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United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is responding to the economic recession nationally, regionally and locally.
More information on United Reformed Church
Weathering the Economic Storm - Recession Ready?
This is an extract from 'Weathering the economic storm. Recession Ready?' by Steve Pierce, Head of Stewardship Money
As Christians we should have an eternal perspective, rooted in an eternal relationship with Jesus. Our priorities should be radically different from those of non-believers. It is with Jesus that we find love, joy, peace and security. We should be careful not to find security in the value off our houses, bank accounts or investments, where ‘moth and rust’ destroy. Yet at Christian conferences, we largely want gifts, such as healing and prophecy rather than giving. We buy a worship CD rather than support a child in the Third World and expect to see the rich young ruler on the platform rather than the self-sacrificing widow with her mite. Dying to self will mean relinquishing treasures on earth. Jesus was not polite about these things:
- What good is it for a man to gain the whole world yet lose his soul (Matthew 16:26)
- If you have not bee trustworthy in handling worldly wealth then who will trust you with true riches? (Luke 16:11)
- Be on your guard against all kind of greed. A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. (Luke 12:15)
- You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:24)
Have we been living in obedience to these words? We are called to hold on to things lightly – remembering that everything comes from him. We do not have to live a life of poverty, but we should live a life of great generosity. We do not relentlessly have to increase our standard of living, but we do need to keep raising our standard of giving. The question we have to ask ourselves is not “How can we live like the poorest people in the world” because we can’t. Rather we need to ask “How am I going to live given that so many people made in God’s image live so desperately. In other words, when my needs are met, is my priority the needs of others, or to supply my wants?
Christian faith is not world denying asceticism, but the celebration of God’s abundance: a rich creation, manna in the desert, wine at a wedding, loaves and fish for the hungry. It should be characterised by the lavish, almost reckless generosity and love which Jesus tells us will never be forgotten (Matthew 26:13).
To read the full essay, 'Weathering the Economic Storm' please click here
