For the week of October 04, 2004
Lifestyle |
Ministry in Daily Life: A Practical Guide for Congregations, William E Diehl |
By: Linnea Nilsen Capshaw |
“Jesus had a very simple lifestyle as far as possessions go…. (Matthew 8:20 and Luke 12:34). The early church, likewise, had little concern for personal possessions…. (Acts 4:32). Throughout the ages, a simple lifestyle has been a hallmark of many faithful Christians.
And how is it with us today? Is there any discernible difference between Christians and non-Christians when it comes to possessions? Princeton sociologist Robert Wuthnow says there isn’t. In his book God and Mammon in America, he claims that Christians in America are spiritually adrift when it comes to the realm of personal economics. In an article on the subject, he concludes “that the evidence suggests that faith makes little difference to the ways in which people actually conduct their financial affairs.”
Wuthnow’s statement is certainly true for the vast majority of us at Holy Spirit. The mix of cars on our parking lot is no different than that at any large shopping mall. We dress the same as the rest of society and eat at the same or perhaps better restaurants. We live in large homes, some with swimming pools. Some of us belong to exclusive clubs.
We need to ask whether our lifestyle gets in the way of our ministry in daily life. This is an awkward question to ponder because we fear we know what the answer might be. Nevertheless, we need to examine our lifestyles if we claim to be the follower of one whose style was very simple.
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