This past Saturday we spent $25 to rent a space at the Raleigh Flea Market.  We set up a booth to talk with people about “personal” finances and to encourage people to stay away from debt.  The reception of this message is always very mixed.  There are many that are turned away from this message being burned by those in the debt counseling industry that have preyed on those that are in desperate situations.  Then there are those that receive this message with curiosity wondering where the angle is to “outsmart” them out of their money.  However, some are encouraged by the message to stay away from credit cards and debt,especially at a flea market where most dealers only accept cash.

We had a great time talking with people.  Our usual line is,

“We are a non-profit trying to convince people to stay away form debt.  Can you believe how hard that is?”

Some people laugh and say you have a long uphill battle.  Then many others say they don’t have any debt, which is questionable given the rampant addiction Americans have to personal debt.  Either way, while they are passing by, we encourage them to stay away from debt.  In the short time we were there we had about 5 good conversations and we hope those 5 people will slow their consumption of stuff and work to live humbly, stay away from debt, and give generously.

If you would like to help us talk to more people, please consider volunteering or donating to help us convince more people to stay away from debt.

DebtFreePress.org

Once upon a time, Santa was an innocent, jolly old man who would bring wonderful, handmade goods for children. But over time, and as many more Christian families started to allow this character to over-take the spirit of Christmas, corporations turned the char-acter of Santa Claus into a salesman for their products and services during Christ-mas time.

Think about how innocent this picture looks.

However, what are we encouraging children to think about at Christmas time when they are sitting on Santa’s lap?  Baby Jesus?  Giving to those less fortunate?

NO.

It is about encouraging them to look out among the marketplace and desire products and services.

We are encouraging our children to believe in consumerism, “the equation of personal happiness with consumption of material possessions” at Christmas time.

Why are Christians allowing this to happen?  Where is the outcry at this innocent character, Santa Claus?

VeggieTales came out with a Christmas movie some time ago called The Toy That Saved Christmas.  The characters must fight against a toy maker that is marketing to and convincing all the children to want a certain toy for Christmas, instead of learning about and focusing on the true meaning of Christmas.

This video was ahead of its time.  The video depicts the dangers of influencing children to desire products and services during Christmas time.

Even Wikipedia acknowledges there is criticism to the “innocence” of Santa Claus.

There has long been opposition to teaching children to believe in Santa Claus. Some Christians say the Santa tradition detracts from the religious origins and purpose of Christmas. Other critics feel that Santa Claus is an elaborate lie, and that it is unethical for parents to teach their children to believe in his existence. Still others oppose Santa Claus as a symbol of the commercialization of the Christmas holiday, or as an intrusion upon their own national traditions. – Wikipedia

So, as we come into this Christmas season what we will be teaching our children?

Will we enter into the frenzy of gift hunting, teaching our children that Christmas is about shopping?

Will we go into more debt to buy more products and services, teaching our children that Christmas is about slavery to the credit cards?

Or will we focus on Jesus’ birth and the purpose of His coming?  It’s our choice.  To make a change to this culture that is thriving within the Christian community, please go to:

DebtFreeChristmas.org

Image by kevindooley & howcheng

Today, American Christians have embraced a culture of capitalism that is warned about in the Bible. These beliefs are stifling our ability to “enhance and advance the Kingdom”. Two quick examples:

One example is:

“In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” – Proverbs 21:20

In the foolish man’s household, everything God gives him, he devours and spends as if tomorrow will never come. The wise man saves some, so when tomorrow comes, he will have enough, more than enough, as God provided.

This can very easily be a life verse: it contains an admonition that can be applied to both the spiritual and worldly parts of our lives. This verse should be wake up to Christians in America. So many Christians have bought into American Capitalism that tells us to spend, spend, spend, and when we don’t have enough, it tells us to use debt to keep on spending. This American Capitalism is found in the Bible under the terms of a “foolish man’s principle” of “devouring all he has” or “consuming”. Why do you think economists call America’s citizens “consumers”?

Why are Christians following in the footsteps of a foolish man, instead of in Jesus’? I am hoping and praying that Christians in America will receive revival in their finances that will permeate through their whole lives personally and corporately, so we can live humbly as Jesus did and fund the Great Commission as Christ said, unencumbered by debt and a lifestyle that requires vast amounts of selfish spending.

The second example:

A pastor once gave an example of a single female waitress that was 25 with three kids that needed prayer. So, he prayed for her. While her spirit needed support, how much did her worldly self need financial help? Many American Christians do not have the resources to help her financially because they are so tied up in selfish spending, living a lifestyle that is not humble, and enslaved to debt that they could never hear that woman’s unstated plea for financial help. This situation is faced by a plethora of American Christians every day, and the situation is similar to the verse in the Bible that says:

15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. – James 2:14-26

There is both encouragement and admonishment in this verse. So many Christians are so financially strapped and enslaved to debt that are not effective to show God’s compassion or to fully fund the Great Commission. American Christians have bought into American Capitalism that tells us to spend, spend, spend, and when we don’t have enough to use debt to keep on spending. This American Capitalism has robbed our effectiveness to God. As Christians, we should stand up to this consumerism and the debt that funds it, in all its forms, and speak to Truth that is found in the Bible.

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Revival will come when we learn to seek God on our knees asking forgiveness for our selfish ways.

I am hoping and praying that Christians in America will receive revival in their finances that will permeate through their whole lives personally and corporately, so we can live humbly as Jesus did and fund the Great Commission as Christ said, unencumbered by debt and a lifestyle that requires vast amounts of selfish spending.
Images by Andy Hay & Wyscan.

Go into all the world...

What are the gods that surround us, and what is the Christlike and neighbor-loving response to those who worship them? We must not confine this to thinking only about the great mega-bloc “world faiths.” The ideologies of secularism and atheism need to be engaged, along with the idols of consumerism, patriotism, and hedonism that are happily thriving on the worship of those who claim to be disciples of Jesus Christ. – Christopher J. H. Wright

Christianity Today recently released an article in preparation for the Lausanne Movement coming in October 2010. The article was a preliminary look at the many challenges the people of Christ face in presenting the gospel to the world. It is notable that the world evangelism organization is starting to realize that consumerism is hindering the gospel of Christ.

There are so many tools the enemy uses to strangle the life out of Christians. Finally, Christians are starting to realize that consumerism is one of the tools the enemy is using to rob our joy, generosity, and life. I hope more Christians start rising up against consumerism in all its many forms to educate, lift up, and help those struggling under the demands of consumerism.

As Christians, we should not fall for the temptation of consumerism, but live humbly, stay away from debt, and give generously.

For more on this article, click here.
Images from woodleywonderworks.