Radical Stewardship

As we have just entered into another Christmas shopping season and just survived another "Black Friday" I have been thinking a lot about material possessions lately. I must admit that this focus on thinking about material things actually started not just last week but about a month ago. Mars Hill Church which we now attend (Bellevue Campus) began it's "Generous Campaign" and made available (for no material gain) the book "Money: God or Gift" by pastor Jamie Munson. About the same time I picked up the book "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream" by David Platt. These together stimulated me to further reading and studying particularly the Bible's teaching on material possessions.

I want to share with you a sampling of quotes and thoughts from my reading which together I hope will give you an understanding of where I think scripture leads us and hopefully also cause us all to think more intentionally about how we handle material possessions this Christmas and beyond.

"Materialism is the single biggest competitor with authentic Christianity for the hearts and souls of millions... today, including many in the... church" (Craig Bloomberg in "Neither Poverty nor Riches" pg 132)

Steawardship of material possessions is according to Jesus' teaching "the most important test-case of one's profession of discipleship". (Craig Bloomber in "Neither Poverty nor Risches" pg 126-7)

Scripture shows that: "1. God hears, feed, satisfies, rescues, defends, raises up and secures justice for the poor who trust Him*; 2. God's response to those who neglect the poor is condemnation (Luke 16)" (David Platt in "Radical" pg 114)
*Job 34:28, Psalm 68:10, Psalm 22:26, Psalm 35:10, Psalm 82:3, 1Sam 2:8, Psalm 113:7, Psalm 140:12

Jamie Munson discusses 4 types of stewards:
1. Righteous rich stewards
2. Unrighteous rich stewards
3. Righteous poor stewards
4. Unrighteous poor stewards
"The money itself is merely a prop on the stage of God's story, used or pursued for good or for ill, depending on the intentions of the steward's heart." (Jamie Munson in "Money: God or Gift" pg 26-7)

"rich people who neglect the poor are not the people of God" (Platt pg 115)

"the battle against materialism is a war" (Platt pg 136)

"Is materialism a blind spot in the American Church today? ... is materialism a blind spot in your Christianity today?" (Platt pg 111)

Am I ready to be the radical (righteous) steward God wants me to be of my material possessions? Are you? Are we as the Church? Especially during this Christmas season?