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There are a couple of topics I absolutely HATE hearing sermons on. One is marriage (primarily because I'm single and intend to stay that way) and the other is money.

I've heard many sermons on the topic of stewardship, and most of the time, I cringe inwardly the entire time. I've even read a few books on stewardship. I've found that most Christian pastors and authors approach stewardship in one of two ways.

First, there is the Prosperity Gospel camp. These folks typically say that God wants all His children to be rich and that financial blessings are the primary way God blesses faithfulness. In my opinion, this teaching doesn't square with the whole of Scripture, especially the teachings of Jesus Himself. It reduces God to a genie. If you send in a large enough donation, pray the right prayer, or claim the right verse, then God has no choice but to bless you financially. If you are poor, it's your own fault because your faith is too weak and you aren't trusting God to provide. Proponents of the Prosperity Gospel also frequently twist Scripture and quote it out of context.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are those who try to use guilt and intimidation in regards to stewardship. People of this persuation usally put a lot of emphasis on tithing (giving God the top 10%) and frequently quote Malachi 3:8. It is implied (and sometimes directly stated) that believers who don't tithe are robbing God. If you are bold enough to question, why you should tithe, you will probably not get a straight answer. You will probably just be told the Bible commands it and that's it. But in my opinion, it's not quite that simple. I believe that it is possible for someone to tithe regularly out of less than pure motives. It can lead to legalism. Just because a person tithes doesn't necessarily mean a person has a right attitude and heart towards money. There are many non-believers who are far more generous with their money than a lot of Christians. It's sad, but true.

This book manages to avoid both of these pitfalls. Andy Stanley is definitely NOT a prosperity preacher. But he also doesn't restore to guilt-trips to motivate people to give. Instead, he focuses on an issue that is almost completely neglected when it comes to finances. Fear. Andy Stanley asserts (and I completely agree) that the main reason many (if not most) Christians don't give generously isn't pride or selfishness, but fear. In this current econonmy, many people are struggling to afford essentials like food, rent, and gas. They are just barely able to make ends meet as it is. It seems impossible and unfair to be expected to give when you can barely afford the true necessities. I can't speak for anyone else, but I know this is very true in my case. I often feel torn. I want to be generous and give, but I feel like I can't because I can't afford my own apartment, groceries, or a car, gas and insurance. I am living paycheck to paycheck, with very little left over.

But rather than emphasizing the importance of the tithe, the basis for Andy Stanley's teaching is found in another portion of Scripture all together. It is found in 2nd Corinthians 9:7 (NIV) Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

The Lord has definitely been stretching me in the area of giving and stewardship. He has been challenging me to step out of my comfort zone. He has also challenged me to change my attitude and thinking in regards to money and how I spend it. This is an area where I really struggle. But I know I am not alone. I think there are many Christians who struggle in the area of finances. But they are afraid to speak up.

Guilt will only motivate people to give for so long. Eventually, they will get fed up and just say forget it. A person who truly wants to be generous must allow God to truly change their heart and attitude towars money. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen if they allow God to truly transform their heart and mind.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is new to the subject to stewardship or to anyone who is fed up with the two extremes I mentioned above. I also recommend any of the other books by Andy Stanley. He writes in a way that is convicting and thought-provoking, yet practical and easy to understand.

I loved this book. I used it as the basis for a sermon series I did for our church. Andy writes with such clarity and makes me laugh out loud with his quick wit. He takes the discussion of money that many Evangelical pastors are flat out afraid to address and puts it in its appropriate realm as an essential ingredient in the discipleship process. It's not about money; it's about your heart.

I highly recommend this book for all Christ followers at any stage of your spiritual journey. It is a must read for pastors, elders and other church leaders. It is also a good read for the skeptic of Christianity who thinks churches just want your money. Nothing could be further from the truth. God wants so much more. You will have to read this book to see what I mean

Andy did a great job with exposing our wealth and getting us out of our small mindedness. His illustrations are well chosen. His thoughts about generosity are on point. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is his take on the tithe is weak and typical of a generation afraid to cross PC lines. The tithe is an unpopular doctrine precisely because of the rampant materialism of our culture. It isn't a matter of the law (it predates the law by hundreds of years). I have yet to meet anyone who argues against the tithe who, at the same time, argues for a higher percentage than the tithe, but if we were true to Jesus teaching, we would have to give MORE than the law requires (read the sermon on the Mt) if it really was a matter of law, which it isn't. Having said that, it would appear Andy tithes ( he seems to use it as a baseline in his own giving though he doesn't teach that it should be everybody's baseline). He even goes so far as to suggest your percentage giving should rise as your income rises. Three cheers for that. So my complaint is minimal (and admittedly controversial today) and I would still highly recommend the book.

If you make $37,000, you are in the top 4% of income earners in the world. The majority of the world looks at me and you and believes we are rich. I don’t feel that way and you probably don’t feel that way. But we’re in the “top 4% club”. Whether we feel rich or not, we’re rich . . . globally speaking.

We complain about things like bad cell phone service, computer problems, car trouble, fight delays, watering bans, etc. All rich-people problems. This shouldn’t make you feel guilty but grateful.

“Rich” is a moving target. No matter how much money we have or make, we will probably never consider ourselves rich. The biggest challenge facing rich people is that they’ve lost their ability to recognize that they’re rich. -Andy Stanley

Here’s the sad reality: The richer people get, the smaller the percentage of money they give away. The key is to posses money without it possessing you.

how to be rich cover

Here’s what the Apostle Paul says about us:

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. (1 Timothy 6: 17)

To keep your hope from migrating toward your money, Andy suggests adopting this mantra:

“I will not trust in riches but in him who richly provides.”

In order to protect yourself from the negative side effects of wealth, Andy Stanley offers an antidote: generosity. Extreme generosity was the reputation of the first century Christians. They were inexplicably compassionate and generous. They had little, but they gave.

There are a couple of chapters dedicated to helping you develop a generosity plan that is sustainable. Andy Stanley then closes the book by challenging Christians to not be average with their generosity but, instead, be rich.

I recommend this book for anyone one makes or ever plans to make $37,000 or more annually.