? Is the avoidance of tithing a fruit of faithfulness, or the result of submission to the values of a consumerist culture?
          Practice the tithe. Teach children to spend wisely, to save consistently, and to give generously. Let them learn from their parents and grandparents so that they will be generous and not greedy, giving and not self-indulgent, charitable and not self-absorbed. Extravagant Generosity changes the life and spirit of the giver.

                    - How did you first learn about tithing? Have you seen others practice
                       the tithe? How does it shape their lives?

                    - Do you tithe? If so, why? If not, why not? What causes you to resist growing
                        in generosity? 

                    - How do you teach and model generosity for the next generation?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Monday, January 30 - There is Always a Way

"One poor widow came up and put in two small

coins...Jesus...said, "...All the others gave what

they will never miss; she gave extravagantly what she

couldn't afford--she gave her all."

--Mark 12:42-44, The Message

          For hundreds of generations, the practice of tithing has sustained growth in personal generosity.

To tithe means to give a tenth, and involves returning to God ten percent of income. It's simple, concise, and consistent. Write down your income, for the month, move the decimal over one place, and write a check to the church for the amount you see. Do it first thing when you are paid, and you discover that the practice dials down appetites, reshapes priorities, and that all other expenses, needs, and savings will adjust. What could be easier?

          A friend told me that the first time he wrote a tithe check, it felt like he'd swallowed an avocado pit! For most people, tithing is not easy. It takes time to learn and adapt and grow into the practice.

          Some people perceive the tithe to be nothing more than a left-over from an Old Testament law-based theology. They think it is an arbitrary rule with little relevance today.           

          And yet Jesus commended the  practice, even among the Pharisees whom he criticized for making a show of their self-righteousness. The early church practiced the tithe, and so have Christians in every generation since. John Wesley tithed and expected early Methodists to give regularly and generously at every class meeting and chapel service. Their gifts were meticulously recorded so people could hold themselves accountable to the practice of giving.

          The people whom we admire and respect for their generous spirits, spiritual wisdom, and deep-heartedness invariably have practiced giving in such an extravagant manner that it has reshaped them. God has used their long-term patterns of giving to form in them the spiritual qualities that cause them to be our mentors. They give extravagantly according to their means, and many beyond their means, and most practice or exceed the tithe.

           Name one person you admire and respect because of all they keep for themselves. Name someone you consider generous and spiritually mature who constantly complains about giving, or who always seeks to give the least amount required. Largeness of spirit leads to an eagerness to give our utmost and highest.

          Despite the outward challenges and inner struggles, and the counter cultural nature of generosity, where there is a desire to give, there is a way. The two cons dropped in the treasury from the hands of the poor widow, noticed by Jesus and recorded for all time as a model of Extravagant Generosity, forever reminds us that there is always a way. Giving helps us become what God wants us to be.

                    - What kind of person do you want to become over the next ten years?

                      What kind of person do you believe God desires you to become?

  

                   - How are your current practices of living taking you there? How is your

                     generosity helping you become who God wants you to be? 

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Sunday, January 29 - Practicing Generosity

"You will be enriched in every way for your

great generosity." — 2 Corinthians 9:11

          The practice of Extravagant Generosity stretches us to offer our utmost and highest to God rather than to give in a manner that is haphazard, unplanned, reactive, minimalist, mediocre, or mechanical. Extravagant does not correspond with giving that is merely dutiful, required, burdensome, mandated, or simply doing one's part. Extravagant denotes a style and attitude of giving that is unexpectedly joyous, without predetermined limits, from the heart.
          People who practice Extravagant Generosity change their lives in order to become more generous. They become rich in giving. They do not wait to be asked. When they see a need, they step forward to meet it, offering their resources as a means of help. They look at difficult financial times through the eyes of faith rather than of fear. They persist in doing good. They give in all seasons.
          They enjoy giving. They pray and hope and dream about the good they accomplish through their gifts. They consecrate their giving to God. They delight in generosity. They give expecting nothing in return.
          People who practice Extravagant Generosity learn to enjoy things without possessing them, to moderate their acquisitiveness, and to find satisfaction in simpler things. They avoid personal debt as much possible. They save. They avoid overindulgence and waste. Their possessions do not rule them. They aspire, like Paul, to know the secret of being content with what they have. They give thanks in all circumstances. Love is a gift, and life is grace.
          People who practice Extravagant Generosity change lives. Their giving knows no bounds. They are rich toward God.

                    - What obstacles prevent you from giving extravagantly? How would the
                       practice of greater generosity change you?

                    - When was a time you felt God's Spirit move you to give resources
                       beyond what you had previously practiced? How does your giving
                        to God influence other aspects of your life?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Saturday, January 28 - Tithing Is a Life Choice

"Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven

itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your

wildest dreams."    -- Malachi 3:10, The Message

          The practice of tithing provides a concrete way for us to take the words we speak, "God is the Lord of my life," and put them into practice. Our commitment becomes tangible; our giving becomes a way of putting God first, an outward sign of an inner spiritual alignment.

          Tithing provides a consistent and universal baseline, a theologically and biblically faithful standard, that is nominal enough to allow people of nearly any income to meet without imposing great hardship and yet large enough to stretch us and to cause us to do the necessary reordering of our priorities that spiritually reconfigures our values.

          Tithing challenges us to ask ourselves, Is my giving generous? Or merely expedient? Do I give for practical reasons to help the church, or for spiritual reasons to nourish my spirit?

          The practice of tithing is not merely about what God wants us to do, but about the kind of person God wants us to become. Does the giving I now practice help me develop a Christ-like heart?

          Tithing alone is not sufficient to fully meet what the gift and demand of God's grace requires of Jesus' followers. The voices of the prophets ring the warning that people cannot expect material sacrifices alone to please God but that God's reign requires justice, righteousness, and faithfulness (Amos 5:21-24; Micha 6:8). People of God are to practice justice and compassion without neglecting the tithe (Matthew 23:23-24).

          Tithing requires honest prayer. What would God have me do? Are there things God would want me to give up in order to tithe? The practice causes us to adapt our behaviors to someone else's will: God's. No one tithes accidentally. Extravagant Generosity requires focuses soul work, deep conviction, a mature spirit, learning, practice and extraordinary intentionality. Tithing is not merely a financial decision; it is a life choice that rearranges all the furniture of our interior lives. That's why we do it. Tithing blesses us.

                      - Have you practiced the tithe, regularly offering ten percent of income

                         to God? If not, what keeps you from doing so? Do you desire to do so?

                         How do you think it would affect your spiritual life?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

           

Friday, January 27 - The God-Related Life

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of

a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

-- Mark 10:25, NIV

          We cannot "pay" our way to a closer relationship with God; whether giving aids us in our relationship with God or not depends upon our inner attitude. However, an unrestrained appetite for wealth or clinging too tightly to what we possess can hold us back and cause us paralysis in our following Christ.

          Scripture reminds us that "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10), and "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:25, NIV). The rich young ruler cannot relinquish his wealth and so he forfeits life with Christ (Luke 18:18-25), the farmer builds bigger barns to store his possessions while avoiding eternal priorities and he loses his soul (12:16-21), the wealthy person ignores the sufferings of Lazarus at this doorstep and finds himself separated from God (16:19-31), the servant buries his talents instead of using them for his master and receives condemnation (19:12-26), and Ananias and Sapphira perish for their deceit that was motivated by their desire to keep their money (Acts 5:1-10).

          Our clinging and coveting and hungering for wealth can obstruct our pathway to God and to the life God would have us enjoy. When unrestrained desire for material riches occupies the soul, there is little room left for God. Like Paul's assistant, Demas, we fall too much "in love with this present world," and we abandon Jesus' mission (2 Timothy 4:10). Greed impedes growth in Christ.

          On the other hand, by giving generously, our beliefs and trust in God rise to tangible form. We become doers of the word and not hearers only. Giving makes following God real. We can live a God-related life or we can live with attention to God's presence and will. The God-related life means our relationship with God influences all we do. When we seek to do the things God would have us do, including giving, our practice intensifies our love for the things God loves. Then the material possessions that can serve as a distraction or impediment to following Christ become an instrument for our serving Christ. Our material goods, consecrated to God, nourish our desire to serve God. Generosity feeds our love for God.

                    - How does the practice of generosity affect your relationship with God?

                    - In terms of wealth and generosity, what does living a "God-related life"

                      mean to you? 

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Thursday, January 26 - I Have Learned to be Content

" I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I

know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to

have plenty... I can do all things through him

who strengthens me." --Philippians 4:11-13

          Generosity derives from a profound reorientation in our thinking about how we find contentment in life. Paul writes, "I have learned to be content with whatever I have, " but Paul was not a slacker, lacking in initiative! He was industrious, competitive, and ambitious for the work of God. Paul realized how seductive our activity and our appetite for more could become. We begin to believe that happiness depends upon outward circumstance and material comforts rather than deriving from inner spiritual qualities--love, peace, compassion, self-control, gentleness, prayerfulness. Possessing greater wealth does not mean that we experience contentedness. We can still feel panic, emptiness, striving, and isolation. We feel needy, and our appetites become insatiable. Surrounded by water, we are dying of thirst.

          Breaking the cycle of conditioned discontentment requires courageous soul work. Abundant living derives from generative relationships, from mutual support, and from knowing how to love and be loved. Contentment arises from seeking that which satisfies.

          Contentedness comes from personal integrity, a life aligned with high values, depth of spirit and of mind, growth in grace and peace. These grant release from agitation, from unhealthy striving, and from continual dissatisfaction. Founded on these, we may value many of the things our culture induces us to seek, but without the harmful, destructive intensity. We want to improve our conditions and standing, but we don't embrace these objectives with the panicked intensity our society would have us do.  

          Primarily, contentedness is formed in us by the practice of generosity. Contentedness is learning to be happy with what we have rather than feeling distressed by what we lack. In our voluntarily giving away part of our wealth and earning, we are saying, "I can spend all of this on myself, but I choose not to." In that simple act, repeated and deepened with frequency and intentionality, we break the bonds of self-destructive acquisitiveness.

          Second, contentedness results from a deep, cultivated sense of gratitude. Generous people are thankful. They give thanks in all things, and their gratefulness sharpens their awareness of the deeper sources of happiness and from the spiritual awareness that God has already provided us everything we need to flourish. All is grace upon grace.

          Finally, contentedness comes from persistent interior work and cooperation with the Holy Spirit to develop the personal habits that keep us from surrendering our sense of well-being, identity, and purpose to materialist measures. Living fruitfully is not merely a matter of having something to live on, but something to live for. Purpose, connection, love, service, friendship, family, generosity--these sustain contentedness.

                    - What causes you to feel content? How do you avoid a

                       self-destructive acquisitiveness?

                    - What personal habits help to keep you grounded in Christ?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

 

Wednesday, January 25 - How Much Do We Need?

"Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds

of greed; for  one's life does not consist in the

abundance of possessions."  -- Luke 12:15

          Tolstoy, in "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" writes about a man, Pakhom, who farms the land given to him by his father. He wants more, so he saves and sacrifices until he expands his acreage, and even this is not enough. He hears about another region where more land can be bought with less money, so he sells his farm and moves his family across the country to the larger spread. Still, he is dissatisfied. Finally, he hears about a place where the king is offering an extraordinary deal. If you give the king all your money, you may take possession of all the land you can personally encompass by walking around it in a single day. Pakhom imagines how far he could walk in a day, and all the land he could own. He sells all his property and pays the king in exchange for his chance to walk the perimeters of the land that will be his.

          A stake is hammered into the ground before sunrise. Pakhom must return to the stake before sunset, and all the land that he circles before that time will be his. As the day dawns, he runs at full speed in order to cover as much territory as As the day heats up, he slows down and begins to circle back, but he sees lush pastures that he must possess, so he extends his path to include them. As the sun moves lower, he realizes that he miscalculated, and he fears that he may not return to his starting place in time. He runs harder to reach the stake before sunset, pushing himself beyond exhaustion. He comes within view of his destination with only minutes to go. Pushing dangerously beyond his body's capacity to continue, he collapses and dies within reach of the stake.

          How much land does a person need? Tolstoy ends his short story by saying that "six feet from head to heel" was all he needed. Why are we discontent with all we have?

          Giving puts us in a healthier relationship with our possessions, and with the material world in which we live. We like making money, but we enjoy other things as well, such as the love of our family; belonging to community; a sense of meaning, accomplishment, contribution, and service. We enjoy making a positive difference in the lives of other people. But how do we maintain balance and perspective? How can we appropriately secure the basic needs of food, shelter, education, and health while also living with purpose? How do we avoid too much preoccupation with the things that do not ultimately satisfy, and cultivate those things that do? The intentional practice of generosity helps us keep our priorities straight.

          Giving reflects the nature of God. We give because we are made in the image of God, whose essential nature is giving. We are created with God's nature imprinted on our souls; we are hard-wired to be social, compassionate, connected, loving, and generous. God's extravagant generosity is part of our essential nature as well. But we are anxious and fearful, influenced by a culture that makes us believe we never have enough. God sent Jesus Christ to bring us back to ourselves, and back to God. As we "have in us the mind that was in Christ Jesus." we become free.

          Growing in the grace of giving is part of the Christian journey of faith, a response Christian disciples offer to God's call to make a difference in the world. Generosity enlarges the soul, realigns priorities, connects people to the body of Christ, and strengthens congregations to fulfill Christ's ministries.

                    - Do you sometimes feel that your life consists in the abundance of
                       your possessions?

                    - How can practicing generosity counteract greed and begin to balance the

                      priorities of your life?   

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Tuesday, January 24 - Aligned with God's Purposes

"They ...gave according to their means, and even

beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the

privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints."

--2 Corinthians 8:3-4

          In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul commends the generosity of communities of faith, especially those who remain surprisingly extravagant in their giving during difficult travails. Writing of the churches of Macedonia, he says "for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part" (2 Corinthians 8:2). The notion that stewardship rightly focuses on the Christian's need to give rather than the church's need to receive is a spiritually powerful truth. The practice of tithing blesses and benefits the giver as much as it strengthens the mission and ministry of the church.
          Still we wonder, does our giving really make a difference? What does our generosity have to do with our spiritual lives?
          One reason many people give is simply because they love their church and they want the life-changing ministries of their congregation to prosper. They are themselves the beneficiaries of the church's ministries and they do their share to pay for the bills, the salaries, the facilities, and the costs so that the church can offer outreach, children's ministries, worship, and mission. They support the church so that others can receive what they have received. The fruit of this giving is tangible and visible; it is both immediate and long-term. Churches with generous members offer more ministry, work with greater confidence, have less conflict, and make a greater impact on their communities and on the world. Responsibility and hope for the church motivate the giver. People want their congregations to thrive.
          People also give because their contribution aligns with the purposes God wants them to fulfill in the world. Helping people, relieving suffering, teaching the spiritual life, reaching young people—when we sense God's call to make a difference, we can contribute our time or become personally involved in the day-to-day ministry. Another way to make a difference is through giving, contributing the resources that make possible the work that we feel called to support. We please God by making the difference God wants us to make.

                     - How does God use your generosity to help your congregation to thrive?

                     - What's the largest gift you have ever given? What motivated you?
                        What resulted from the gift? How were you affected?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Monday, January 23 - The Joy of Giving

"How can I repay the Lord

for all his goodness to me?"

--Pslam 116:12, NIV

          Scripture is replete with examples and teachings that focus on possessions, wealth, giving, gifts, generosity, offerings, charity, and sacrifice. Christians give because they serve a giving God--the giver of every good and perfect gift, the source of life and love.

          Jesus' teachings abound with tales of rich and poor, generous and shrewd, givers and takers, charitable and selfish, faithful and fearful. He commends the poor widow putting her two coins in the treasury; giving out of her poverty, she "put in all she had to live on" (Luke 21:1-4) The story upsets expectations by pointing to proportion rather than amount as the measure of extravagance.

          Jesus' unexpected love for Zacchaeus so radically changes the tax collector that he gives his wealth to the poor and to those whom he has wronged. Giving serves justice and is a fruit of Christ's transforming grace (Luke 19:1-10).

          The story of the good Samaritan highlights extraordinary generosity. The Samaritan not only binds up the wounds of the stranger left to die in the road, but he takes the stranger to an inn, pays for the stranger's care, and commits himself to provide for the long-term well-being of the stranger (Luke 10:35). The Samaritan's generosity, like Christ's compassion, knows no bounds.

          And beyond all the teachings and parables, the followers of Jesus see in the gracious and costly gift of his sacrifice and death the ultimate self-revelation of God. The most memorized Scripture of the New Testament expresses the infinite nature of God's gracious love revealed in the gift we have received in Christ: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son" (John 3:16).

          In these Scriptures above--the widow giving all she had, Zacchaeus in his transformation, the Samaritan with his compassion, and God's self-giving in Christ--giving is always extravagant, life changing, and joyous.  

          God uses our practice of giving to reconfigure our interior life. By giving, we craft a different inner desire as the driving element of life. Our motivations change.

          People give because generosity helps them achieve God's purposes in themselves. By giving, we develop the inner qualities of generosity. Generosity is not a spiritual attribute someone acquires apart from the practice of giving. It becomes discernible only through visible behavior. We cannot become generous and hold on to everything we have for ourselves without letting go. The opposite of generosity is greediness, selfishness. These are not qualities that lead to life, and so by our giving we cultivate a different nature inside ourselves.

                    - How does God use your giving to change you?

                    - Have you ever experienced a time when you felt

                      led by God to increase your giving?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Sunday, January 22 - First Things First

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,

and all these things will be given to you as well."

-- Matthew 6:33, NIV

          When asked how much money they would need to earn to be happy, people of all different incomes answer the same. If they could only earn about twenty percent more than they presently do, they would finally arrive at a satisfying happiness. Persons earning $10,000 dream of reaching $12,000; those earning $100,000 believe that with just $20,000 more per year they will be happy; and people earning $500,000 believe that when they earn $100,000 more they will finally arrive. We pursue a receding goal. This is a prescription for never-ending unhappiness. We can never possess enough to satiate the appetite for more. Single-minded pursuit of lifestyles highlighted by pop culture keeps us stuck on the surface of existence, captured in the material world, unhappy with what we possess, and blind to the real riches.

          When we accept unreflectively the myths of money, we suffer from a self-created, culturally-fostered discontent. Forty-year-olds feel like failures because they are not millionaires; families buy houses beyond their capacity to afford; people pine for what they cannot possess. We wallow in abundance while suffering form a self-proclaimed scarcity. Despite the fact that we live in better houses, earn more money, drive nicer cars, spend more on entertainment, and enjoy greater conveniences than ninety percent of the world's population, or than we ourselves enjoyed thirty years ago, we never have enough.

          We are surrounded by inducements that make us acutely and painfully aware of what we lack, more so than of what we have. Without beliefs and intentional practices that counter-balance the influences of culture, we feel discontent no matter how much we have.

          Extravagant giving is a means of putting God first, a method for declaring to God and to ourselves the rightful order of priorities. When we practice it, we live with a more relaxed posture about money, less panicked and reactive. We take possession instead of being possessed. Money becomes a servant rather than our master. By provoking us to give, God is not trying to take something from us; God is seeking to give something to us. Every time we spend money, we make a statement about what we value. All inducements to spend money (advertising, social expectation, seeking to impress people) are attempts to shape our values. When we fail to conscientiously decide what we value and align our spending habits accordingly, a thousand other inducements and voices stand ready to define our values instead. Giving provides a spiritually healthy detachment from the most harmful influences of a materialist society, an emotional distance that is otherwise unattainable. Giving protects us from the pangs of greed.

          The practice of generosity opens us to deeper reflection and conversation about wealth and how it relates to purpose and happiness. Serious giving leads us to ask, What is our family's definition of success? How wealthy do we hope we, or our children, will be and why? What motivates us as a household, and what matters most to our happiness? What will become of the wealth we accumulate?

          How much do we give and why? What difference do we want to make in the world? How does giving influence our relationship with God? What doe Extravagant Generosity mean for us? For God? These and other questions can only be asked with authenticity when they are supported by the practice of giving. Giving fosters intentionality.

                    - How does your family talk about money and what makes for true happiness?

                    - How wealthy do you hope your children become, and why? 

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Saturday, January 21 - All The Good You Can

"You are familiar with the generosity of our Master,

Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for

us--in one stroke he became poor and we became

rich."  --2 Corinthians 8:9, The Message

          Where the Spirit is present, people give. John Wesley, the founder of
 Methodism wrote:

           Do all the good you can,

           By all the means you can,

           In all the ways you can,

           In all the places you can,

           At all the times you can,

           To all the people you can,

           As long as ever you can. 

          John Wesley taught extensively about the use of money, the danger of riches, and the importance of giving. For Wesley, all things belong to God. This changes how we perceive the manner by which we earn money and save money, causing us to do so in appropriate ways. And it changes how we spend money, making us more responsible, and shapes how we give money. Wesley valued industrious and productive work, but he believed that acquiring money does not provide a profound enough life purpose to sustain the human spirit. When he wrote, "Earn all you can, save all you can, and give all you can." he drew an unbreakable link between acquisition and generosity, inviting us to use our material wealth to deepen our relationship with God and to increase our positive impact for God's purposes.

          No stories from Scripture tell of people living the God-related spiritual life while fostering a greedy, self-centered, self-serving attitude. Knowing God leads to generosity.

                    - How does generosity and giving change the values that guide your earning,

                      saving, and spending habits?

                    - How does your relationship to God affect how you earn your money? How

                       you invest it? How you spend it? Have you ever changed how you earn,

                       invest, or spend because of your desire to follow Christ more truly?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Friday, January 20 - Robust Ministries

    "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,

and all these things will be given to you as well."

--Matthew 6:33, NIV

          It is through giving of ourselves as God has given to us that we help the body of Christ flourish. Offering our material resources to God is a fundamental activity that is so critical to the church's mission that failure to perform it in an exemplary way leads to the decline of the church. Churches that nurture proportional giving and tithing among their members thrive. They accomplish great things for Christ, offer robust and confident ministry, and they prosper for the purposes of Christ and make a difference in the lives of people. 

          Every sanctuary and chapel in which we have worshiped, every church organ that has lifted our spirits, every pew where we have sat, every Communion rail where we have knelt, every hymnal from which we have sung, every praise band that has touched our hearts, every church classroom where we have gathered with our friends, every church kitchen that has prepared our meals, every church van that has taken us to camp, every church camp cabin where we have slept--all are the fruit of someone's Extravagant Generosity. 

          We have been the recipients of grace upon grace. We are the heirs. the beneficiaries of those who came before us who were touched by the generosity of Christ enough to give graciously so that we could experience the truth of Christ for ourselves. We owe the same to generations to come. We have worshiped in sanctuaries that we did not build, so to us falls the privilege of building sanctuaries where we shall never worship.

          People who practice Extravagant Generosity pray for their congregations to flourish in the ministry of Christ for children, youth, adults, members and strangers near and far. They serve the church, offering their best efforts. They push the church to offer bold vital ministries that transform the world, relieving suffering, deepening justice, encouraging love. And they give--regularly, generously, sacrificially, faithfully, and humbly.

          Extravagant Generosity is not just about the church's need to receive, but about the Christian's need to give. Generosity is an essential quality of spiritual maturity and growth. The practice of Extravagant Generosity changes churches.

                    - How have you been the recipient of another person's
                      Extravagant Generosity?

                    - Have you been the recipient of a congregation's Extravagant Generosity?

                      Of God's?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

This Week's Heart Card Question: Who are the people who have made a difference in your spiritual life

Extravagant Generosity-Heart Card         

         This week's Heart Card question is listed below. We all have folks who have made a difference in our spiritual lives: a parent, grandparent, teacher, pastor, youth leader, friend... We wanted to give you a headstart thinking about the persons who have been influential in your spiritual development through out your life.
          You can print out and fill in a card based on the information below or cards will be available during worship on Sunday. You also are invited to use the blog comment section below to share names and/or stories about those who have been Spiritual Saints in your life. We will gather and display our Heart Cards at special places throughout the church, so we can share and celebrate what we love about our church and the people who bless our community. 

Please keep this special season of worship and reflection in your prayers!

Rich Greenway

____________________________________________

People Who Made a Difference in My Spiritual Life

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________


YOUR NAME _____________________________________________
                                                                            (NOT REQUIRED)
CHECK HERE IF WE MAY DISPLAY YOUR CARD □

Thursday, January 19 - Ownership

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights." — James 1: 17, NIV

          Fundamentally, we either consider the material things in our life—our money, house, property—as owned by God and belonging to God, and we manage them for God's purposes, or we view them as owned by us. If they are owned by God, then our tithes and offerings represent our returning to God what belongs to God already. What we keep also belongs to God, and we feel obligated to spend it wisely and not frivolously, and to invest it in ways that do not dishonor God's purposes. We try not to waste money or to live more lavishly than we should. We spend responsibly, allowing our relationship with God to form our minds. We manage God's resources as faithfully as we can.
          But if we believe that our material resources fundamentally belong to us and that we entirely possess them ourselves, then we can do whatever we please with what we own, and our tithes and offerings are giving something that belongs to us, to God. God should be grateful for our generosity in giving a percentage for God's purposes rather than our feeling grateful for the privilege of using what belongs to God.
          Think about the possession of land. Suppose we hold legal title and own land according to civil authorities. In the larger span of the earth's history, does our patch of soil actually belong to us, or are we temporary stewards? The land didn't begin with us and doesn't end with us. The land we claim to own has existed for millions of years, was used by humans for millennia before us, and will remain for eons more after we are gone. For the ordering of civil life, we rightly say we own the property and it belongs to us. But our mortality assures that we are only the temporary stewards, managers, and keepers. At our dying, what will the things we own mean to us? Whose will they be? People live and perish, but purposes are eternal. With that understanding comes a profound and humble sense of responsibility about how we use the land. It's temporarily ours to enjoy, but we do so with respect and awe, because ultimately everything belongs to God, and not to us.
          This concrete example applies to all of the temporal elements of our lives—our possessions, our wealth, even our bodies and minds. Which perspective is truer, more ethically sound, more aligned with reality? That it all belongs to us and we can do whatever we want? Or that we are the temporary beneficiaries, and we find meaning in using what God has entrusted to us to the highest purposes? Which perspective fosters better decisions and deepens a spiritually grounded sense of community and responsibility? The wisdom revealed in Scripture and tradition for more than three thousand years is that those who practice from the perspective of a steward find greater happiness.

                    - Which of these two views do you hold?

                    -How does this belief shape your actions? Your giving?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.

Wednesday, January 18 - What Happens to God's Love?

"If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality."
                                              — 1 John 3:17- 19, The Message

          A downtown congregation in a moderately-sized community had occasional homeless persons who would ask for handouts. Sometimes street people would be found sleeping on the front steps. The staff developed rules, guidelines, and policies for how to help or where to refer those who asked for help. They had many discussions about the pros and cons of giving cash, vouchers, and addresses of other social agencies. As the pastor was leaving the church one afternoon, he noticed the part-time custodian carrying out the garbage to the large trash bin in the alley. There was a homeless person sprawled out beside the bin, barely conscious. As the custodian approached the trash bin, he set down the garbage bag he was carrying, pulled out his wallet, and removed a few dollar bills. Without being asked, he walked over to the homeless man and gave him the money, said something, then continued his work and returned to the church. The pastor was amazed and humbled by this extraordinary display of generosity.
          The part time janitor who earned less than anyone else on staff gave generously without even being asked, while the staff had spent hours trying to figure out policies and procedures. The pastor asked the custodian why he gave the money and pressed him about whether he thought the homeless person might misuse the money for alcohol or drugs. "I always do what I can," the janitor answered. "I give them a little money and say, God bless you, because I figure that they are some mother's son, some father's child, and so I give them something. What they do with the money—well, they have to answer to God about that. I have to answer to God about what I do with mine."

                    - Have you ever witnessed an extraordinary and unexpected
                      act of generosity?
                    - How has another person's generosity influenced your own
                       practice of giving?
                    -Who is learning from your examples of generosity?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity. Abingdon Press.
.

Tuesday, January 17 - Whitewater World!

"Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God— he could put up with anything along the way . . ." — Hebrews 12: 2, The Message

          Ever wonder why rafters and canoeists paddle while going downstream? I've spent much time canoeing and kayaking over the years, but I learned about currents, rapids, and whitewater in Central America. While studying Spanish in Costa Rica, my sons and I took a weekend break and joined a raft trip on the Pacuare River. The rapids were posted as Level Three, but the river was swollen, and the ratings didn't match U.S. measurements. Once we got on the water it felt like we were heading over Niagara Falls, over and over again, hour after hour, frequently finding ourselves flung out of the raft and struggling for our lives in the deep and dangerous currents. I don't wish to repeat the experience anytime soon. The T-shirt my boys bought afterward read, "Remar o Morir!" Paddle or Die!
          The guide sat at the back of the raft calling out instructions about which side to paddle on, and how intensely to do so. During a period of relative calm, as the river was propelling us down toward the next deathtrap, the guide told us to paddle gently but steadily. My son asked, "Why do we have to paddle when the river is pushing us downstream anyway?" He smiled and said, "The only way we have any control over the direction we are going is for us to be moving just a little faster than the current below us. So we have to paddle constantly, or else we just get pushed along out of control." If we want to navigate with purpose and to control our direction rather than becoming a victim to forces beyond our control, we have to keep paddling. "Remar o Morir!"
          We live in a whitewater world. Things change so rapidly— communications systems, the makeup of our communities, the tastes and habits of new generations, the expectations and values of congregations, the competing claims of a secular society for our hearts and minds. This is true in our personal and family lives as well—the phases and steps of a marriage, the transitions of our children, the heartbreaks and hopes, deaths and births, losses and gains, brokenness and reconciliation. Unceasing motion. We live fast-forward lives.
          Life pushes us along, and sometimes there seems little we can do; we feel like victims, vulnerable and powerless. But we can't stop paddling. We can't stop learning, growing, changing, adapting, and giving our best. It's by rethinking things, praying anew each day, and by constantly recommitting to the right things that we embrace God's will for us so that we are able to navigate through the whitewater world. It's by depending upon friends, knowing the water, and repeatedly practicing the disciplines that keep us connected to God that we remain strong. Life requires an agility of spirit, forward movement, effort, vision, and a keen awareness of the forces at work around us and how to use them for the purposes of Christ rather than become overwhelmed by them.
          Keep paddling!

                    - What are the pressures and currents of your whitewater world?

                    - How do you learn, adapt, grow, and change spiritually so the
                       currents don't overwhelm and destroy you?

Schnase, Bishop Robert (2011-05-01). Practicing Extravagant Generosity (Kindle Locations 334-335). Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition.