The Goehner Group

It has been some time since I have written and I have given thought to what needs to be said.  I have reread some of my previous workshops and seminars and discovered that I have some material that I would like to share.

Some of my motivation is my concern with the response of Christian to the current economic downturn.  Unlike previous recessions and depression, giving is down and in some cases significantly.  I am certain there are many reasons but I believe one is that we, as the church, have been sucked into the greed mentality sweeping our culture.  I hope the next few blogs will help to give some Biblical perspective.

An eye opening trip

In 1985, I was on assignment for World Vision as an independent consultant working with the Ethiopian Famine Project.  One week after I completed this project, I flew to El Salvador and worked with Christian national who were involved in evangelism.  During that six months, I reached some life-changing conclusions:

• I was among the rich of the world
• My giving must be the result of my spiritual commitment, not my financial ability
• If I was going to ask people for financial resources, I had to become a sacrificial giver
• I needed to re-discover the biblical standard for stewardship

For more than 30 years, I have worked with Christians, encouraging their financial commitments to Christian ministries.  For half that time I considered my work to be fundraising; then I discovered it should be challenging people to biblical stewardship.

Paul warned against greed when he wrote to Timothy:  “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  Some people eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”  1Timothy 6:10

The love of money corrupts

Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and mammon.”  God, in His love and jealous righteousness, will not accept co-billing with anything or anyone.  Listen to the Preacher in Ecclesiastes  5:10-12:

1. Money does not satisfy (v. 10).  In fact, the love of money only creates a desire for more, yielding more greed and self-centeredness.
2. We never have enough (v.11).  Money, greed, and possessions are not an economic issue:  they’re a heart issue.  As consumption increases, life gets out of control.
3. The soul is not peace (v. 12).  Dietrich Bonhoeffer exhorts us:  “Our hearts have room for only one all-embracing devotion, and we can only cleave to one Lord.”

God’s antidote to greed is stewardship.  The Apostle Paul instructed Timothy about stewardship so he could then teach the church.  What can we learn?