According to Dr Walter Hansen at Fuller Theological Seminary, we are indeed. If we accept his premise (actually it's a simple observation) it would radically change the way we do ministry. No more would we use a two-step system where we spend the vast majority (some statistics quoted out there say 98% - Christianity Today) on ourselves, and expect the rest of the Kingdom of God live at some sub-standard level of living.
Once again according to Christianity Today, "Americans are in the top 1 percent of all wage earners in history, " yet, " . . . there is little difference between the amounts that Christians and non-Christians earn, spend, save, charge, or donate to charities." (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/005/23.40.html)
“The Western Church is the trustee of the financial wealth of the global church." according to Dr. Walter Hansen of Fuller. If we are the trustee, and we are, why do we overwhelmingly spend our resources on ourselves? Why do we expect our brothers and sisters around the world to go without, be hungry, not have access to medicine, not have almost all of the things we take for granted? The real question is why do we spend 98% of all the money that comes into the church on us?
Before you get all riled up and think that I am bashing the North American church, let me say LOUDLY, that missionaries are far worse. We have swallowed a Victorian era missional strategy that demands our poor brothers and sisters in Christ remain that way . . . and of course we say that we are doing this for their own good. Which is genuine hogwash as they say in the old country . . . we are doing this for ourselves. More for us, less for them. I wonder if that passage in the New Testament about the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21) describes us the Trustees, far more than the parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16?
Perhaps the Father has a great redistribution-of-wealth plan coming. Perhaps this is the only way that He can make me see myself as I really am. The strangest thing is that while all of us feel that there is not enough to make ends meet, in truth we are embarrassingly wealthy. Or as Dr. Bailey at Alliance Theological School states, "While none of us feels like we have enough a realistic comparison with the people of this earth forces us to face our amazing wealth."
When I think about this a bit, I come to the realization that I am a selfish person and fairly uncaring as well. Mostly I am consumed with me. Of course I can state that I have a daughter in college, there is little retirement money, that cost of living is outstripping income, or a thousand other reasons. Truthfully, I am a bad trustee. I think God has made a poor decision here. The question is, what am I to do about it?
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