teach theology or tell stories? ... and more thoughts on tithing/ giving...

January 17, 2010

Lately, I’ve been thinking and thinking about participating in the “service” we have after breakfast at Another Chance Street Ministry. I know Pastor P wants everybody to participate in the discussion, but sometimes I feel like my “contributions” get too “theological” or that I use too much “Christian lingo” … and then I was talking about this with Papa this morning, and clear as a bell, His answer came: rather than “teaching theology” just tell your stories of your walk with Me (as they relate to the topic at hand). That is so simple! And right on! Pastor P himself has said more than once that the Bible really is peoples’ stories – and in that sense our own stories of our journey with God are also “biblical” I suppose! And of course, Jesus was a master storyteller!

And after I thought about that, I started thinking about the whole “tithing/ giving” thing again: So I wonder…. If I give my writing (and oral story-telling too) back to the Lord – especially seeing as how it comes from Him in the first place – giving it out freely, instead of “charging” for it (because every now and then people encourage me to publish and “make a living” from it) – is that like handing over my paycheque (tithing it) (if I was charging for it)? How far does that concept extend? To volunteering? Hospitality? Charity work? Mission work? Friendship? “Good deeds”? Etc?

Well, some people might have a problem with that, because my freely given efforts aren’t creating “cash flow” that is apparently “necessary” to “support the Lord’s work/ support the church” (buildings, salaries, programs, supplies, equipment…). Does cash rather than freely given effort please God more? No!