« The poetry of stewardship | Main | The Mission - A new look at CP »
August 8, 2007
Salvation through stewardship
I had the opportunity to sit down with some people from Crown Financial Ministries for dinner last night. (Crown is the founding partner of the "It's A New Day" campaign.) This really is an amazing organization that believes financial integrity begins with a relationship with our Creator.
During our conversation, they shared with me that more than 17,000 people became Christians last year while going through the Crown program. I was completely surprised. This number absolutely jumped out at me and grabbed my attention.
As I've been reflecting on our conversation, I wonder if the issue of personal finances and debt are the next great vehicle for evangelism for the modern-day church and if this our opportunity to represent not only our beliefs and values but demonstrate behavior that is shapped by our beliefs and values.
Everyone struggles with money: both Christian and non-Christian. But it's how we deal with it that makes us different. Just about everything in life can be dealt with in a positive, healthy way or in a negative, destructive way.
I believe too many Christians and non-Christians are dealing with the issues of personal finance and debt in negative and destructive ways. And for the most part the church has offered no alternative.
This is where "It's A New Day" and the partnership with Crown become so important. This partnership offers churches a way to present an alternative to the negative and destructive behaviors that are--in many ways--shapping and shrinking our lives.
In doing so, we expose those who choose to listen to another way of living. And in turn offer them a chance to change and live differently. Isn't that the heart-beat, the core of the Gospel message?
Financial freedom is just the beginning. True freedom, ultimate freedom only comes through Jesus Christ.
Posted by bstroup at August 8, 2007 8:14 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://blogs.lifeway.com/cgi-bin/mt4.1/mt-tb.cgi/82