Thanks Giving: Growing Generosity Among God's People
By Christopher Levan
United Church Publishing House
A subject that is not dear to the hearts of most people is that of Christian stewardship. Christopher Levan tackles the subject head-on and in so doing has produced a highly readable, entertaining and most of all, helpful book. This is a very practical book with enough theory to support the practical and to provide assurance that the author has done his homework and knows what he is talking about.
There are several different ways of describing the Christian life and these can be summed up in three words: worship, evangelism/mission and stewardship. Mission is not stewardship; stewardship is not mission. They are related and related to the third element, worship, and though the faith can be defined by any one of the three terms the definition must include the other two as part of that definition. Worship is at the core of who we are and what we do. Evangelism or mission is the sharing of the gospel or good news. Stewardship is how we live our lives, loving the world as God loves the world.
Levan knows all of that but in this book, his sixth, the emphasis is on money. (Have I lost you yet?) Money is the lingua franca of our culture, the common tongue of the world. Money is not the problem but “how we use the stuff” is the problem. “Money talks,” Levan notes. “It is the mechanism for conferring value, the basis for life, and the symbol of power and legitimacy.” If we are intimidated by the risk of living and bury our banknotes in a safe place — I'm tempted to say safe investment — there is a little parable about the displeasure of God that contends with us. This is not to say we fall for the exploitation of gambling — here called by at least some of our governments, gaming. Responsible and joyful giving in this world of abundance is what is called for. It is our Visa and Mastercard debits that speak of our priorities, our stewardship. The “chequebook is… where we write our mission statement in real terms.”
When Levan says “money talks,” he reminds us not only of what our chequebook says but that our money is meant to speak of the ways of God. Admittedly this is not always easily done in a culture that promotes acquiring and keeping. Our acquisitive culture leads us to deny and snub the joy of generous giving. I am reminded that Luther asserted that gratitude is the essence of the Christian life and of the German proverb that says: Leben ist Loben — To live is to praise.
The whole story of stewardship is not here nor should we expect it so to be. There is no reference to the roots of stewardship in the baptismal covenant in which the believer is to be something like a sacrament, a sign, one who lives in grateful response to God's gift of creation. At baptism we renounce our way of pretending that we own life and instead embrace the joyful life of giving and forgiving. At Holy Communion we are reminded that God comes to us and works through us in the material world of bread and wine and money and we confess that “all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.”
Should you want to know more about the theology behind this book, there are Levan's previous writings and the many books of his mentor, leading Canadian theologian Douglas John Hall. In several books, but especially in The Steward and Christian Mission, Hall has given new impetus and direction to the stewardship movement. In this book Hall argued that the steward was a biblical symbol that did not come to fruition in the New Testament because of apocalyptic eschatology and the “Constantinian establishment.” This led to a church which sought power (mission!) rather than the sacrifice of servant service. Hall argued that stewardship has come of age and now means unambiguous commitment to the world. It means caring about the third world nations. It means a theology of nature and a commitment to peace issues. Stewardship means that we choose life and in so doing “image God.” Hall's view of stewardship is wide-ranging and comprehensive.
The word stewardship sometimes refers to the entire Christian endeavor as in the often quoted: “What we do after we say, I believe.” Sometimes it narrows a little as in the Sunday School definition of “time, talent and treasure.” And sometimes it narrows to something like devious ways of raising money or a fancy word for fundraising. It is a most slippery word but in this book Levan is clear. His main interest is on that part of stewardship defined as money.
Levan's emphasis, especially after the early brief chapters, is on the practical. This is a how-to book for congregational pastors and other church leaders who raise money for the work of God through the church.
There are helpful paragraphs about the management of time, a call for hospitality, narrative budgeting (“putting a human face on the budget”), the lost art of play and Sabbath as a restriction to greed. There are words about deep-seated hope and our human hunger for vision. There is also the practical reminder that “if you want money don't ask for prayer.” Each of the short chapters has a number of helpful discussion questions.
Beginning with the recognition that the church is “incompetent and mediocre in our ministry of fundraising” Levan shows honest ways to express need and anticipate response. The book ends where, with the author's blessing, some people may choose to begin. The five very helpful appendices include Template for a Thanksgiving Campaign, a veritable summary of the book's arguments, Glossary of Gripes, Sample Case Statement, Checklist for Visitors and an interesting game called Applause. Also included is a carefully thought-out list of book and video resources.
Anyone considering a discussion on the stewardship of money or planning any kind of financial campaign will not be disappointed in this book. Get it. Read it. Put it into practice. – Ted Siverns is the former Chair of the Ecumenical Stewardship Centre and the Canadian Stewardship Council and currently is Director of Presbyterian Formation at Vancouver School of Theology.
