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In Behind Stained Glass Windows: Money Dynamics in the Church, John and Sylvia Ronsvalle call for the same change in attitude among God's people. And like the prophet, they see a society around them which is steeped in materialism. The Ronsvalles warn that we are living "in a consumer society that measures its success not on the level of meeting basic needs but rather by its quantity of accumulation."
As they see it, the mantra of our society might be "I want it; therefore, I need it." With the church often mirroring the society in this respect, the authors charge that many congregations have shifted their focus to an inward preoccupation.
This book is not for people who want to be told only how well they are doing. Few who read it will escape unscathed. And yet, it is not primarily a negative or critical book. Rather, it is an attempt to identify a problem and offer a solution. The Ronsvalles describe their research as "a journey to document the church's potential for impacting local and global need in Jesus' name." They promote the concept of "whole-life stewardship," or the realization that everything a Christian possesses belongs to God, not just the portion which is placed in the offering.
By their own choice, they have lived in a federally subsidized housing project since 1980, a fact that gives credibility to their call for personal sacrifice. "Stewardship," they explain, "involves a person in shared responsibility with other Christians, with those in need, and with God Almighty."
Jeff Stephens is a father, husband, and CPA student in Nashville, TN.
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