{"id":3479,"date":"2010-12-22T10:33:19","date_gmt":"2010-12-22T15:33:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nccumc.org\/treasurer\/"},"modified":"2022-06-07T13:43:54","modified_gmt":"2022-06-07T17:43:54","slug":"christian-giving-in-todays-economy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/treasurer\/stewardship-resources\/christian-giving-in-todays-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"Christian Giving in Today\u2019s Economy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>These talking points have been offered by the Southwest Texas Conference Commission on Stewardship as suggestions of how to talk about Christian giving during current global economic conditions in the worship or congregational context:<\/p>\n<h2>Suggested scriptures:<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Deuteronomy 24: 19 \u2013 22<\/li>\n<li>Psalm 24: 1<\/li>\n<li>Matthew 6: 19 \u2013 34<\/li>\n<li> John 17:20 \u2013 21<\/li>\n<li>1 Timothy 6: 6 \u2013 12<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Themes for Stewardship:<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Faith, not fear<\/li>\n<li>Abundance, not scarcity<\/li>\n<li>Giving, not receiving<\/li>\n<li>Caring, not crisis<\/li>\n<li>Long term, not short term<\/li>\n<li>Spirituality, not materiality<\/li>\n<li>Grace, not greed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><em>\u201cIf a congregation is driven by fear rather than faith,<br \/>\nthen it falls to us to keep the focus where it belongs\u2014<br \/>\nthe ministry of Jesus  Christ\u2026Generosity is not seasonal, temporary or only for smooth and easy times.<br \/>\nRather, generosity is our way of being in the world as followers  of Christ,<br \/>\nbecause it\u2019s the way God works in the world.\u201d <\/em><br \/>\n\u2014 Bishop Robert Schnase, Missouri Area, UMC, www.fivepractices.org, Oct. 13, 2008<\/p>\n<h2>Talking Points:<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Hope is always a primary focus for persons of faith in times of crisis. Our pulpits and pews are filled during these fall Sundays with messages to \u2018maintain hope\u2019 during these weeks that have seen the greatest volatility in the US equity markets in recent decades.<\/li>\n<li>When fear pervades the economy and our culture, words can actually exacerbate anxiety whether intended or not. Thoughts of volatility can turn into words of recession in the secular press. As persons of faith, the very existence of volatility in the cycles of the market, even to the extreme, underscores the deep and abiding confidence and even hope that are the very basis of a Christian\u2019s plans for the future.<\/li>\n<li>Words of hope should guide us through these days, rather than ones that connote some end-time force of doom. In our congregations, the message of hope comes through sound financial policies and processes, and the leadership of individual members responsible for the church\u2019s finances. In fact, these church committees&#8211; finance, trustees, endowment, for example\u2014with their sound and carefully reasoned policies and practices are a message of hope in the midst of economic strain.<\/li>\n<li>Fear is a very human response during stressful times. We are fully human and we acknowledge that weakness. But scriptures repeatedly tell persons of faith to \u201cFear not!\u201d It was God\u2019s message to Noah, Moses, and Esther. It was Jesus\u2019 admonition to his followers at the Sea of Galilee. It is God\u2019s message for these economic times as well. Do not be na\u00efve, but do not let fear overtake you. The cyclical nature of the world economy will have valleys as well as peaks. None are permanent, even when extreme.<\/li>\n<li>Recent statistical studies show that while the S&amp;P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, two leading market indices, have cycled in tandem through wars, terrorist attacks, political crises, and economic upheavals, the rate of philanthropic giving (i.e., all charitable giving) by Americans has risen in every year since 1980 except for one year (1987). That is, out of 28 years since 1980, giving increased in 27 of those years. Clearly, cycles in the economy do not direct charitable giving. In many instances, they are not even relevant to giving measurements.<\/li>\n<li>During times of economic crisis, it is most important that our churches live out our Judeo-Christian heritage of loving our neighbors as ourselves. We strive to look around our communities to be solution seekers for ways that our congregations can care for one another as Christ cares for us\u2014to be agents of care. We ask ourselves have current economic conditions brought about emergency needs for assistance? Food? Utilities? Clothing? Focus on ways that our congregations can work together&#8211; as a community of Christ&#8211; to alleviate need among us.<\/li>\n<li>As New Testament people, we view the ministry of Christ to be for the long term. As recorded in John 17:20, Jesus made clear his purpose that he was not just praying and acting for those who physically followed him, but for all who would follow throughout the days and centuries ahead. How could we do any less when entrusted with the caretaking of God\u2019s great bounty? It is not only our prudent course; it is our calling.<\/li>\n<li>Gratitude is the foundation for any Christian\u2019s spiritual life.  In moments of economic uncertainty, our focus is acknowledging the giving nature of God, the blessings we receive from God\u2019s salvation-investment in our lives, and our calling to serve as disciples of Jesus Christ through our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.<\/li>\n<li>The center of the Christian life is Jesus Christ; meaning that we invest ourselves in something greater than ourselves.  Members of the Body of Christ are reminded: it is not about the total sum of our investments or financial resources but rather how faithful we are.  We can be faithful with a little or with a lot.  God is more concerned with our hearts and how we use the gifts and resources at our disposal.<\/li>\n<li>Jesus once taught, \u201cNo one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money.\u201d  (Matthew 6:24)  Jack Benny was a famous comedian of early radio and television who created one the most enduring comedy routines:  A robber comes up to him and says, \u201cYour money or your life.\u201d  There is no answer.  Then the question again, \u201cYour money or your life.\u201d  Jack Benny still doesn\u2019t say anything.  The robber says it a third time, \u201cYour money or your life.\u201d  Benny finally answers, \u201cI\u2019m thinking, I\u2019m thinking.\u201d  How does this period of economic stress affect our thinking?  Surely our loyalty, devotion, and service to God so not so connected to the economic markets that we now believe we can no longer afford to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.<\/li>\n<li>In his sermon entitled, The Good Steward, John Wesley wrote, \u201cHe (the steward) is not at liberty to use what is lodged in his hands as he pleases; but as his master pleases.\u201d  As the people called Methodists, we understand that financial resources serve as instruments of God.  Money is only one of the means by which we organize and implement God\u2019s ministries upon this Earth.  The current financial situation is a teaching opportunity for congregations to understand John Wesley\u2019s views on money and its involvement with the proclamation of the Gospel.  Now is not a time for church leaders to panic and avoid the topics of money and giving but rather now is the time for education, spiritual growth, and commitment.  The church is God\u2019s people, each of whom has a responsibility to use their resources for the fulfillment of the Good News.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>These talking points have been offered by the Southwest Texas Conference Commission on Stewardship as suggestions of how to talk about Christian giving during current global economic conditions in the 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