Stewardship

Generous Giving and Gracious Receiving

When facing an uncertain future, one of the best sources of guidance is history.  Looking to the past is a great way to learn that others have suffered the same problem.  Their solution may or may not work for us, but it is certainly good to know that they survived that which causes us so much fear. 

As I become more and more experienced with life (my new euphemism for getting older), history has become much more important to me.  As I open the history book of my life, I discover experiences that inform today’s decisions.  My sons might complain that I suffer from the “good old days” syndrome, or get exasperated with another one of Dad’s stories, when what I am really trying to do is find a concrete experience to relate to a contemporary problem. 

This is the tragedy caused by the passing of an entire generation.  There has been significant discussion the past few months about the Great Depression and how it relates to our current economic situation.  The onset of that era is dated as 1929, in late October when the Stock Market crashed.  Anyone with reliable memories of that day is now approaching ninety years in age.  If they have not already done so, they need to record their experience in order to teach those of us who follow. 

As we wade into the murky waters of a recession that will hopefully fall far short of another Great Depression, perhaps the best thing we can do is look to the past.  I don’t mean just for economic advice on how to solve the situation, but also for guidance in how to live.  In my search for this guidance, I discovered a story reported on the front page of the Canton, Ohio, newspaper, dated December 18, 1933.  The attention-grabbing headline read, “Man Who Felt Depression’s Sting to Help 75 Unfortunate Families.”  

Who Can Solve the Health Care Problem?

The summer of 1969 – I was eighteen years old and enjoying the time between my freshman and sophomore years of college.  Neal Armstrong walked on the surface of the moon that summer.  The very first human to step foot on soil that did not belong to the earth.  In some ways, it is hard to believe that occurred forty years ago.  Time certainly flies!

Last weekend, at the British Open golf tournament, a fifty-nine year old man came within one stroke of winning the whole thing.  And, when I speak of fifty-nine years old and a stroke, I am not referring to a blood clotting condition.  Tom Watson missed a putt on the final hole by less than the length of a yardstick and it kept him from becoming the most remarkable tournament victor in history.  Although old men play golf, fifty-nine year-olds do not win major tournaments. 

Last week, I looked down and discovered a huge, multi-colored blotch on my left arm. It was smooth, did not hurt, and from an unknown origin, but I knew it was just a bruise.  It is the kind old people get.  I looked it up on webmd.com and learned that the reason is because our skin gets thin as we get older.  Not many people have ever used the phrase “thin skinned” when talking about me.

All of these events, and probably a few others as well, reminded me that I getting older.  I really do not need much reminding.  Just yesterday, I was with my brother and my son visiting with a pastor who thought they were both my sons.  To be mistaken for your sibling’s parent will certainly give you renewed conviction that you are getting old. 

Keep in mind that I am at the older end of the Baby Boomer generation as I tiptoe into the discussion about health care.  My age will obviously color my perspective.  It is only natural that we look at life most clearly through our own eyes.  However, there is probably one position that gains agreement from all of us.  The current health care system needs to change.  Too many people receive little or no health care.  Too many people pay exorbitant amounts for health care premiums.  Too much waste and carelessness have been allowed to exist within the system.  There is very little to argue in favor of leaving everything alone and it will all get better.

Does Everything Have to Change?

There was a time, not that long ago, that I dreamed about using up all of my deposit slips quicker than I could write all the checks that came in the box from the bank.  That seemed like a worthwhile goal that would indicate I was making much more than I was spending.  However, it appeared like an elusive dream.  Every time I needed to order new checks, there were always extra deposit slips left in the box, unused and needless.

In the past few years that has changed.  Now it is necessary to stop at the bank periodically and pick up a handful of deposit slips.  An order of checks, even the smallest order, will probably last for several years.  In fact, I may never need to order checks again.  The change is not because I have become a more prolific earner and a reluctant spender.

Neither is it because I have confined my spending to cash.  I do not use cash either.  I can start out the month with a ten-dollar bill in my wallet and end the month with three or four of those dollars still in my possession. 

The reason for this dramatic change in the way I spend money is that times have changed.  I pay all my bills online and when I am out and about, I use a debit card to buy stuff.  Some people still use cash and checks, although it is getting more and more difficult to find a retailer that accepts personal checks.  It is possible to continue with the same financial practices that served well in the 20th century, but it is less and less common. 

This new method gives me more options.  I can determine the exact day that a bill is paid, no more waiting for the mail to arrive and the check to be processed.  I can look at my bank balance at anytime of the day or night.  Whenever my debit card is used, it shows up on my bank statement in a matter of minutes.  It is possible to view my payment history on any bill, see the success or failure of my investments, or move my money from one account to another, all instantaneously.

Although the old system served us well, I have no desire to go back.  That happens some times.  Change takes place, often even when the system is not broken.  Once things start to change, it is folly to try to return or to hang on to the past.  Even if you do find a way to continue in the old ways, it makes you obsolete and irrelevant. 

The Value of a Life

The first career I pursued as a young man was radio newscaster.  After two years of Junior College, I attended Broadcasting School for a year and secured my first real job as the newsman for KBPI in downtown Denver.  I emphasize downtown because the transmitter was so weak that unless you lived near downtown, chances of getting the signal were slim. 

The programming at KBPI was “soul music.”  Don’t be confused; the term “soul” did not mean that it was religious programming.  The station played artists like James Brown, known as the “Godfather of Soul,” Aretha Franklin, and other black singers.  In fact, the morning disc jockey, “Funky Frank,” and I were the only two white guys at the station. 

My job was to report the news, which meant everything from gathering, writing, editing, researching, and reading.  The task was made more difficult by the fact that the station had no access to any news sources, but every twenty minutes throughout the day, I was expected to have a fresh news report.  I gathered news by recording other radio stations.  I would rewrite their stories and use their sound bites.  I spent many hours with a razor blade and scotch tape, splicing tape so I could work a quote from the President or local politician into my news stories. 

The reason I am remembering this experience from 1969 to 1970, is because one of the musical artists played on that radio station was a group of singing brothers.  They were known as the Jackson 5 and they featured the youngest of the boys, a precocious preteen named Michael.  It soon became apparent that there was no need for a musical group; the little boy sensation would make it on his own.  

Today, forty years later, it seems like the whole world has stopped down for the funeral of Michael Jackson. 

To say that Michael Jackson was a successful entertainer is like saying it is hot during the summer in Texas.  He is often referred to as “The King of Pop.”  Other than Elvis Presley, who was simply called “The King,” I don’t know of any other entertainer who has captured so much public attention. 

Creative Church Financing

Financing the work of the church has been an evolving process over the course of church history.  The very early church, as recorded in the Book of Acts, operated on the free will offerings of those who were moved to give.  Later as the lines between church and state became blurred, taxation was often used to provide resources for the church. 

I have seen old church buildings in New England where they charged “pew rent” as a means financing the church during the early days of our country.  The method most of us are familiar with is church members giving their offerings as the primary source of income for the church.  However, there are often other methods that are used to supplement the offerings of church members.  Garage sales, car washes, bake sales, and other events can be used to finance special projects.

Once I was invited to meet with an African congregation in Dallas to explain how a capital fund program works for a church.  I spoke about prayer and following God’s leadership and making commitments and being willing to give sacrificially.  All of the things you normally hear during a capital fund campaign.  This church needed to have a campaign because their project was estimated at one million dollars.  A reachable figure for them but it would require commitment.

They all listened very politely, but it seemed like I was not getting through, so I stopped to ask if they had any questions.  One lady graciously addressed me and said that I did not understand what they wanted from me.  They were expecting me to talk to them about bake sales and carnivals like those that they used at school when they needed to raise money.