Giving to God

Mark Allan Powell -

How do we give back to God? How much is enough? Giving to God shows Christians the way to a better life, a better relationship with their money, and a closer relationship with God. Stewardship is presented as an act of worship, an expression of faith, and a discipline for spiritual growth. Powell's informative, concise, and practical style provides a wonderful resource to help Christians live out biblical stewardship.

Key Strengths and Features

Get Wet.  Powell begins the book describing the baptism of the ancient Gauls. As these warriors were baptized, they would raise one arm high out of the water, because that arm would later be used to kill and destroy in battle. Similarly, Powell points out, many Christians today hold their wallets up high and away from their faith in Christ. Consequently, Powell invites readers to "get wet" in the adventure of biblical stewardship.

Group Discussion.  While perfectly appropriate for personal reading, every chapter of Giving to God (even the introduction!) ends with several thought-provoking questions, perfect for group discussion. This approach could easily be expanded to a congregational-wide discussion on the theology of stewardship. Giving to God begins by laying a solid theological foundation before moving into the "nuts and bolts" issues.

An Act of Worship.  Powell makes the case that the offering is an act of worship. As such, the offering, Powell contends, should be approached as a delight rather than a duty.

An Expression of Faith.  Another interesting insight Powell develops is that someone can be a steward without realizing they are a steward. For some, the language of "stewardship" is helpful; for others, it may be more helpful to talk about giving as an overflow of our faith in Christ.

Character.  What kind of person would you like to be? Powell points out that how we spend our money determines what sort of people we become. He has a gift for asking interesting, challenging questions such as: "If I were the sort of person I would really like to be, then what would I do?"

Pleasure.  For many, giving is perceived as a negative experience that decreases their ability to have fun and do what they want. On the contrary, Powell says that if we begin consciously spending our money in ways that we believe are pleasing to God, we will not miss out on the pleasures of life.

Fear.  Powell acknowledges that Christians sometimes give for the wrong reasons - such as fear. Giving to God reassures readers that God's perfect love drives out all fear. Instead, an attitude of gratitude gets us beyond giving based on how we feel - but rather can become a philosophy and a lifestyle.

How Much? When it comes to financial stewardship, one of the most common questions Christians ask is "How much should I give?" Powell turns the question around and shows that within the context of the gospel, what at first appear to be expectations are often revealed to be possibilities. In others words, when our hearts are in tune with God's heart, we may begin to ask, "How much can I give?"

Things To Be Aware Of

Although not a major emphasis in the book, some readers may balk at Powell's proposal for church giving that he calls a "fair share." In a nutshell, this involves dividing the church budget by the number of households in the church. From there, depending on one's financial position, Powell advises adjusting that figure on an individual basis.

Available at: www.christianbook.com