Red Letter Christians

Tony Campolo has put together a blog that includes entries from a wide array of authors.  I find the entries to be very thought-provoking and beneficial.  I would encourage you to subscribe.  (You don't have to worry; they do not send out too many emails.)

Here are three entries that I read recently:

• The Face of Privilege in Hard Times
• Coming Out of the Theological Closet
• Hell on Earth and the Kingdom of God

(I want to add in this article by Shane Claiborne because I especially like his list of things to try.)

We Need to Start Making Changes

Financial Matters

Flipping Burgers to Flipping Millions

Initially, this book did not sit well with me because of the way the author talked about money.  As I continued to read, I began to appreciate the lessons and principles more.  Although many of his figures do not seem practical (e.g., 10 percent returns), they provide useful illustrations that support his financial principles.

"Seven Unchanging Laws of Money" (p. 26)

1. Save ... and begin saving early.
2. Control your expenses.
3. Make your money multiply. ... Invest
4. Guard your money against loss.
5. Make your home an investment.
6. Ensure a future income for yourself and your family ... by developing a career, improving yourself, and investing.
7. Work and study to increase your ability to earn.

In order to compliment these ideas, I would suggest reading a book that we read at Grace, The Treasure Principle.  While saving is important, giving is often overlooked.  We need to recognize that we have a responsibility to help others.  If you do not think that you can have an impact, read this article.  Each person that answers the call to tithe will bring us closer to significantly reducing many of the problems in our world.

Alright - Darius Rucker

Another one of his many great songs...

Yes

"What if Jesus Meant All That Stuff?" by Shane Claiborne (courtesy of Red Letter Christians)

Read 

this

ARTICLE!

Word Made Flesh

Word Made Flesh

"Word Made Flesh is called and committed to serve Jesus among the most vulnerable of the world’s poor. This calling is realized as a prophetic ministry for, and an incarnational, holistic mission among the poor. We focus our energy to make Jesus known among the poor while reconciling the church with the poor."

Simple Spirituality: Learning to See God in a Broken World

Simple Spirituality - Christopher L. Heuertz

"Chris Heuertz's ability to weave real-life stories with scriptural and theological reflection makes this a very engaging and refreshing book. At a time when the gap between the poor and rich continues to grow, Chris reminds us that what the gospel commands us to do is not so much to do things for the poor, but to become friends, indeed sit at the same table, with the poor. What makes such a duty possible, even delightful, are such gifts as humility, community, simplicity, submission and brokenness--simple spirituality, he calls it!" --Emmanuel Katongole, Associate Research Professor of Theology and World Christianity, and co-director of the Center for Reconciliation, Duke Divinity School