Parker, Sperry and Wills: Is the line between what you need and what you want blurred?

“Americans possess far more than we truly need to live. We live in a culture of gratification, where the line is blurred between what we need and what we want.”

T.A. Parker, G.L. Sperry, and D.H. Wills in Investing in God’s Business: The “How To” of Smart Christian Giving (Atlanta: National Christian Foundation, 2005) 23.

“Christians who have wealth above their basic needs ought to share it with those who have less. Doing so is an act of worship to Christ, and demonstrates trust in Him.”

Mark Vincent in A Christian View of Money: Celebrating God’s Generosity (Eugene: Wipf & Stock) 15.

“Those who are driven by fear will never be generous givers. You have to be driven by faith, for without faith it is impossible to please God.”

Ron Blue in a message entitled: “What are the Characteristics of a Generous Giver?” at the Generous Giving Conference, Phoenix, AZ, March 2001.

“Pray and ask God if he wants you to become involved in some way…when you adjust your life to God and become a kingdom person, He can involve you in His work anywhere in the world.”

Henry T. Blackaby as quoted in a letter from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary dated August 9, 2012.

“We’ve always been really committed to teaching stewardship regularly throughout the year. People who love to give, love to hear sermons and messages on giving. People who are generous know the tremendous blessing of giving, and want to do more. For people who don’t give, we don’t mind upsetting them. We want them to rethink why they are fearful of trusting God with their finances. We simply try to confront that confusion and unbiblical way of thinking. If we convert a few more each year, that’s our goal. We’re going after their heart, and where their treasure is, is where their heart is.”

Steve Walker, pastor of Canyon Hills Community Church in Bothell, WA, in “Why your church’s revenue isn’t over the top” blogpost by John B. Savage on 1 August 2012.

You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. Acts 10:37-38

“Jesus appears as the benefactor of the world, carrying out God’s work of salvation and sustenance. In a similar way the disciples continue the works of Jesus to heal and to minister.”

Halvor Moxnes in The Economy of the Kingdom: Social Conflict and Economic Relations in Luke’s Gospel (Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 1988) 20.

“First, we work as a means to honor Christ (Eph 6:6-7 and Col 3:23-24)…Any job that blesses others in some way is a way to glorify God…

Second, we work as a testimony to others (1 Tim 5:13-16; Titus 2:3-6, 9-10). If Christ is real, his reality in us should show especially at our place of work, both by excellence in doing our work and excellence in relationships with others.

Finally, we work in order to have something to share with others, as well as to provide for our own needs (Eph 4:28; 2 Thess 3:10-12; Titus 3:14). The New Testament simultaneously urges Christians to be generous and to work to have something to share with others, but it also takes a din view of those who would use the generosity of Christians to indulge their own laziness. The assumption is that God’s normal means of providing for people is through their own work but that in a fallen world there will also be occasions of genuine need (James 1:27; 2:14-17). For such occasions, generosity is a Christian virtue that should be evident among God’s redeemed people, but generosity is impossible unless one works and has something to share.”

John S. Hammett in A Theology for the Church, ed. Daniel L. Akin (Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2007) 366-367.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:6-10

“Most of us have heard a sermon or three about generous giving…It is far more rare to hear messages about dealing with the challenge of living in a society (and at times, a church culture) that treats covetousness as a virtue. It may be rarer still to admit that each one of us has struggled with the longing to take for ourselves what the Giver of all good gifts has given. Most churches have at least one member who was rocked by the economic meltdown. Often, these people have hard-won wisdom to share with the rest of us about what really matters in life, as well as stories of God’s care and provision to tell. Their stories can be helpful tutors as we learn to fight the temptation to covet other people’s possessions and relationships.”

Michelle Van Loon in Green with Housing Envy: Bursting the Bubble of Coveting My Neighbor’s Home: The spiritual key to stop coveting a bigger and better home July 16, 2012 blogpost on her.meneutics: the Christianity Today blog for women.

“We always have the choice to give and serve, no matter how little we own.”

Rachel Olsen in The Choice is Ours, the daily Encouragement for Today email for July 27, 2012 from Proverbs 31 Ministries.

“Jesus is the savior of the world. We are not. We are called to witness, always with our lives and sometimes with our words, to the great things God has done for us. But this witness must come from a heart that is willing to give without getting anything in return. The more we trust in God’s unconditional love for us, the more able we will be to proclaim the love of Jesus.”

Henri Nouwen in Bread for the Journey entry for August 8 (SanFrancisco: Harper, 1997).