“The current church faces a dilemma regarding stewardship and generosity…Investments and savings are more valued than giving based on faith and dependence on God. Due to luxury and the church practicing shallow Christian practices, it has become spiritual lazy with material comfort, corruption, and false teachings have pervaded Christianity such as the prosperity gospel. The church has lost much of its influence and are seen as hypocrites by society for its teachings of modesty and lavish lifestyles…The growing crisis is real and it can only be solved through repentance and denying material dependency over God…
It is time for the church to truly be challenged to repent of its material dependence and go back to God through genuine faith and earnest longing to hear and to be used by God. It must let forgo of material dependence and worldly wisdom. Only then can we truly become the church God has called us to be: the pristine bride of Christ and God will answer and provide when we call out. For if we are to be the true salt and light, only through acts of faith can the world truly see that our God is not dead or false, but very alive and eager to show the church and the world what He will accomplish through His divine providence in His perfect time, with or without us.”
Seung Tae Kim in “Philosophy of Biblical Stewardship Paper” dated 29 June 2015 submitted for PT7054: Biblical Stewardship and Christian Generosity class at Torch Trinity Graduate University. To read more insights from my students, check out my recent CLA blogpost: Six Applications from Asia for all Steward Leaders.
Seung Tae, one of my students back in Seoul, states plainly the dilemma and the solution. The church has stagnated because we have shifted our dependence to mammon. He also rightly reminds us that repentance and obedience mark the only way out.
Seung Tae, thanks for reminding us today that God will accomplish great and mighty things “with or without us” and exhorting us to repent of material dependency and instead to place our trust in Him!