Thinking About...
Giving Volume 2, Issue 1 - January 2011
The teaching faculty of Ministry, Theology, and Culture at Tabor Adelaide are committed to serving the church by thinking about the gospel. We believe that individuals and the church can be transformed by the renewing of our/ their minds. Too often college lecturers are characterized as “living in an ivory tower” and “being too theoretical.” This stereotype doesn’t apply at Tabor; we are part of the church, and we want to see it grow in faithfulness to Jesus. This is why we have committed ourselves to producing this themed magazine for free distribution to the churches of South Australia. We trust you will find this edition helpful. We will value your feedback and your contributions; please email me at sspence@adelaide.tabor.edu.au.
Rev Dr Stephen Spence Head of Ministry, Theology, and Culture
Thinking About... Giving
I
God has given me, or am I prepared
eggs tomorrow morning?” The pig
to make sacrifices?
spent the second half of 2010
was not pleased. “All that that would
immersed in Luke’s Gospel and
require from you is an offering; from
found myself continually confronted with the fundamental generosity of grace. This was something of a mixed blessing for me. I enjoyed the focus upon how God has lavishly given me forgiveness and blessing upon blessing. But I found the expectation that I would then be as forgiving and as giving with others a challenge. Just how generous am I with the blessings I have received?
I
Why don’t we cook him bacon and
was reminded of the old fable concerning the chicken and the pig
who were talking together about how much care the farmer took of them both. “We must do something special for him,” said the pig. “Yes,” agreed the chicken, “He likes a big breakfast.
me it would require a sacrifice!”
Z
L
uke in his Gospel does not attempt to tell us what we must
give or how much we must give. But
acchaeus’ response to meeting
he does make it abundantly clear
Jesus (Lk 19:1-10) was a generous
that those of us who follow Jesus
“half of my possessions I will give to
must be generous in our giving.
“four times I will repay anyone I have
T
cheated” also generously exceeded
Spence; Graham Buxton; Bruce
the poor” (the Talmud later identified 20% as sufficiently generous). And his
the OT requirement (see Lev 5:16, Num 5:7). This is the “thank offering of a changed heart” (E Ellis).
I
hinking About Giving with... David McGregor; Aaron
Chalmers; David Turnbull; Stephen Hulme; Matthew Gray; and Lesley Houston.
have met Jesus! But just how generous is my changed heart? Am
I prepared to give an offering of what
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