I would like to return to a subject from a few posts ago. I believe that the modern market has become one of the leading disciplers of our culture - people and institutions make decisions now based on market sense - is it productive, profitable, and efficient. This business trinity has saturated our society (and we are trying to export it to the world) and in some ways the church.
Several people have inquired about what the church can do to respond to the market idol and its minions: individualism, consumerism, and materialism. Here is a short list of suggestions:
1. Subvert the marketing madness by consciously simplifying your lifestyle. Easier said than done I know, but there is great satisfaction in reclaiming simplicity. This may show up in not always needing things that are new - not always needing name brand - not always needing bigger things. (For instance, I just saw that Panasonic is coming out with a 102 inch TV that costs $70,000 ...tempting, but is it necessary)
Simplicity has been explained primarily as a personal discipline - but I would like to see some group try it in their church body.(There are groups doing this - you just don't hear much about it) What if a church body decided that they didn't need a 102 inch TV that costs $70,000 in order to be the church? What if a church decided that they did not need 7.9 million dollars worth of facilities, but was going to invest that money in kingdom initiatives instead?
2. Can we return to some sort of "Acts 2" economics? This giving and sharing as described by the early church would truly subvert our market mentality today. Possibly a church could develop a "co-op" where things are brought and shared - this cuts against individualism and the market that tries to make us believe that we have to buy things ourselves and own it. I suspect that much of the reason that we don't practice "giving and sharing" among the body is that we have most of our money going towards building and upkeep.
3. Some have suggested that returning to a "Sabbath" can be subversive to our current economic climate. What if a church decided to reclaim the day of worship as a time of rest and relationships. Not buying and selling on the Sabbath was originally intended as a statement that "I trust God to keep me even if I don't labor today - He will provide". What if a church tried to spend the day in community, rest, and worship and subverted desire by resting in God.
Here are a few ideas. I would love to hear more about individual ideas or church practices that help us keep our balance in the market-driven world.
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11 comments:
I imagine that maybe Paul (1 Corinthians 9) would examine the 60-70% of the church budget that goes to salary packages. ...and we as leaders tell people that the church is not interested in their money?
are there ever times that our response may need to be that of Paul's - just preach the gospel because we are compelled...is tentmaking such a bad thing?
again, not an easy thing to wresle with.
I wonder if every time we bought something - a new coat, a new shirt, a book - if we also bought an extra for someone in need and not simply sent our "don't meet my wants anymore" items to Goodwill if we would think more about what we are spending and how much.
If every time I bought a new shirt I bought a shirt for the second hand store I might be more apt to buy at Wal Mart than the Mall.
Schmerse,Schmerse, Schmerse. It's only b/c he loves you that Heavy D hasn't slammed you for mentioning purchasing your shirts at the "W word". Be that as it may, you bring up a very valid point. How cool would it be if when a person went to GW, they saw a shirt from Old Navy with the price tag still on it? I really like that idea! Laura would crap at the prospect doing this- unless she read it here. Y'all are the wise sages- I'm just the vulgar piece of crap she's married to! However, I do have a bone to pick with the Big Daddy hisself. DB, it's all well and good to point out these ideas and potential practices here- IN SAFETY. But really will anything ever change unless we start moving beyond the virtual realm? Jess's idea notwithstanding (and it kicks ass, Jess, really- I am on board 100%) Why not use your bully pulpit (to wax historical) to speak truth to power? I mean come on! if ever there was a person in a position to attempt a co-op or other kingdom-building ideas. It's not my profane butt (but that profane butt will support you!) You could make some serious noise some sat night/sunday morning. Hell, if you want, I'll even come and throw in a "Uh-huh, that's right! Preach it, Revren!" Anyway, just my annoying provocation on a Monday. you can provoke me back now.
jefe
PS- got my laptop back!!
As with all truth I would rather see it lived before it is preached. I would not be so itchy to speak in front of the masses. I would love to find the humble souls who live out simplicity and truth, in this world.
I agree with a desire to see more Christians living out simplicity. Although I’m grateful for those I know that do it so well.
I would offer a thought that there maybe far more giving and sharing going on in the body of Christ than you realize. After all we do expect that most giving will go undetected “as the right hand doesn’t know what the left is doing.” Most giving is done in secret. Sharing is sometimes easier to pick up on although most people still try to keep it quiet. You have to be rather close to a person to notice.
I often wonder when people begin to criticize Christians about not giving and sharing enough, are they making a statement about themselves? (Don’t take that personally). They certainly are making a statement about their friends and the Christians they know well.
Economics of the Church is fascinating. My pastor just shared a story of his father belonging to a church that require you sign over the deed of your house to the church. A 100 years was it rather common for churches to live out the type of community that you speak of today? Why were many of these Christian branded legalistic by following generations? Would it be rather “legalistic” of you to require people to give all there possessions to a kind of co-op? Perhaps, would you like a little more “legalism” in the church today?
As for Acts 2 economics. Let me offer a question to chew on… Just because it happened that way in the Bible does that make it a call for us to do the same? Please note a distinction between “happened that way” and commanded to live that way.
Some could suggest that what the church did economically in the book of Acts was stupid in the long run was hindering to the church and the gospel. Stupid, hindering, and foolish. (I hear very few Christians even wonder that… mostly because no one has ever offered that idea to them). Many of us also hold tightly to a picture of the gospel spreading like wildfire through the first two centuries and the more they were persecuted the more the fire spread. If we could live like Acts maybe we would experience the results of Acts? Certainly we have statements in our Scriptures that make it easy to paint such a picture after all “these people have been turning the world upside down”. We read 3,000 converts in one day! and sometimes I hear people speak about Acts like they have 3,000 converts everyday! 3,000 in a day… Billy Graham could yawn at that. (of course he would rejoice with angels, because he is a humble stud) It has been offered that in the grand picture of things perhaps Christianity still remained a rather small subversive movement until the time of Constantine.
I better stop before I require some people to think too much, before I get shot, and because I already wrote more than most will want to read. I love your thinking!!
jefe - love the enthusiasm just want you to know that it is not schmerse that committed the unpardonable sin of saying the "W word", though i attend the same church but didn't want her to bear the consequences do to my error. ;)
mark - awesome point - just b/c it was in the bible doesn't mean that we are commanded to do it nor because it worked for a certain group in the church means we are to do it. but rather look at the concept/the passion/the motivation/idea/goal behind the actions - they created a community that cared for and shared the burdens of one another. how that gets done...well to limit God to one blue print might be sacreligious.
Jefe~
Schmerse here. Thanks for the credit, but unfortunately, it wasn't me [as was already pointed out]. My name shows up as simply Jess.
I'm on board as well...but maybe I'd have to pick another store [not the "W" word], or eventually we may change Dwayne's mind about being a pacifist :).
Jessica,
mea culpa mea culpa mea maxima culpa! and now needs must i read another fellow traveller's blawg! (and from the fact you're reading Annie Lamott, i suspect you may be a fellow traveller in more than name only!). you may find a post forthcoming.
pax,
jefe
ps- sorry for using your livingroom for the conversation, bigdaddy
Dwayne - In (1) I think I may hear you equating simplicity to poverty or stewardship, and I am not sure I quite agree. I believe they are all related but not the same thing. To me, simplicity in the Biblical sense is about a life of focus - not about being without.
It's about keeping our "good eye" as Jesus says in Matthew focused on the right things. Simplicity - to me - is knowing to what the Lord has called you and being true to that calling - letting your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no."
There will be cases with the manifestation of that type of focus will be obviously financial but lots more where I suspect it will not.
Great discussion folks. When I first wrote this little piece I didn't think it was going to get much comment activity. Now we have mistaken identities, cussing, even the Wal-Mart word - things have livened up... Anyway, I wanted to make a few comments about comments before I post something new.
1. Juli - thanks for reminding us about the huge percentage of church budgets that pays professional clergy. Is it good or bad for the church? I need to think more about that one. I suspicion that there are lots of issues attached to this concern - just don't know where to go with it yet.
2. Jessica - thanks for giving another concrete example of how we can live more thoughtfully about buying. Even if you were the victim of mistaken identity.
3. Jeff - thanks for your radical points. There does come a time when you have to stop talking and take up some doing. But I am not ready to overturn the money-changers table just yet - because I know that crucifixion follows. Give me a little more time....
4. Jess - thanks for reminding me that I am a pacifist so I don't do violence to Wal-Mart shoppers.
5. Mark - interesting question about having to do everything as the book of Acts describes. I suspect that we cannot reproduce "Acts 2 economics" precisely as described. The early church was responding to the leading of the Holy Spirit - just as we are asked to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in our practices today. We need to ask God's leading to help us discern practices that can be truly Christian for our day - and many of these will be subversive. But they don't have to be exactly as described in Acts. That is why I like to speak about "suggestions" - because there are many good practices that can help the church live faithfully in the modern market situation - creativity and discernment are required...
And Mark - I agree that simplicity can move out into lots of areas - but the reason I wrote these examples as I did is because I wanted this piece to be specifically about "economics".
Thanks for all your comments
i'm commenting again, but on the subject of Wal-Mart and economics if you haven't read Nickel and Dimed - you should!
where's the new one!!! don't be a punk. (he says with a neophyte's love)
jefe
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