Linda L. Belleville: Above suspicion

We intend that no one should blame us about this generous gift that we are administering, for we intend to do what is right not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of others. 2 Corinthians 8:20-21

“Paul was usually concerned with doing what is right in God’s eyes rather than human eyes—especially since God’s way and humankind’s way are often in conflict. Here he takes the additional step of taking into consideration what is right in the eyes of others (v. 21). What this amounted to was making sure that everything not only was above suspicion (right . . . in the eyes of the Lord) but also looked so (right . . . in the eyes of men). Why? Because life and ministry are inseparable.

There will always be those who judge the claims of Christ by the lives of those who claim to be his followers. If the conduct of the fundraiser can be faulted, then the gospel itself can be called into question. Not only this, but God’s reputation can be damaged. The ultimate purpose of the collection was to honor the Lord (literally, “to advance the glory of the Lord”; v. 20)—an aim that could hardly be accomplished if any suspicions attached to the collection process.”

Linda L. Belleville in 2 Corinthians (Downers Grove: IVP, 1996) 225.

Today CCFK, ECFA, and Kurios International are hosting an International Symposium on Financial Accountability in Christian Ministry in Seoul, South Korea. I get to contribute a biblical studies perspective on the topic and will cite this among other verses.

Join me in praying for ministries across the USA and Korea to handle funds “above suspicion” so that God is sure to receive glory. This required intentional effort for the Apostle Paul and calls for the same diligence for overseers of God’s work today!

“The power of trust—trust that a ministry is reliable, good, and honest—based on the truth of God’s Word is undeniable. Christ-centered ministries impact the lives of millions of people every day in a positive way. As these ministries experience high trust, their impact grows exponentially. Trust changes everything!”

Dan Busby in Trust: The Firm Foundation for Kingdom Fruitfulness (Winchester: ECFA Press, 2015) 1-2.

Tonight, as ECFA International Liaison, I am hosting a dinner for the board members, preparatory committee, and founding members of the Christian Council for Financial Transparency of Korea (CCFK), the counterpart to ECFA in the USA. I am giving CCFK leaders copies of this book by Dan Busby, a must-read for anyone engaged in the administration of God’s work.

What does “trust” have to do with generosity? I echo Dan’s sentiment: everything!

When ministries exhibit financial accountability, they build trust that people should participate in giving and other ways. When ministries fail to handle funds with integrity and break trust, the ministry suffers and God’s reputation is tarnished. May God help all those served by ECFA and CCFK to uphold trust and administrate finances faithfully for God’s glory (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:20-21).

“Daily, the news stories capture our attention: public servants–some paid, some volunteer–who respond to emergencies of every type. Outwardly, they are known by their bright and well-recognized garb: hats, boots, coats that identify these persons as first responders in times of great need. We applaud their success and mourn with their families and communities when some make the ultimate sacrifice to save the lives of others.

In the local church community, we have the opportunity to learn to be first responders, offering the generosity of God. This generosity was revealed when God gave the world Jesus Christ. God’s Son expresses the depth of God’s generosity. Like those who are trained for work in perilous circumstances, God calls us to be fearless in our living, our giving, and our service.

The local church community is the primary place for cultivating an attitude and practice of generosity. Here we are taught what it means to be stewards of all that we have. Here we are taught how to give or offer the time, spiritual gifts, skill sets, and finances with which we have been entrusted.”

Michelle Cobb in “God’s First Responders” issue of Giving: Growing Joyful Stewards in Your Congregation, Vol. 16 (Blaine: ESC, 2014) 12-13.

Do we train people in our churches to maintain such a responsive posture to reflect God’s love and generosity?

This is precisely what Jesus did when he taught His disciples about the good Samaritan (cf. Luke 10:25-37. This idea particularly impacted my students this week: to train people to always be ready to deploy themselves and their resources to show God’s love. We discuss how sometimes this is inconvenient, expensive, and even dangerous.

A few students joined my class at the last minute because the MERS breakout caused another modular class to be cancelled because the visiting professor chose not to come to South Korea. My students thanked me for coming despite the perceived danger. The responsiveness of this class has been a highlight of my academic teaching career. These students aspire to serve the Lord all over Asia.

Their gratitude has led me to wonder about the man served by the good Samaritan in the story of Jesus. I’ll bet he went on to show the same Christ-like kindness that he received to others for the rest of his life!

Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

“Reporters, politicians, and leaders of business and industry often have a modus operandi of negativity and scarcity, many times fueled by fear. The messages we hear caution us regarding moving forward with any certainty. And we dare not give beyond our means.

However, Paul’s encouraging words to us say that God is able to do abundantly far more than anything we are able to ask or even think about asking for. And perhaps even more amazingly, God chooses to work through us to accomplish more than we can imagine…

As we strive to practice fearless generosity, we can remember Paul’s blessing to the church in Ephesians 3:20-21. Using us as willing vessels, God through the Holy Spirit–the power at work within us–is able to accomplish abundantly far more than we can ask or imagine.”

Mark Kirchoff in “Fearless Generosity” issue of Giving: Growing Joyful Stewards in Your Congregation, Vol. 16 (Blaine: ESC, 2014) 3-7.

I just finished leading my Torch Trinity students through the New Testament letters (all day today), and their in-class testimonies and presentations inspired me. They passionately announced the need for repentance: to turn from negativity and scarcity thinking to adopt an abundance perspective from their understand of stewardship formed through our walk through the Scriptures. Soon they will write their philosophy of biblical stewardship paper which will chart the course for the rest of their lives as stewards.

Pray with me that quotes from saints through church history (tomorrow morning’s lesson) and the testimonies of Korean Christians that have gone through “Journey of Generosity” events in Korea (tomorrow afternoon’s panel of givers) will inspire them to surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives so they exhibit the fruit of fearless generosity (cf. Galatians 5:22-23).

I believe, through these 17 students, God will do more throughout Asia and around the world, than I could ever ask or imagine. Make it so, Lord Jesus!

“The measure of our stewardship includes how we live (our relationship to creation), how we serve (our care of those in need), how we sow (our willingness to respond to God’s call), and how we give (how we manage the blessings that God has given us). The power of God within us is our resource to dispel our fears and “accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine”, knowing that the reason for all that we do is to honor and glorify God [Ephesians 3:20-21].”

Marcia Shetler in “Fearless Generosity” issue of Giving: Growing Joyful Stewards in Your Congregation, Vol. 16 (Blaine: ESC, 2014) 2.

As I walk my Torch Trinity students through the Scriptures this week, I am reminding them of this important truth made clear in this quote by my friend, Marcia Shetler: growth from fear to faith is not a journey we can do in our own strength. It’s only possible because “the power of God within us is our resource” (cf. Mark 10:27).

Father in heaven, may our living, serving, sowing, and giving reflect your power at work in us and bring you glory, we ask in the name of Jesus our Savior and Lord. Amen.

“The stewardship portion of our following Jesus is one of those places that invites us to do something. It is a place where faith is made outwardly visible, not to bring attention to the self but to give glory to God.”

Russ Matteson in “Saints Alive! Living Generously” in Giving: Growing Joyful Stewards in Your Congregation, Vol. 15 (Blaine: ESC, 2013) 9-10.

Had a great first day at Torch Trinity with 17 students from Korea, China, Nepal, Pakistan, India, and USA. Tomorrow I dig deeply into “the stewardship portion of our following Jesus” in the Gospels. Thanks for your prayers for God to work through me and within them.

“In the church it is important to create a culture where stewardship is a big picture. Stewardship includes money, but it is more than preoccupation with the budget, giving, and all other money matters of the church. Christians everywhere, as individuals and congregations, must heed the fullness of the call to discipleship…

This is a growing challenge, particularly in Western culture, where rugged individualism and the love of money are idealized; this does not always weave well with Christian values of compassion, caretaking, and community building.

Our calling as leaders in the church remains squarely where it has been for centuries: to call God’s people into an awareness of and commitment to the ways in which we are all interconnected in this world, not separate, isolated, or alone. We are to call and form people as followers of the Way—the Jesus Way.”

Erin Matteson in “Talk about Stewardship” in Giving: Growing Joyful Stewards in Your Congregation, Vol. 15 (Blaine: ESC, 2013) 11-12. For further exploration of “the Way”, see Acts 9:2, 18:25, 19:9, 19:23, 22:4, 24:14, and 24:22.

I just returned to my room having preached on Luke 12:13-21 in three Korean churches today. Few stewardship texts illustrate the clash between culture and Christ more than this one. Pray with me that God’s people will be known for “compassion, caretaking, and community building” rather than foolishly stockpiling for themselves. May this Scripture stir those with ears to hear to live out the gospel despite cultural values that are contrary to the Jesus Way.

“Living as disciples of Jesus involves being transformed into Christ’s image and having our orientation transformed from that of a consumer to that of a steward (Romans 12:1-2). Being a trustee of God’s gifts in our lives doesn’t come naturally. It requires intentionality and training.”

Beryl Jantzi in week 1 of “Found Faithful” curriculum in Giving: Growing Joyful Stewards in Your Congregation, Vol. 15 (Blaine, MN: ESC, 2013).

The consumerist mentality prevails in America among those who profess faith in Christ and among those who don’t. While some cultural dynamics differ, the same general situation exists among Christians in Korea.

I have safely arrived in Seoul, South Korea and am preaching at three churches tomorrow. Through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word this week with intentionality, I pray hearts are transformed and lives are trained to live as stewards rather than consumers.

“Mr. Robert E. Speer, in his pamphlet, “Prayer and Missions,” which has done so much to awaken the Church to prayer, goes to the heart of the subject:

The evangelization of the world in this generation depends first of all upon a revival of prayer. Deeper than the need for men; deeper, far, than the need for money; aye, deep down at the bottom of our spiritless life is the need for the forgotten secret of prevailing, world-wide prayer…

The condition and consequence of such prayers as this is a new outpouring of the Holy Ghost. Nothing short of His own suggestion will prompt the necessary prayer to bring Him back again in power. Nothing short of His new outpouring will ever solve the missionary problems of our day.”

John Raleigh Mott (1865-1955) long-time leader of YMCA quoting Robert Elliott Speer (1867-1947) authority on world missions, excerpt from “Essential Factors” section of The Evangelization of the World in this Generation (New York: Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions, 1905) 189-190.

Today I fly from Denver to Seoul to teach my “Biblical Stewardship and Christian Generosity” class at Torch Trinity Graduate University, to preach two Sundays, and as ECFA International Liaison, to co-host with CCFK and Kurios International an International Symposium on “Faithful Financial Administration.”

I echo the need for global prayer. Money is not the power for mission. The Holy Spirit is the main character in Acts of the Apostles and today. We need more God. I welcome your prayers for me, but take a moment today to pause and pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit on ministry locally as well as around the world in Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas.

God is looking for people to live on mission everywhere. People willing to serve generously however God leads with whatever they have. I am taking my five loaves and two fish to Seoul for 12 days. Through prayer I trust that God will feed all those who need to be fed and have an abundance left over. I also pray He multiplies whatever you offer up generously for Him.

“There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no independence quite so important, as living within your means.”

Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) president of the United States in The Quote Manual: Wisdom and Wit of the Ages ed. Robert G. Moscatell (Bloomington: AuthorHouse, 2012) 208.

If only Americans would do this today!

I am speaking in a “Faith at Work” training track later this morning at the EFCA One national conference in San Diego. Among other remarks, I will highlight ten people in the New Testament that integrated their faith, work, and economics. I will also remind listeners that these NT characters lived on less than they made so that they were positioned for generosity.

In God’s economy, the purpose of work is to bring glory to God (cf. Colossians 3:23). We make an income from work, as “the worker deserves a wage” (cf. 1 Timothy 5:18) , but we live on less than we make, not for foolish hoarding, but so we have something to share (cf. Ephesians 4:28). This is God’s design for the community of faith. It’s life in God’s economy.