A Burning Bush

Eric Blauer is a pastor with a transformational ministry. He posts some challenging - out of the box - material. His article of money is biblical and no doubt, controversial. It needs to be heard.

Coming across his blog is my first introduction to Eric and I hope, not the last. He has several blogs - all worth a look-see.

A Burning Bush: "
We want to be a blessing to our community but not a bank or loan officer and that means we have to teach the truth that sets people free and empowers them to own their lives, and become people that have dominion over their finances and are not slaves to money, debt, materialism or greed."

How we see money, think about it, master it, or are moved by it is a function of our how much transformation has taken place in our own lives.

The fact that urban ministries, such as the one I pastor, desparately need money, is not justification for manipulating theology or people into a temple-based teaching mode or guilt-oriented appeals.

Giving is a biblical standard and it is bigger than church offering envelopes. I agree with Eric that the idea of the tithe is a carry-over from the Old Testament. That makes it a shadow designed to teach a principle. Biblical giving is "to God" and that can mean to a widow or an an orphan.

It is also biblical to make money, empower other people to make money, and spend and pay bills responsibly.

It goes to the issue of how highly resourced, often suburban churches distribute their wealth in kingdom causes.

Copublished in The Dream Factory.

URBANarmy: Lost Themes of Mission - Shalom...

Gordon Cotterill says that his blog consists of the theological reflections of an insignificant Salvation Army officer. Not so insignifican I think. Gordon's observations, espcially as he tackles lost themes, go straight to the heart of what transformational communities are called to be. For example:

URBANarmy: Lost Themes of Mission - Shalom...: "It is sad that we as a Church have allowed the concept of shalom to remain in the flower power '60's lexicon. It is sad that we as a Church have allowed the concept of shalom to remain a cosy, oozey nice feelings about each other concept. It is sad that we as a Church have allowed the concept of shalom to remain a carved olive wood curio bought back by Holy Land travelers to sit on our desks, hang on our walls! What is really sad is when we work so hard at ignoring the concept, worried that the concept might in some insidious way be obscuring our true 'church' work, working up our apologetics to turn a blind eye to its centrality. Sad above all we ignore our responsibility and that in all our efforts we dishonour God."

I think I will add this feed to my regular reading.

FWIW - He is so right about SHALOM. We say it flippantly, but not so, our spiritual ancestors. Whenever they so blessed one another, it was an investment. Gordon's review of David Bosch compells me to read his work more carefully as well.

I'll co-publish this at the Dream Factory.