2 of 2

It's not a mystery how to turn this trend around. From the beginning, church teachers have realized that the most effective frontal assault on greed begins with generosity. Paul lifts up the Macedonian Christians as an example: "Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity" (2 Cor. 8:2).

Generosity will not be easy for those of us who have incurred a fair amount of debt. Dave Travis, managing director of the Leadership Network, says church income is down in regions where housing has been especially hard hit. At the same time, over 50 percent of donors in a recent online poll said they are reducing or suspending their giving in response to the crisis.

Nobody said the spiritual discipline of giving would be easy. Then again, scarce times do tend to concentrate the soul. "Economic downturns," Travis says, "always help people discover biblical stewardship." And stewardship begins with the realization that our resources belong to Another. Giving is easier when we remember that it isn't ours.

And living—even in flush times—is freer when we remember the same. The kingdom is not dependent on our money or lack thereof. All through history, even in the toughest of times, churches have ministered in creative and effective ways, with offers of food, clothing, shelter, financial counseling, and other services to those in need.

This crisis, like all crises, is one of God's mysterious ways of getting us back to basics: fresh dependence on the One who taught us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," and renewed generosity toward "the least of these."

Copyright © 2008 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Christianity Today has more editorials and a special section on the economic crisis.

first page |  2 of 2

share this page

December 2008, Vol. 52, No. 12