Mark Allan Powell, Giving to God: The Bible’s Good News About Living a Generous Life. Eerdmans, 2006.
Referenced in: Giving and Financial Stewardship
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This book approaches the subject of giving and stewardship from the angle of spiritual formation. The first three chapters express the essential core, that stewardship is an act of worship, an expression of faith, and a discipline for spiritual growth. From there, he describes how this practically manifests itself in the spiritual life.
These themes are not unique in the literature on Christian stewardship, but ministers may profit from the author’s interesting re-interpretations of time-honored practices. For example, Powell suggests that tithes were not typically used to support local congregations of which the tithers were participating members. “Thus tithing [which he insists is optional], if it is to be practiced today should properly apply to gifts that we offer after we have made appropriate contributions to meet our local congregation’s needs.” (156) Similarly, he suggests two different types of giving: support and sacrifice. Support is sharing the operating expenses of one’s worshipping community. Sacrifice is cheerful giving “that takes us into the spiritual realm where the real joy of giving abounds.” (71) As one would expect with an emphasis on spiritual formation, he stresses the Bible’s invitation to faithful living in all matters related to finances. As he says, “God is interested in all of our money; how we make it, what we do with it, and even how we feel about it.” (70)
This book offers several unique insights on the spirituality of giving. All church leaders will profit from reading Powell. See related resources in the “Spirituality of Giving” section of the resource guide on Giving and Financial Stewardship.
From the Publisher
We all know that everything we have is a gift from God. But sometimes it’s hard to know just how to give back to God. How much is enough? What does the Bible really say? What should giving look like in our everyday lives? Filled with good news for followers of Jesus, Mark Allan Powell’s Giving to God shows Christians the way to a better life and a better relationship with their money – and with God.
Powell presents stewardship as an act of worship, an expression of faith, and a discipline for spiritual growth. Faithful use of our time, talents, and money starts with a deep, satisfying relationship with the God to whom we belong. We can then learn, says Powell, to give gladly and generously out of our heartfelt connection with God. Informative, concise, and eminently practical (including discussion questions), Giving to God gives us resources for best using the treasures, material and otherwise, that God has given us.
About the Author
Mark Allan Powell is a Bible scholar and theologian widely recognized for his work in spiritual formation and congregational ministries. The Robert and Phyllis Leatherman Professor of New Testament Studies at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio, he is the author of nearly twenty books, including Loving Jesus and the massive Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music.
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