Wealth Creation and the Beatitudinal Christian

October 3, 2018 / By

The Lausanne Movement and BAM Global organized a Global Consultation on The Role of Wealth Creation for Holistic Transformation, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in March 2017. About 30 people from 20 nations participated, primarily from the business world, and also from church, missions and academia. The findings will be published in several papers and a book, as well as an educational video. This Manifesto conveys the essentials of our deliberations before and during the Consultation. https://www.lausanne.org/content/wealth-creation-manifesto

The Bible has much to say about material goods, wealth and true riches.

  • Wealth can be in all areas – physical, mental, material and spiritual.
    • Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 John 2
      • All may go well
      • Good health
      • Healthful soul
    • If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? Luke 16:11
  • All resources are sourced in God.
    • The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,[a]
      the world and those who dwell therein,
      2 for he has founded it upon the seas
      and established it upon the rivers.  Psalm 24:1, 2
    • You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.  Deuteronomy 8:18
  • We are stewards entrusted with caring for God’s resources.

 

  • The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.  Genesis 2:15

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”  1 Corinthians 10:23-26

  • As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: I Peter 4:10

 

  • We steward God’s resources for God’s purposes. 17

 

  • We steward God’s resources to become rich in good works, generous and ready to share. 18

 

  • We steward God’s resources to build a good foundation for the future so that we may take hold of that which is truly life. 19

 

  • In stewarding God’s resources, we experience joy. 17

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

 

  • Stewardship indicates our treasure is God and not His resources. We do not trust in resources, but in God Himself.  Luke 12:34

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:34

  • Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. Proverbs 11:28

The following affirmations and appeal are from https://www.lausanne.org/content/wealth-creation-manifesto

Affirmations

  1. Wealth creation is rooted in God the Creator, who created a world that flourishes with abundance and diversity.
  2. We are created in God’s image, to co-create with him and for him, to create products and services for the common good.
  3. Wealth creation is a holy calling, and a God-given gift, which is commended in the Bible.
  4. Wealth creators should be affirmed by the Church and equipped and deployed to serve in the marketplace among all peoples and nations.
  5. Wealth hoarding is wrong, and wealth sharing should be encouraged, but there is no wealth to be shared unless it has been created.
  6. There is a universal call to generosity, and contentment is a virtue, but material simplicity is a personal choice, and involuntary poverty should be alleviated.
  7. The purpose of wealth creation through business goes beyond giving generously, although that is to be commended; good business has intrinsic value as a means of material provision and can be an agent of positive transformation in society.
  8. Business has a special capacity to create financial wealth, but also has the potential to create different kinds of wealth for many stakeholders, including social, intellectual, physical and spiritual wealth.
  9. Wealth creation through business has proven power to lift people and nations out of poverty.
  10. Wealth creation must always be pursued with justice and a concern for the poor, and should be sensitive to each unique cultural context.
  11. Creation care is not optional. Stewardship of creation and business solutions to environmental challenges should be an integral part of wealth creation through business.

Appeal

We present these affirmations to the Church worldwide, and especially to leaders in business, church, government, and academia.

  • We call the church to embrace wealth creation as central to our mission of holistic transformation of peoples and societies.
  • We call for fresh, ongoing efforts to equip and launch wealth creators to that very end.
  • We call wealth creators to perseverance, diligently using their God-given gifts to serve God and people.

Ad maiorem Dei gloriam – For the greater glory of God