I've been at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary's "Wind and Flame" event all day, an event to commemorate the ordination of women in the Presbyterian Church (USA). But what's on my mind right now is not the event theme itself, but one workshop I attended dealing with faith and money matters. Dr. Dianne Reisteroffer's workshop on "Faith and Money: Finding Your Vision and Values" challenged me not only to think more about funding for NNPCW (don't forget that you can still give to the scholarship fund from our website!!), but even my own personal finances.

Reisteroffer avoided the two primary messages we're being sent about money these days-- the so-called "prosperity gospel" that teaches us that God wills us to be filthy rich, and the message I think many of us also learn that money itself is evil. Rather, she told us what the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s constitution (aka the Book of Order and the Book of Confessions) actually have to say about the subject. What do we as a church believe about money, anyway?

Unfortunately, I didn't write down the direct citations. However, somewhere in the Book of Order it says that Presbyterians are supposed to practice "faithful stewardship that shuns ostentation and seeks faithful use of God's gifts." So in other words, Presbyterians are not supposed to show off the bling-bling, and instead use money to further the work of God. One of the confessions in the Book of Confessions (the book that says what we theologically stand for as a church) states that we work for the good of our neighbor, and do our work well so that we can help the poor in need. Another, interestingly, says that we are supposed to further the wealth of ourselves AND others. Our presenter summed it up by saying that Reformed values on money are that we procure wealth, lead a lifestyle of frugality, cultivate generosity of spirit in our lives, and translate that into generous giving.

A couple of thoughts about all this. First, you can tell that this theology comes from a position of privilege. It is pretty easy for Presbyterians, a denomination made up historically of some of this nation's wealthiest people, to say that procuring wealth is good. It can serve as a salve on the conscience of those Presbyterians with access to great wealth. What I think we hear less of but should emphasize more about Reformed theology regarding money, though, is the concept of living frugally and giving generously.

We live in a world where Americans consume a disproportionate amount of the world's resources. So many live ostentatiously, and our culture lionizes the worst offenders-- think of movie stars and basketball players, for instance. But our beliefs call us to take only what we need, and no more. If we happen to be in the camp that makes more than what we need, we're not necessarily supposed to feel guilt about that-- we're supposed to use the excess to further the work of God in the world.

Our use of money reflects our values and priorities, in ways far more honest than our rhetoric ever could be. What do you spend your money on? Is it going to the things you say you value?

One suggestion I picked up from the workshop-- when you set your budget, whether that is a personal budget or an organizational budget, you should first ask what your top values and priorities are. So many times we approach money management by looking at what we've got in the bottom line, and then shaping what we can do based on that. Instead, we should prioritize what we value and then allocate the money we do have toward that.

For instance, if you want to start tithing ten percent to your church, or giving regularly to your favorite social justice cause, maybe you should set that aside as one of the first things out of your paycheck rather than the last. Because although you may say you value those things more than the Banana Republic shopping spree, your household budget doesn't lie.

I should add one more thing, though-- putting food on the table is definitely a legitimate "top five values" in my book!

So now that you all hate me for talking about money, I guess I'll just go crawl in a hole somewhere :). But just think a bit about it. What do you value?

"Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.'" --Mark 12:43-44

Kelsey