Giving - The Hallmark of Discipleship

Hallmarks - a series of marks on precious metals - have been used in western civilization since the 1300s. The word itself is from the 15th century when craftsmen went to Goldsmiths Hall in London to have their products analyzed and marked, a practice that continues today. There are three elements in a hallmark, two of which are of particular interest for our consideration: the maker’s mark and the purity mark which declares the quality of the metal. For disciples, giving is a “maker’s mark,” because, when we give a part of what God has entrusted to us, we acknowledge that God is the ultimate owner of all we have. Secondly, our giving is the “purity mark,” since it can reveal the quality of our financial discipleship.

Giving begins with receiving – the experience of grace. In his extended teaching on giving in his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul never once uses the normal Greek word for money. Instead, he uses at least fifteen different Greek expressions, the most common being charis, the word for grace. For example, Paul speaks about ‘the grace of giving’ in 2 Cor 8:7 when he challenges the Corinthians to match the generosity of the churches of Macedonia. For Paul, their poverty, their joyful, sacrificial generosity, and obedience to the apostles are signs of God’s grace at work. Interestingly, he does not talk about the amount they gave but of the nature of the grace that was given to them (2 Cor 8:1–3). Thus, giving becomes the hallmark of discipleship since it bears the maker’s mark of grace – our recognition of God first giving to us.

But how much are we to give? Because giving acknowledges God’s ultimate ownership of all we have, our giving must be a lifestyle priority. To be truly biblical it  must be from our “first fruits.” This kind of giving can help release us from the chains of materialism and consumerism. When Jesus said, for where you treasure is there your heart will be also (Matt 6:21) he was teaching that money not only reveals our hearts but also shapes them. The discipline of giving draws us closer to Jesus and releases us spiritually in many areas. When we give freely and generously, we can sense that we are co-operating with God in God’s mission and enter more deeply into “the joy of the Master” (Matt 25:21).

Casual, low-level, un-prioritized and unplanned giving fails to do this and can have little lasting meaning. Such giving lacks the character of the manifold grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave all things for us (2 Cor 8:9). To quote Henry Drucker:

Trivial giving…does not diminish our pool of self-regard embodied in our material wealth. The only way to do that is to give in a way which is calculated to have a major effect. This must be, for each of us, a large gift. Such giving is difficult. In this act we disenthrall ourselves by overcoming our slavery to possessions. We demonstrate that there are values in the world more important to us than our own selfish aggrandizement. True giving is an act of self-liberation. It becomes one of the major achievements of our life.

Our gifts, then, must be in proportion to all God has given to us (Deut 16:17; 2 Cor 8:12). Some call this “sacrificial giving.” Others call it “sacramental giving.” But whatever we call it, it must be something that genuinely makes a difference in our lives. If at the end of the week or month, someone returned to us what we have given in this way, cash in hand, would it make a material difference to us? That measure tells us if we are giving of ourselves – or merely from our excess.

The heartbeat of our Annual Membership Campaign is a vision of the kind of transforming generosity that forms an integral part of our discipleship as we resource our role in God’s mission within our community. Our reflection starts with what Dan Hardy calls ‘the generative generosity of God.’ There is no contradiction between the needs of the poor and the concerns of worship. The generosity of God’s people can readily accommodate both, since the two go hand in hand. Genuine experiences of grace that we have in worship can lead us to genuine love and care for others (Deut 14:28-29).

God desires us to be more greatly conformed to the image of Jesus daily. While humans are often selfish or self-seeking, giving sacrificially is a significant way in which we can be transformed into the image of Jesus, who gave everything for us. In this way, we fulfill our duty as Christ’s disciples by reflecting his life – his total, self-giving love – to the world.

Faith formation should be a conversation, not a lecture

Most of us wear several hats in our daily activities. We may be children and parents and spouses simultaneously. We’re coworkers, neighbors, friends, and citizens, exercising these diverse roles all in a single day. We’re believers with convictions but also can entertain openness to other points of view. Few of us are not just one thing at any time. We play more than one role that is important to us. We don’t drop out of this collection of identities when we actively engage in any one of the others.

Among the roles I play are counselor, administrator, writer, public speaker, worship leader, and teacher of the church. I do not cease to be any of these while performing as another. In fact, it is fundamentally as a pastor that I write and speak. Family and close friends roll their eyes should you ask if I ever stop being a pastor for five minutes. Long before I completed seminary and was ordained, I was in pursuit of any moment that I could express my deepest convictions about faith. It was almost inevitable that conversations would end up on some topic concerning the church. It’s a wonder, really, that I managed to have real friends growing up!

After a lifetime of fascination with mystical realities and attempts to express them, I find myself asking another question that has often eluded me: What is the church really for? Surely this inquiry should have more deeply engaged me earlier. I must admit that not asking this question sooner in life has had unavoidable consequences. Not only did I subject my unwitting companions to lessons and rituals they may not have wanted, but also, in religious settings where I was fulfilling a duty to present the faith, I doubtlessly taught what I myself had absorbed: that life in the church is like spinach—necessary, nourishing, and not to be scraped off the plate just because you may not care for it.

Church can be presented in many ways, not all constructive or useful. Its teachings and rituals can be a bludgeon to get those who misbehave in line. It can be wielded as a form of control, inciting fear, guilt, or dread. Think of the “Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz,” when a voice that deep, threatening, and mysterious bellows from behind the curtain, spouting smoke and fire. It can be hard to do anything but kowtow. Many sit in pews or in classrooms hearing church leaders proclaim what’s what in just such a voice. Some of us buckle and obey. Others run for the exits.

Some time ago, I realized that carrots work better than sticks. I tried to entertain softer and more appealing methods of instruction. Wise mentors convinced me that humor is acceptable, and storytelling is a must. A teaching or admonition might better be offered as an invitation, not a dictate. A pastor might better shine a helpful lantern on the road ahead rather than march the community forward at the point of a gun. As odd as it may sound, faithful teaching might better be viewed as kindly guidance on the journey, not a litany of rules laid down to stumble and ensnare.

I hope you’ve had pastors who used teaching in this gentler way. I hope preachers you have heard have beckoned more than barked. I hope your relationship to God and church has been shaped and sweetened by wisdom, discernment, and invitation. I really do hope your life in the church hasn’t been a long, abusive slog through commandments and pronouncements that seemed to gag you and take away your freedom. If you’ve suffered at the hands of your pastors or teachers and have not been aided in your quest for God and guidance, please let me apologize on behalf of the church.

Some of us may find this kind of open-endedness uncomfortable. Dominating religious space with the dictates of doctrine and “eternal truth” is much easier! But this way of leading and learning is a way to make our relationships and roles as parents or pastoral people and more real and honest. Choosing persuasion over dominance does not diminish the truth. In fact, it makes it more plain and fuller of possibility than either party might have suspected at the start.

Because, after all, what is the church for? Not to preserve some holy deposit of faith in a sacred vault, untarnished by the ages. Teaching the faith is meant to lead us into the persuasive and compellingly attractive presence of a God who is the fullness of love and compassion. Dominating spaces doesn’t make the case for such a God. Inviting people to walk with us, however, just might.

I invite you to take up the task of continuing your Christian formation. Get inquisitive about your faith and your relationship to God. Try our online bible study. Look over the reading list of suggested titles on our website. Join a reading group. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Listen to recordings of the homilies preached in our church or others on line. You just might hear a word that brings you closer to The Word - Jesus. Christian formation is a life-long endeavor, and we are here to help you find The Way.