Radical Money Manefesto, The: What Jesus Taught and We Forgot

Praise for The Radical Money Manifesto:

This book gives a fresh, culturally relevant perspective on stewardship and generosity. Christian generosity is so strategic – God has already given his people more than enough to resource his kingdom.

– Robert Collins, CFA, Global Managing Director of TrustBridge Global, formerly with the National Christian Foundation and Goldman Sachs Asset Management

With his background as a church historian and theologian, Dr Black carefully weaves a beautiful tapestry of Scripture, church history, the Church Fathers’ teaching, as well as insights of respected contemporary leaders in Africa who give successful church approaches to godly stewardship. His eye-opening explanation of tithing from scriptural and historical perspectives will reset your thinking.

– Dr Tim Teusink, teaching medical ethics in Africa with SIM France-Belgium

Dr Black provides us with a timely and very relevant theology of stewardship. He issues a serious call to return to God’s mission in all respects. If we let go, we will discover there are resources for what God has called us for. The book is a must read – and a must do!

– Dr Hannes van der Walt, Projects Manager for the Association of Christian Religious Practitioners, South Africa

Written by a scholar who was formed and has served both sides – the Global North and Global South, as well as Eastern and the Western Christianity, this is a breath of fresh air when it comes to stewardship and the discipleship it demands.

– Very Rev Fr Evangelos Thiani (ThD), Senior Lecturer at Makarios III Orthodox Patriarchal Seminary, Nairobi-Kenya

With vivid stories, Dr Black outlines a practical approach grounded in the sacrificial example of Jesus Christ to build a lifestyle of stewardship. As a teacher, historian, and seasoned pastor, Dr Black in his own life has learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want (Philippians 4:13). This makes his message truly authentic and gives it transformative power.

– Very Rev Dr John A. Jillions, author of Divine Guidance: Lessons for Today from the World of Early Christianity

Using excellent Kenyan examples, Dr Black reinterprets Christian prosperity within biblical perspective. I recommend it to all Christians who honestly desire to see the church steward the world within God’s parameters.

– Rev Dr Julius Kithinji, Lecturer and Head of the Department of Theology, Philosophy, and Biblical Studies at St Paul’s University, Kenya

You will want to share these lessons with members of your church and Bible study groups!

– Rev Dr John Michael Kiboi, Author of Assurance of Salvation and Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Theology at St Paul’s University, Kenya

The Radical Money Manifesto: What Jesus Taught and We Forgot

Copyright © 2021 by Joseph William Black.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in any database or retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 13: 978-1-59452-780-7

ISBN: 1-59452-780-6

Published by Oasis International Ltd.

Oasis International is a ministry devoted to growing discipleship through publishing African voices.

We engage Africa’s most influential, most relevant, and best communicators for the sake of the gospel.

We cultivate local and global partnerships in order to publish and distribute high-quality books and Bibles.

We create contextual content that meets the specific needs of Africa, has the power to transform individuals and societies, and gives the church in Africa a global voice.

Oasis is: Satisfying Africa’s Thirst for God’s Word. For more information, go to oasisinternational.com.

The author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time and disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. However, if you feel that your work was not accurately cited, please reach out to us at info@oasisinternational.com and we will make every effort to review and correct the book where required. Furthermore, any internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.), telephone numbers, or the like in this book are offered only as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Oasis, nor does Oasis vouch for this content.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. https://nrsvbibles.org/

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Contents

The Radical Money Manifesto

Chapter One: Called to Be Faithful Stewards

Bible Study One

Chapter Two: Tithing in the Old Testament

Bible Study Two

Chapter Three: Is Tithing for Christians?

Bible Study Three

Chapter Four: Sell All You Have and Give to the Poor

Bible Study Four

Chapter Five: Trust God with Your Financial Future

Bible Study Five

Chapter Six: Sharing All Things in Common

Bible Study Six

Chapter Seven: Caring for the Global Body

Bible Study Seven

Chapter Eight: A Great Cloud of Witnesses: Part One

Bible Study Eight

Chapter Nine: A Great Cloud of Witnesses: Part Two

Bible Study Nine

Chapter Ten: Reclaiming Real Stewardship

Bible Study Ten

About the Author

Acknowledgements

Endnotes

Landmarks

Cover

Title Page

Table of Contents

The Radical Money Manifesto

I need to warn you: what you are about to learn in this book could radically change your life.

You could find yourself with a fresh love for God and a love for others.

Instead of worrying about your finances, you might feel the lightness and freedom that comes from confidence in your Provider God. Instead of envying the rich, you might find yourself generously giving towards the poor. Instead of feeling guilty whenever the word tithe is mentioned, you might find a new warmth towards the God who has bestowed all gifts on you.

Does it seem strange that loving God and others more fully would be the result of a book focused on money? Those are the two greatest commandments in the Bible. Shouldn’t they be discussed in a book about prayer or evangelism or something that sounds more . . . spiritual?

And yet if you were to admit it, the word money might have been what caught your attention in the title. Because money is so important to us.

Too often, money occupies a place in our hearts that should be reserved for God alone. That’s why Jesus talked so much about it. He said, You cannot serve both God and money. That’s why a book about money gets to the very heart of our relationship with God and with others. Sometimes, thinking money is not very spiritual is just an excuse not to let God touch that part of our lives. That is exactly when money is blocking us from a fully alive, transformed heart.

We need a radical solution: a new heart. As you will discover in this book, that is precisely what Jesus offers. It is drastic. Jesus calls people to take up their cross – or leave their fishing and tax collecting businesses – to follow him. The call is no less costly today.

And yet it is worth it. What land or bank or stock market offers investment opportunities with eternal payoffs?

This book’s message is radical in another sense of the word too. While radical can mean extreme, it can also refer to roots and origins. As we delve into the Bible, we will discover a timeless message. During his ministry, Jesus laid out his manifesto for the Kingdom of God. In his parables and his famous Sermon on the Mount, he described a bold vision for how we should live in relationship with God and others. He went back to the roots of the Old Testament law and explained God’s original intent. It was radical. It sounded extreme. But really, it had been around since the very beginning, when God created humans as stewards.

The early church caught hold of this vision. Their generous community life can seem so shocking to us that we try to make excuses for why we can’t live like that today. But when we look at the letters written by the early apostles and the writings of the Church Fathers, we see that they took Jesus’s words seriously! These people heard Jesus’s radical manifesto. They believed that being a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven should impact how they responded to the injustice they saw in their churches and cultures. They did zealous things like standing up against corruption or selling their property and giving it to the poor. This was not just one or two people, but examples from centuries of church history.

Could it be instead that we are the ones who have lost our way?

I studied the Bible and church history and taught in seminaries and churches for a decade, frequently wrestling with the true meaning of Christian stewardship with my students. Looking around me, I saw confusion and hurt in our churches about wealth, money, and poverty. In Africa, everyday people miss salaries for months while gambling companies made fortunes. I saw orphanages who could not produce records of how they spent donor funds. I saw churches preach eagerly about one’s duty to tithe, but not demonstrate the same enthusiasm to feed the hungry, care for the sick, or visit prisoners. I heard people compare pastors to police officers and politicians, all looking to line their pockets. I realized that in every case, we were not understanding the true teaching of Jesus on stewardship.

That is what motivated me to write a book. I wrote a book for church leaders, Raising Up Good Stewards, that tackles problems like dependency and false teachings about wealth and money. It gives practical advice on how church leaders can become more transparent and accountable. And it also delves into the biblical truths you will learn in this book. After I finished, my publisher said that this content was too important to tell only church leaders. Everyone needed to hear it.

The power of this book is not in my own words, but in the words of Jesus. We will encounter the testimony of God’s people throughout the Bible and church history. As we do I pray that the Holy Spirit works his miracles of radically changing your heart and attitude about money the way he has done in my own life.

But this book isn’t meant for you to read alone. When God gave the command to steward the earth, he gave it to Adam and Eve. When he gave the Old Testament law, it was to the people of Israel. When Jesus called his disciples, he called 12 of them to follow him together. So I encourage you that if you really want to be transformed, read this book with a community.

Find some friends, invite your small group, or ask your pastor if your whole church can read it together. Each chapter has a Bible study guide so that you can engage with the Scriptures yourselves. It has discussion questions for you to deepen your understanding and apply these truths to