I'm jumping ship

I’m beginning to have deviant thoughts of abandoning our consumer culture. I know our economy is based on consumer spending and until we start buying again, we will not get out of this recession. But I’m tired of the mentality of more. I don’t need more. I have plenty.

What if we decided to live in such a way that we gave more than we received? What if we chose to live on 40% of what we made and shared the other 60% with others. How about we start spending our money on not-for-profit ventures and philanthropic outreaches? Now there is money well spent.

I want a church like that. Can we create a place where 90% of the giving goes right back out to help others and 10% goes to administration? No costly buildings or over staffing.

How about a place where people don’t come to get fed, but come to learn how to plant, nurture and harvest. We have been giving away fish for too long. We need to teach people how to start fish farms.

Here’s an idea. Rather than build a mega church and bring everybody in, let’s send more out to start new churches and keep splitting off like mitosis. What is better, a church of 1000 or 1000 churches?

I know these are ideals, but could we at least start thinking in that direction? I can’t live on 40% of what I make right now. But maybe I can live on 90% this year and increase it each year down the road.

Maybe our church can start giving more to help others. Or we can start doing more to meet real needs. That’s doable.

Maybe this year won’t be the year where everything changes, but maybe it will be the year when something changes that starts a move in the right direction.

Maybe? Yes!