Lifestyle Simplicity

Christian ministry to the poor is the most valuable when it’s more about what we give up than what we give, by Dani Shaw

“Our culture’s secular wisdom does not affirm the reality of the spirit… It looks to the material world for satisfaction and meaning. Its dominant values are … the three A’s – Achievement, Affluence and Appearance.

Idolatry, whatever its object, represents the enshrinement of any other person or thing in the very place of God.

A man is rich in proportion to the things he can afford to let alone.”
– Henry David Thoreau

Introduction

W

e live in a complex world. The last century has seen greater technological change than any other in history. Rural agrarian communities have been transformed into urban technological societies in the hope of providing better health, education and prosperity to all. Information technologies, now a mainstay of modern societies and economic systems, allow the transfer of information, ideas and consumer goods from one country to another in a matter of minutes. Capitalist economies, based on productivity and the desire for gain, are at the heart of modern cities.

Urbanization is a significant phenomenon, affecting billions of people, communities and nations around the world. City dwellers currently account for as little as 20% of the national population in some parts of Asia to as much as 80 or 90% of the national population in many parts of Europe. Economists and sociologists predict that by the year 2035, nearly 60% of all people will live in cities.

While urbanization has been a great blessing, it has also taken its toll. The pace of life has accelerated in the insatiable quest for progress. Workdays have lengthened as we work harder and harder trying to get ahead. Family life has been affected by an ever-increasing cost of living, forcing both parents to work outside of the home, or forcing single parents to work several jobs just to make ends meet. Many have moved from small rural communities to large urban centres in search of the good life, only to find they have no life at all.

From the beginning of creation, human beings have been presented with significant choices. The history of human kind suggests we have often made the wrong choices, sometimes quite innocently and at others, with full knowledge, going full speed ahead. Faced with increasing demands on our time, our physical, mental and emotional energy, our finances and even our political resources many are yearning for simplicity.

Faced with increasing demands on our time, our physical, mental and emotional energy, our finances and even our political resources many are yearning for simplicity.

This chapter will examine the biblical foundations of lifestyle simplicity and the importance of making a commitment to lifestyle simplicity in an urban context.

Simplicity and Wealth

North Americans are among the wealthiest people in the world. The median income in the United States in the year 2000 was just over $43,000. In Canada, it was $13,500 (USD). The average family income in many third world countries is less than $365 per year or one U.S. dollar per day.

Despite our considerable wealth, many live in scarcity. Nearly 18% of adults and 21% of children in Canada live in poverty. In the United States, almost 12% of adults and 17% of children live below the poverty line. In the United Kingdom, 17% are poor. Panning out across the globe, the World Bank reports that nearly 23% of the earth’s total population are in absolute poverty, living on less than one U.S. dollar per day. While the capitalist economic system has enhanced the economic well-being of more people than any other system in history, disparities in the distribution of economic benefits remain. The United Nations Development Program notes that the richest twenty percent of people earn over 82% of the world’s income and the poorest twenty percent earn a mere 1.4%. As one author noted, “Our society has achieved unprecedented abundance and incredible economic growth yet a sense of scarcity regularly surfaces…”

As one author noted, “Our society has achieved unprecedented abundance and incredible economic growth yet a sense of scarcity regularly surfaces…”

The sense of scarcity may be real or imagined. For some, the “American Dream” is far from a reality. Poverty, hunger and disease remain all too common in many parts of the world. Food, clothing and shelter, the basic necessities of life and things that are guaranteed to many people in the northern hemisphere remain beyond the reach of those in the southern hemisphere. For others, mostly North Americans, the compulsion to consume is never-ending. The gap between the haves and the have-nots continues to grow locally, nationally and internationally.

Commenting on the great disparities in wealth around the world, one author noted that “The paradox we experience over the presence of scarcity in the midst of the continual and rapid growth of wealth in our country ought to alert us to something that has gone deeply wrong.

Something has gone deeply wrong indeed. We have, by and large, bought into the doctrines of the dominant global culture. Those doctrines are materialism, consumerism and individualism.

We have, by and large, bought into the doctrines of the dominant global culture. Those doctrines are materialism, consumerism and individualism.

A Snapshot of Materialism

The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’’

But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:16-21)

There is perhaps no other spirit that better defines our times than materialism. Like the wealthy landowner in Jesus’ parable who built bigger barns in order to store all his riches, we are obsessed with material objects, comforts and considerations, often to the exclusion of spiritual truths. Our lives become focused on getting a high-paying job or a big promotion, seeking wealth for its own sake, and acquiring the symbols of success. Lottery schemes abound, offering millions of people the opportunity to get rich quick and be set for life.

Our lives become focused on getting a high-paying job or a big promotion, seeking wealth for its own sake, and acquiring the symbols of success.

NUVO, a Canadian magazine that is subtitled “Reflections of the Good Life,” is a 120+ page, full-colour magazine that contains 100 pages of advertising and only 20 pages of text. A flip through the first 25 pages of the magazine suggests that the “good life” consists of designer clothing and accessories, fine diamonds, luxurious cars and expensive liqueurs.

The feature article in the Spring 2002 issue of NUVO consists of an interview with a Fifth Avenue, New York master designer of jewellery. The jewellery contains some of the finest diamonds and gemstones the world has to offer. Other stories include an article on spas and an exploration of designer bed sheets, which cost as little as $2,000 each and as much as $32, 000. This, our society tells us, is the good life!

Materialism is not just the preoccupation of the wealthy. Drug and alcohol abuse, prostitution and crime may all be expressions of materialistic attitudes. Drugs and alcohol dull the pain of broken families, physical and sexual abuse, and the sense of self-loathing that comes with feeling like a failure. Young men may earn more money and more respect dealing drugs than they will with a college education. Achievement, affluence and appearance are the standards by which we are all judged, and rich and poor alike strive to live up to them.

Achievement, affluence and appearance are the standards by which we are all judged, and rich and poor alike strive to live up to them.

A Snapshot of Consumerism

Consumerism is an equally influential force in contemporary Western society. If understood as an emphasis on the consumption of goods, it ought to give cause for concern. As scripture tells us, there is more to life than food, drink and clothing, and the mere consumption of these will not fill our souls. Despite this simple truth, many of us live as though constant consumption will ultimately bring happiness.

Consumerism abounds in the Western world. Credit card companies attract customers with low-interest, high spending limit products that offer a wide range of other benefits that encourage customers to use their cards. Buy-now-pay-later schemes encourage consumers to spend more and more money they do not have, often to purchase items they do not need. Credit is often extended to those who can afford it the least, with the result that many consumers end up in bondage to creditors, paying for products many times over.

Credit is often extended to those who can afford it the least, with the result that many consumers end up in bondage to creditors, paying for products many times over.

The advertising industry is a significant player in the consumer machine. The average American teenager is said to watch 20, 000 television commercials per year. At 15 to 30 seconds apiece, television commercials occupy some 80 to 160 hours of a teenager’s time each year. Add to that magazine and radio advertisements and bus stop billboards and we quickly conclude that teenagers are constantly encouraged to buy, buy, buy! We are groomed from a very young age to become the next generation of consumers, living in a manufactured world, consuming manufactured products.

Consumerism has both individual and social dimensions. While individuals become personally preoccupied with consumption, economists tell us that an ever-expanding consumption of goods is good for the economy. Economists tell us that happiness can be found in the consumption of material goods, and that consumption is good for us all. We can engage in consumption, not just for our own good, but for the good of society as a whole. Our selfishness thus becomes a form of altruism.

In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York City, many people began to examine their lives and to ask what was really important to them. President George Bush, concerned about the economy and the impact the terrorist attacks would have on the financial health of the nation, encouraged Americans to continue spending. According to President Bush, the best thing Americans could do for their country was to go shopping. The consumer machine must remain well-oiled, and the best way to do so is to continue spending.

Unfortunately, the patterns and benefits of consumption are spread unevenly throughout the world. In the 1990’s, 57 million people were born in the northern hemisphere, and 911 million were born into the southern hemisphere. The people in the northern hemisphere consume more of the earth’s resources than those in the southern hemisphere. Statistics suggest that North Americans account for 6% of the earth’s population yet they consume 33% of its resources. Much of our consumption has little to do with survival and everything to do with producing an ever-increasing selection of consumer goods. A survey of the food products on our shelves ought to reveal something about the nature of our consumerism. A convenience store near my home boasts that it sells 54 flavours of soft drink and 85 different chocolate bars. The grocery store checkout line contains more than 30 different flavours of chewing gum. Chocolate bars and chewing gum are hardly a source of sustenance, yet they flow in abundance in North America. Meanwhile, nearly 5 million people die each year of starvation.

Chocolate bars and chewing gum are hardly a source of sustenance, yet they flow in abundance in North America. Meanwhile, nearly 5 million people die each year of starvation.

Simplicity and Time

Materialism and consumerism affect not only our buying decisions. They also affect the way we spend our time. As one author has pointed out:

We have paid a price for our prosperity. Capitalism has brought a dramatically increased standard of living, but at the cost of a much more demanding worklife. We are eating more, but we are burning up those calories at work. We have color televisions and compact disc players, but we need them to unwind after a stressful day at the office. We take vacations, but we work so hard throughout the year that they become indispensable to our sanity. The conventional wisdom that economic progress has given us more things as well as more leisure is difficult to sustain.

One of the most common cries of city dwellers is that they are too busy to enjoy life. Yet much of our leisure time is spent doing things that do not feed our souls. Grocery shopping takes priority over spending time with family. Watching movies takes priority over conversation with friends. Neither our leisure time nor our working lives contribute significantly to the nourishment of our souls, the development of human community.

Neither our leisure time nor our working lives contribute significantly to the nourishment of our souls, the development of human community.

Placing Wealth in Proper Perspective

Contrast our society’s description of the good life with the good life as portrayed in scripture and we get a very different picture. As one proponent of lifestyle simplicity has noted, Jesus calls us not to the good life, but to the abundant life.

From the beginning of creation, God has shown concern for our physical and spiritual wellbeing. Having created Adam, God concluded that it was not good for man to be alone, and he created Eve, a helper, a companion, the beginning of human community. Recognizing that community alone was not enough, God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden where he provided food and shelter. God also gave human beings meaningful work to do in their role as stewards of creation and encouraged them to tend to and care for creation as stewards, not as conquerors.

God has blessed human beings throughout history. From the calling of Abram to the establishment of the covenant at Mount Sinai to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has promised to bless his people. While God’s blessing is not restricted to material things, material prosperity has often been held up as a sign of God’s blessing upon his people.

While God’s blessing is not restricted to material things, material prosperity has often been held up as a sign of God’s blessing upon his people.

If God is concerned about our economic wellbeing, then so should we be. Unfortunately, in our society, our economic wellbeing often assumes too prominent a place in our thinking, with the result that we turn wealth into an idol. Rather than being acknowledged as a gift from God to be shared with all of humankind, wealth becomes something we pursue for our own ends, forgetting both God and neighbour.

Idolatry is nothing more than the elevation of created things to the place of God. While material wealth can be a sign of great blessing, the pursuit of wealth for its own sake, is idolatrous. If not held in proper perspective, our material possessions become a distraction, something that draws our attention away from God and humankind.

Scripture is filled with references to the tension between the love of money and service to God. In Matthew 19:23, Jesus lamented the attachment of the wealthy to their possessions, stating, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” In Luke 12:15 Jesus warned his followers to be on their guard against all kinds of greed, noting “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” In Luke 16:13, Jesus warns, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Jesus called his followers to make a choice, to love God or to love Mammon. A duplicitous life of service to both was not an option for the true believer.

The seduction of material prosperity is a challenge for most of us, whether rich or poor. Yet Jesus constantly warns against this. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns against storing up treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy. In Matthew 6, he warns against preoccupation with material comforts, stating, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” In John 10:10, he warns against the thieves and robbers who come to steal and destroy, turning our heart and minds away from the truth.

The seduction of material prosperity is a challenge for most of us, whether rich or poor. Yet Jesus constantly warns against this.

Lifestyle Simplicity

The gospel calls us to a life of simplicity, one that includes recognition of God as the source of all wealth, an understanding of the difference between wants and needs, and a willingness to show compassion toward and solidarity with the widows, the orphans and the oppressed.

The call to lifestyle simplicity is a call away from the dominant culture of materialism and consumerism, which elevates the material over the spiritual, values achievement, affluence and appearance above all else, and places the individual at the centre of our world. The call to lifestyle simplicity is a call to a life rooted in an understanding of God, a life of limited consumption and a life in community with others in which wealth is not seen as something to be stored in barns, but something to be shared. A commitment to lifestyle simplicity entails a commitment to spending time with others, sharing not just our material resources, but our time and ourselves.

A commitment to lifestyle simplicity entails a commitment to spending time with others, sharing not just our material resources, but our time and ourselves.

Placing God First

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:25-27, 31-33)

Jesus’ life, ministry and teachings reflected a life devoted to God and the service of humankind. His ability to see through people to understand exactly what prevented them from experiencing the fullness of life that God had promised was uncanny. When speaking to the Samaritan woman who had no husband, Jesus knew that she had had many husbands and that the man she was living with at that time was not her husband. In the rich young ruler who religiously obeyed the requirements of the Law, Jesus saw an unholy attachment to material possessions and an unwillingness to let go.

Communities long devastated by generational poverty, drug and alcohol addiction, violence and crime must be transformed holistically. Transformation requires a look into the souls of the poor and the spirit of their communities to determine what holds them back from experiencing the fullness of life that God has promised.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminded his followers that worrying about food, drink and clothing were unnecessary, and that the first priority of the believer should be to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness. While many urban poor are legitimately concerned about their physical and economic wellbeing, undue emphasis on their wants, needs and deprivations can be debilitating and even idolatrous. In communities devastated by well intentioned but poorly executed government programs, some people have learned to rely on material benefits – food vouchers, welfare payments and even the occasional lottery ticket - for their salvation. In an effort to gain more or to hold on to what they have, the urban poor sometimes make bad choices, ultimately pushing them deeper into debt. Reaching out to the poor with the gospel message of salvation becomes an important aspect of transforming inner cities.

In an effort to gain more or to hold on to what they have, the urban poor sometimes make bad choices, ultimately pushing them deeper into debt.

Learning to overcome worry and stress about our physical wellbeing and to trust God above all else is an important and necessary step for all of us, whether rich or poor. While the poor may be consumed by worry about acquiring wealth, the rich are consumed by worry about preserving it. Acknowledging God as the source of all blessing and learning to trust in God to meet all of our needs will enable us all to place material wealth in proper perspective.

The ability to transform any community will depend on the willingness of Christians to demonstrate transforming values in their day-to-day lives. It will depend on the willingness of Christians to dwell among the poor and teach life-transforming values. Modelling a love of God and a concern for others is important in inner cities where families have been torn apart, community ties have been broken, trust has been shattered and people have learned to fend for themselves. Turning our eyes away from Mammon, away from material provisions and deprivations and toward God is essential to discovering a life of simplicity. As Henri Nouwen warns, “As long as you live in the world, yielding to its enormous pressures to prove to yourself and others that you are somebody … your life can be scarcely more than a long struggle for survival.” However, recognizing that we are the beloved children of God, Nouwen argues, will allow us to let go of the things that distract us and jeopardize the life of the Spirit within us.

Focusing on our relationship with God and the ways in which God has blessed us enables us to be a blessing to others. Placing God first in our lives frees us up from the worries of this world, what we will eat or drink, what kind of clothing we will wear, what tomorrow will bring. It allows us to move from narrow self-concern to concern about others, indeed, a desire to serve others. It allows us to begin to rebuild the relationships and community ties that have been broken, allowing for the possibility of genuine community.

Developing an Attitude of Enough

A second element of lifestyle simplicity is learning to distinguish between wants and needs, and being willing to curtail our patterns of consumption for our own sake and for the sake of others. Developing an “attitude of enough” will free us from the idolatry and worry of materialism and consumerism and enable us to use our wealth to bless others.

Developing an “attitude of enough” will free us from the idolatry and worry of materialism and consumerism and enable us to use our wealth to bless others.

The Apostle Paul eloquently proclaimed the importance of an attitude of enough when he wrote in his letter to the Philippians:

… I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13)

Learning to trust in God and to be content in all situations is a key to freedom from the bondage of materialism, consumerism and greed. Deciding how much is enough and seeking to live with enough, rather than with overindulgence will free us from the constant desire to consume and will enable us to contribute to the lives of others.

The Bible teaches that those who have much must share with those who have little. Unfortunately, by buying into the myths of materialism and consumerism, many of us think we will never have enough. We cling to what we have, fearing that what is here today will be gone tomorrow. Contrasting our approach to economics with the biblical vision of economics, one author has noted:

“[The] biblical vision was to liberate Israelites from a fearful clinging on to what they happen to possess, and made possible a joyful and even extravagant sharing of their abundance with those who lack what they need. Since God is the giver of all things, God’s people can trust him to provide for their needs; they do not need to trust in their own resources or claims. “(Jonathan Chaplin, Institute for Christian Studies)

Jesus told us the poor would always be with us, and some use this as an excuse to do nothing about poverty. However, a careful reading of Jesus’ words reveals that he only told half the story. Deuteronomy 15 says:

“If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tight-fisted toward your poor brother. Rather, be openhanded freely lend him whatever he needs… Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.”

The biblical approach to wealth differs significantly from our own. The Greek language contains two words that can be translated into English as “economics.” The word chrematistike suggests “the pursuit of self-enrichment, for ever greater monetary possessions, if need be at the expense of others.” While stated in the extreme, this concept of economics tends to dominate our society’s thinking. We acquire material wealth, not so that we can give generously to others, but so that we can build bigger barns, and eat, drink and be merry. Our wants and desires expand to match our incomes, with the result that we never have enough.

By contrast, the word oikonomia, which appears in scripture, refers to “the behaviour of the steward whose task it was to manage the estate entrusted to him in such a way that it would continue to bear fruit and thus provide a living for everyone who lived and worked in it.” The biblical concept of economics is one that clearly involves the notion of oikonomia. The earth and the fullness of it are not enemies to be conquered and owned, but parts of creation that are to be nurtured and cared for and used for the benefit of the entire human community. The fruits of our labour are not to be consumed entirely or exclusively by those who labour, but are to be shared with the community at large.

The ability to share with others will be directly affected by the consumer choices we make. Learning to evaluate our consumer choices in the light of Biblical teachings about wealth, poverty and human community. French philosopher Jacques Ellul encourages Christians to evaluate critically, not only the things we do but also how we get there. He rejects the dictum that the ends justify the means and encourages Christians to ask “Are these means of justifying humanity, means of liberating humanity, means of bringing joy to humanity, or not? Such is the judgment that we must make, knowing that no historic end justifies the means.” Turning to our consumer choices, we must ask: Do luxurious vehicles, beautiful homes and prestigious careers justify humanity, liberate humanity and bring joy? To what extent are our possessions and our pastimes means to an end or an end in themselves? Am I being a good steward of the gifts God has given me, or am I employing them primarily for personal gain?

Am I being a good steward of the gifts God has given me, or am I employing them primarily for personal gain?

Showing Solidarity with the Poor

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. (Isaiah 61:1)

It is significant that Jesus commenced his public ministry by quoting the prophet Isaiah. Jesus’ life and ministry consisted of a prophetic engagement with the world around him, which included preaching the good news of salvation to the poor, including the excluded, liberating the oppressed and restoring community. God is more concerned about our treatment of the poor as He is about refraining from smoking, drinking and coarse language. God demonstrated concern for the poor throughout the Old Testament, calling the Israelites to account for their failure to provide for those in need. In the New Testament, Jesus taught that true religion consists of taking care of the widows and the orphans, and remaining untainted by the world. In the book of Acts, the early Christians were asked not to forget the poor. In James, they were chastised for showing favouritism to the rich. The command to include the excluded, to reach out to the poor, and to include them in the Kingdom of God is the third and final element of lifestyle simplicity that will be explored in this chapter.

As we think about mission, we need to ask ourselves whether and where the poor and the oppressed, the widows and the orphans fit into the picture. As one author notes:

“Churches have often failed to enfold the stories of the poor and marginalized into the great encompassing story of God’s redemptive love for the world. Beside the obvious importance of beginning to recognize the breadth of the Gospel, however, this would also allow the poor to be fully included in the local church. Inclusion is itself an important aspect of overcoming poverty.”

The retreat of many denominations from the inner city and the sprouting up of churches in suburban communities means that the poorest of the poor are often excluded from church life as well as genuine Christian community. Suburban congregations are filled with middle class people who share middle class values. Those who give their time and their money give primarily to their local churches, which are usually engaged in meeting the needs of middle class families. How many suburban churches budget for projects designed to assist or empower the poor? How many mid-week programs include reaching out to the poor in order to incorporate them into the faith community? Where are the widows and the orphans, the prisoners and the oppressed?

Not everyone will be willing to take up residence in the inner city. However, there are a number of ways in which rich and poor, suburban and urban communities can work together to transform the inner city. Suburban individuals and congregations can support inner city ministries by providing physical resources such as furniture, transportation and Bibles. They can also provide ongoing financial support to inner city congregations.

Those who are willing to dwell among the poor can learn to stand with the poor, suffering with them and showing compassion in the form of friendship, assisting to meet their physical needs, assisting them in their spiritual growth and speaking out on their behalf when they are politically powerless.

Learning to spend time with people, rather than in programs, is a significant element of lifestyle simplicity. Many who live in inner cities have been overwhelmed by programs designed to improve their situation. Often what is needed is a human touch, a telephone call from a caring friend, a simple meal.

Learning to spend time with people, rather than in programs, is a significant element of lifestyle simplicity.

Entering into relationships with the poor will enable us to see the gifts they have to offer. The Bible tells us that just as the human body has many parts, so the Christian church is comprised of many parts. Rich and poor alike can and should make a contribution to the community of faith. Empowering the poor by giving them meaningful tasks to do within the church and allowing them to play meaningful roles in the life of the community will help to transform the inner city.

Conclusion

A commitment to lifestyle simplicity, lived out as a prophetic engagement with the dominant values of the world around us and in practical ways in our day-to-day lives in community is an important aspect of inner city ministry. Modelling the values espoused in scripture and explored in this chapter can breathe new life into communities long devastated by poverty, crime and violence. Rejecting the idols of materialism and consumerism and learning to trust in God are the first steps toward lifestyle simplicity. Knowing how much is enough and being able to distinguish between wants and needs will free us from the compulsion to consume and enable us to bless others. Finally, reaching out to the poor, getting to know them and being willing to include them in the Christian community will make a difference in urban and suburban communities, allowing both to be transformed.

Dani is a lawyer with a strong social conscience and a desire to reach out to the widows and the orphans of our time. She currently works for the Government of Canada in Ottawa.

NOTES

1.Marcus Borg, Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time

2. William Stringfellow, Simpler Living, Compassionate Life, p.67

3. p.150 – EFC – Good News to the Poor

4. EFC – Good News – p.150

5. Webster’s Dictionary

6. pp.34-35 – Simpler Living, Compassionate Life

7. Nouwen – p.105

8. Walsh and Middleton (p.157)

9. Ealsh and Middleton, (p.157)

10.Jacques Ellul, Perspectives on Our Age, House of Anansi Press. P.106

11. p.155 – EFC
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jacques Ellul, Perspectives on Our Age: Jacques Ellul Speaks on his Life and Work, William H. Vandenburg, House of Anansi Press Limited, 1981

Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, 1978, Harper & Row, New York

George Grant, Bringing in the Sheaves: Transforming Poverty Into Productivity

Shirley Guthrie, Christian Doctrine

Henry Nouwen, Life of the Beloved

David Wells, Losing our Virtue: Why the Church Must Recover its Moral Vision

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Good News to the Poor: Background Paper on The Bible, Poverty, and Government in Contemporary Canada.

Michael Schut, Simpler Living, Compassionate Life: a christian perspective, Earth Ministries, 1999.

3 Comments to Lifestyle Simplicity

1. Dani - excellent article. John and I each make about $10US a month now, so we’ve taken lifestyle simplicity to the next level! Something I find really challenging is that in our context (in Zim) people are thinking and talking about money all the time (in the sense of how are we going to raise a bit more money to survive?) It’s just interesting because one of the reasons we wanted to move to Africa was to move away from a society that focussed on money. What you’re saying is true though - one part of the world’s obsession with consumption and lack of sharing is leading other parts of the world to be obsessed with money - just in order to survive. It’s a bizarre world we live in. But God is good. Bless you as you continue to call people to more ethical and God-centred lives. Rochelle
Rochelle McAlister on August 6th, 2006

2. I am ashamed to say I have only JUST read Dani’s article posted in 2006. You are on to something here, and that is that today’s society desperately needs to come back to the simplicity and wholeness of the Christian lifestyle.
   Is it possible that we sometimes concentrate on debating the fine points of doctrine, and seek the thrill of being right only to miss the joy of authentic and sincere connection with God? Haste and waste describes our society, and unfortunately, we Salvationists are ‘at one’ with the crowd.
   Many are being ‘conned’, falling for the lies of those who have a hidden agenda, following the gods of money, fame, fortune, fads, entertainment,and bias.

   Mark A. Burch (a voluntary simplicity lecturer) has a great deal to say about simplifying life for the benefit of the spirit. Even though he leans heavily on Buddhism, he actually comes from a Christian perspective. I quote: “The ’space’ we clear can be physical as we reduce the clutter in our lives. It can also be social as we may trade some financial gains for more time to enjoy family, friends, and community. The ’space’ we open may be emotional insofar as we reduce stress, worry, fear, competitiveness, and so on. We may also gain relaxation, peace, and co-operative relations with others. The ’space’ can also be spiritual since the old gods of consumerism are deposed in favour of a new spiritual awareness.”
   Keep talking about these things — they are essential for survival of not just our place in this world, but of our place in the world to come. May your words come in short sentences; many of us are just not pious enough to read the long, long wordsmithing.
   And even as I write, I realise this is too long!
Patricia M. on March 26th, 2007

3. Is this why Jesus instructed his disciples not to bring anything extra for their trip when they were sent out? Although if you look closely the accounts of Mark and Mathew differ in regard, to which items were to be taken and which were to be forgotten. Anyway, I’m torn over this essay. We think that by living simply we can obtain ’solidarity’ with the poor. To do this we try and lower our own standard of living. I think if the poor found out that their suffering was becoming a lifestyle choice of the otherwise well off, they might just vomit. I just hope that when we take food off our plates, we place it on someone else’s.
Mike Himes on March 27th, 2007

Leave a comment