Another Thing you Have Heard: "Why do we have to talk about our stuff in church?"

Author’s note: this originally ran in the October Shepherd’s Staff Newsletter. The congregation takes time to focus on the faith practice of stewardship every October.
 
"Why do finances need to be brought up? We know the church can't keep doing its mission without money. Let's all make a commitment then be done with it!" This is some stewardship advice I have received from a few seasoned church workers over the years. Minimize discussion of wealth because it will cause more problems than it will solve.
Sometimes I agree with that notion. It feels dirty, talking about our resources in church, and is not limited to money – it is land, cars, and more! Talking about owning stuff and faith can leave the everyday Christian feeling guilty, brow-beaten, and maybe even manipulated. Sometimes that is intentional on the part of fundraisers. Why bring up an issue with so much baggage?
Often times, the best thing to do with baggage is unpack it and throw it in the laundry. I hope to do some unpacking with you all this October. "Why do we have to talk about our stuff in church?" is some baggage I will briefly unpack right now, here in this blog post.
I think the reasons for discomfort around faith and resources are multiple: bad theology and religious trauma come first to my mind. However, I think there is a more common cause: perceived scarcity. Something stirs in us that tells us our hard-earned-but-easily-lost resources are threatened when we mention them in church. We think we might get in over our heads if we promise to give more. Will we be able to afford our lifestyle, should we give the church a larger cut of it? What if we end up needing that money we give? We could make ourselves vulnerable to hardship. Things like retirement and unstable employment only add to this peril of giving!
                You have heard it said on October 1st here at Good Shepherd to store up treasures in heaven, where they cannot be stolen, rust, or go obsolete. Our resources are a means to share those treasures; they are not treasures in and of themselves. There is more to what Jesus says in this teaching. He says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25 NRSV). Jesus does not mean to disregard our needs, instead let go of the anxieties that come with a mindset of scarcity. If God provides for wildlife, God will provide for you too, teaches Jesus. There is enough.
                I hope this baggage is now a little lighter. When you fear losing your resources, then your resources control you. Jesus frees you so you may live your life he gives you, rather than your stuff doing the living. Any talk of resources in church must rest in Jesus’ good news. If there is need among communities, then we are freed to meet it. There is enough, and that needs to be brought up more often.

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Another Thing you Have Heard: "Why do we have to talk about our stuff in church?" by Joshua Feala is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0