September 1, 2012 · 3:45 pm

Holiness and Exchange

Most marketplace ministry and marketplace theology focuses on an incomplete picture by trying to read the creation narrative at face value. The key points are taken from Genesis 2:15: “Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” From this verse we delve into the theologies of work and stewardship, both of which are relevant to marketplace theology but do not complete the picture, so to speak.

The real keys are two-fold. The first is God’s pronouncement that it was not good for the man to be alone and that a suitable helper was necessary for “goodness” to be fulfilled (Genesis 2:18). After examining the various creatures that were already with Adam in the Garden, it was determined no such partner existed and God created the ezer neged, Eve. Ezer neged means, most literally, something like helper in sight, helper in front of, or helper opposite. There are three implications here. The first is the helper is present, visible to the one being helped. Adam is aware of Eve’s presence and her role as co-worker. The second is the helper is not in a position of prominence, not behind, not beside but in front of Adam, that is, the helper is in a position that Adam must deal with right up front. This hints at some degree of equality which is not at issue until after the Fall when he is placed over her in the fallen order. The role and relevance of the helper cannot be easily ignored, disregarded, or dismissed. Finally, the helper is in a complementary position, opposite. This is probably most apparent in the sexual differentiation between Adam and Eve. They are counterparts. The sense of opposite here does not mean contrary (though many couples may think it a more appropriate explanation of things) as we commonly think of opposition but rather serves functionally in a correspondent way (co-respondent, specifically, to God).

There are three ways in which it was not good that Adam was alone that only the presence of Eve could resolve. The first, which is also the one most apparent in the text, is in the role of wife for the sake of procreation. It was biologically impossible for Adam to produce progeny without Eve. The organism was not designed like an amoeba that would simply divide to reproduce. The second is in material prosperity. We have all likely experienced the difference of tackling large projects alone and of tackling them with a co-worker. Gained efficiency is typically apparent in that the division of labor and the sharing of overwhelming tasks (either mentally or physically) in the midst of the project. Camaraderie, which dispels the loneliness of being alone and offers encouragement at discouraging moments, adds a psychological boost to the physical work. In any case, as we recognize in the functioning of the marketplace, the division of labor requires ordered cooperation and leads to heightened specialization and collaboration, deepening the interdependency of workers and corporations, all to greater gains of efficiency, which is the crux of creating wealth through increased productivity.

The third component in the partnering of Adam and Eve is the most critical to God and man. As we have noted, Adam’s material prosperity was very limited without Eve, given the absent proliferation of the species and the inefficiencies naturally inherent in working alone. But more importantly, Adam could not prosper spiritually without Eve. That may, at first glance, seem preposterous since he was often (always?) in the presence of God in the Garden but there was no way for him to rightly relate to a veritable equal, someone like himself, that is, not God.

In Genesis 1:27, we are told that the image of God included both the male and female forms. That indicates that Adam was incomplete and can be most easily related to the [pro]creative aspect of God’s image. Adam could not “create” more generations without the female counterpart. But, the image of God also included the community of the Trinity in that three co-equal but distinct persons within the godhead were always in intimate relationship with one another. To fulfill the image of God, Adam needed a co-equal human. Herein lies the key to his spiritual reflection (image) of the holiness of God, in the relationship with Eve.

As I discuss in Eden’s Bridge: The Marketplace in Creation and Mission, there was no need of profit in the Garden of Eden. The abundance of the Garden might be said to have been, in business parlance, all low hanging fruit and easy pickings. Work in the Garden was neither tedious or demeaning. Basically, the production of the ground was so prolific that Adam did not even work up a sweat in getting the job done. There was more than ample supply for Adam, Eve, and the generations that would follow. But if there was no need of profit, what was the point, first, of creation and, second, of the relationship between Adam and Eve? If we continue in the line of considering the reflection of the image of God in Adam and Eve, we must consider how the holiness of God can be seen.

I posited in a recent online post that “holiness is practiced and perfected in our interpersonal exchanges, not the least of which, or perhaps more appropriately, among the most meaningful of which are our economic exchanges.” The central importance of economic relationships in the Bible is found throughout when the prophets rail against the injustice of neglecting and oppressing the poor, Jesus’ accusations of the social, political, and economic elitism of the Israeli leadership in his day, and the multitude of exhortations of Paul and, especially, James concerning how Christ-followers handle wealth and possessions.

The mishandling of economic relationships is far and away one of the greatest hindrances of the church in the West as we can attest to the disparity between the affluence of even our lower middle class by comparison to lifestyles of Christians across the world, and even across town. Sadly, this is not an issue spoken of with regularity in the churches of America that most need to hear it. It is enormously recognized by the poor and their cries are being heard by God. But for most of us, our possessions have come to possess us and our concerns of securing our households and retirement have taken precedence over acting compassionately toward the rest of the church, the world, and even our enemies, all of which, the New Testament is clear, are our responsibilities.

We have convinced ourselves that our prosperity is a clear sign of God’s blessing for being righteous by our hard work, diligence, and wise investment. This conflicts with the message of the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, and the witness of Jesus Christ and the New Testament authors makes it clear that our prosperity is a poor means test of our holiness. Even in the Old Testament the wildly successful king of Tyre is exposed for the violence inherent in the acquisition and use of wealth accumulated through unjust trade (Ezekiel 28:16). If we believe that our prosperity somehow reflects righteousness then those who become rich by unethical, and even immoral or illegal, means can hold up their prosperity to demonstrate that apparently God does not condemn them for their practices. Obviously that makes for a ludicrous argument but it is one which we buy all to easily in justifying our own marginal business ethics (means) and the abundance of our prosperity (accumulation as ends). We all too easily deflect the accusation of unrighteousness by resorting to the worldly adage that “it’s is not personal, it’s business.” But business is always personal. No matter how remotely we may carry out our transactions, our marketplace decisions, whether in the practice of conducting a business or in our purchase decisions, always affect the lives of a multitude of others, moving outwardly from us like ripples on a still pond.

But, we have a multitude of opportunities every day to glorify the presence of God with us and within us in our economic transactions. The most immediate that come to mind might be paying our bills on time and with gratitude for the wonderful products and services we receive in return, tipping wait staff generously as a demonstration of how graciously God has poured out his kindness on us, or restricting our “wants” to practical limitations, welcoming the growth of personal discipline we gain by delayed gratification, awaiting the promises we will inherit in the life to come.

Less apparent is to be conscientious consumers, wary of corporations that stroke our egos by the cool factor of obtaining their products, and of our own desire for status and self-indulgence in the homes, luxury automobiles, sumptuous meals, and “deserved” vacations we buy. The globalized world, always at our fingertips through the magic of wireless modems, presents opportunities to pursue the selfless glory of God every day. Our commitment to shalom, far more than peace as the absence of conflict, but rather the well-being of every human being made in the image of God, is tenuous at best. Shalom is a communal word, not meant to be privatized for our own self-satisfaction and security. True shalom reflects the glory of the Trinitarian godhead, the perfect creative, life-giving community of love.

Money is not the root of all evil but, as the root of all kinds of evil, it whispers us away from godliness in the subtlest of ways, but most especially in its promise of security. The disciples left all to follow Christ, the one homeless with no place to lay his head. Yet the disciples gained family, households, and wealth through the fellowship of the church wherever they went, and it is unlikely that Jesus, during the years of his earthly ministry, spent many nights without a roof over his head. His provision, whether of bed or board, came from the hospitality and generosity of his followers, in holy exchanges, self-sacrificial acts for the sake of following a higher Way.

The creation narrative of Genesis 1-2 reveals the life God intended for his people. We now live in a fallen world in which we hope to witness to the glory of God that, in the Kingdom to be consummated at Christ’s return, we shall live in abundance without scarcity, that no child of God will be without place and provision. Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom had come, in himself, into the world. Our best witness of the power of the Incarnation is to put our money where our mouths are, doers of the word and not just hearers, deceiving ourselves (James 2:2). If we claim to be that which our actions deny, we are no better than the hypocritical Pharisees, practicing a form of godliness but without the transforming power of God (2 Timothy 3:5), power that transforms both us and the world.

The New Testament gives four strong messages concerning wealth and possessions. These are discussed in detail in Sondra Ely Wheeler’s Wealth as Peril and Obligation (Eerdman’s, 1995). Wheeler’s chapters examining four key passages on wealth and possessions lead to deeper considerations of wealth, in Chapter 8, as a stumbling block, as the object of devotion (worship),  as evidence of economic injustice, and as a vital resource for meeting human needs. The first two chapters, explaining her methodology for the study, can be a bit heady for many readers but well worth the effort to understand how she reaches the conclusions she shares. I would recommend this book to any Christian who considers themselves serious disciples of Jesus Christ. Wealth as Peril and Obligation is deeply challenging. It does not prescribe specific courses of action (rules), simply because the myriad of life circumstances facing Christians crosses a broad spectrum of possible responses to the Bible. But the book ends by asking a long list of hard questions which need to be asked, especially in the modern age of explosive global capital growth and the disparity of wealth within the church itself between the developed world and the developing world, and between affluent neighborhoods in our urban centers and those neighborhoods and small towns struggling in poverty.

The Parable of the Talents, from which we famously derive the misty-eyed looking-forward-to-hear “Well done, good and faithful servant,” was a story of economic exchanges analogous to how we expend (invest) all our resources, whether monetary, our time, or the gifts and talents which God has bestowed upon us each. Every interaction with God or others is an exchange. Many are done casually without deep consideration of eternal ramifications. Each, including economic exchanges, is an opportunity to walk according to the Spirit, as light and salt to the world because a measure of holiness, inherent as we are relational, is inherent in every exchange.

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Filed under Discipleship, Faith in the Marketplace

August 22, 2012 · 1:47 pm

Real Marketplace Evangelism

There are many forms of Christian ministries in the marketplace. Likely the most prevalent are prayers groups, Bible studies, and deliberate discipleship development. Then there is the business-as-mission movement which has been gaining steam for more than twenty years but is still largely unknown outside missions groups and academia. Fortunately there have been a significant number of business leaders that understand “feeding the five thousand” can be continued today through the intentional evangelistic outreach of business development among the poor.

When Jesus fed the five thousand, he realized that he would lose his audience if their hunger distracted them from his teaching. Rather than ask them to go, eat, and reconvene at a later hour, he sat them down and provided a meal. The poor are too often distracted by the demands of mere survival, many working seven days a week, just to stay alive. In fact, about 15,000 people die every day around the world simply because they are too poor to make it to the next morning. They haven’t time for a religious message that, in effect, is as empty as “be warm and well fed” spoken to an empty stomach.

Traditional welfare and aid programs have failed dismally. They have created dependency, robbing their recipients of the opportunity to work, a human trait designed in to being human when God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden “to till and tend it.” Without meaningful, life-sustaining work, reduced to only a caricature of being human, people languish, losing hope of being what God intended them to be. One of the most important impacts of work is in the exchange. Economies are built on the vibrancy of the intricate network of trade between market players. Trade requires a level of trust to be built into a society and democratizing influences flourish. Trade enhances cooperation and then, as the complexity of the marketplace increases, deeper and deeper collaboration, enhanced by increasing transparency. Modern global corporations have found their greatest opportunities reside in the exchanges of information. Brick and mortar, machinery, and inventories are not nearly the measure of success they once were. Now intellectual capital is often worth more than cash.

Markets prove the validity of Nash’s Equilibrium Theory that says there are points in a game where no one can advance their status without the cooperation of another player. Imagine the results of the game if all the players cooperated fully. Likely we would not see a perfect balance of beneficial outcomes but all the players would benefit more in aggregate than if they all insist on competition as the only way. They see only the possibility of winners and losers when, in fact, all could win. This requires some sacrifice of potential, at least in the short term, by those players sitting on the most chips. But the economic development of the last two hundred years demonstrates that sitting on our chips results in the “rusting of our gold” (James 5:3) without increasing the benefits of our talents (Matthew 25:14-30).

“Rich” Christians, which oddly enough encompasses most of the middle class church-goers in developed economies, at least by comparison to the global distribution of wealth, have fallen into two significant traps in economic thinking. First, there is, whether we claim otherwise or not, the idea that we are playing in zero-sum game, that the pie only provides X number of pieces and we must wrangle for and then cling to the slice we have. As mentioned, the growth of wealth of the last two centuries proves this mentality deluded. God designed the abundance of the earth to multiply and gave humankind the reasoning capabilities to make it happen. Second, we fall into thinking there is actually little we can do, as individuals or households, to make a real difference. That is true so long as our thinking remains isolated, i.e., as individuals or households. But we are the church. We are one body in Christ. As such we have incredible power, in the work of the Holy Spirit in and through us, and in the practical power of collective action.

Let’s play with a few numbers. There are about 313 million people in the United States, more than 75% of whom claim to be Christian, or about 235 million. The average size of American households is 2.6 people, representing 90.3 Christian households. What if each household committed to giving just $20.00 per month toward small business development among the poor as an evangelical outreach effort? Rounding off, 90 million households would pool $1.8 BILLION dollars every MONTH! If that money was put to work promoting business development and achieved a 2.5% annual increase, the cumulative result over ten years would be more than $245 billion, more than the annual GDP of Portugal (2012, est.). That is equivalent to the average household income ($51,914) of nearly 4.7 MILLION homes in the United States. More significantly, it equates to the average household income ($9,218) of more than 26 million households in the world. All achieved at $20 per month. The point is, collective action, even if done in very small increments creates a groundswell. If the impact can be leveraged to yield 3.5% per annum, the result is nearly $259 billion. At 6.0%, the number jumps to almost $300 billion, now approaching the annual GDP of oil-rich Venezuela. That’s impact! But further, that money, not in the form of businesses, in effect, has become innumerable money machines that will continue to produce incomes, that is, fruitful yields, without further investment, indefinitely into the future.

Remember, the thirty, sixty, and hundredfold return of Jesus’ illustration (Matthew 13:8) came from a handful of seeds. Using corn as an example, three seeds per hole in the garden floor produces one stalk with three ears, each with about 800 kernels. That is a 800:1 return. Seeds are powerful things and that is why entrepreneurs and financiers identify start up funding as seed capital. But we all know that not every stalk grows nor does every stalk produce three ears with eight hundred kernels . . . but those are the averages in modern agriculture. So to, not every business grows and not every business returns 800:1 on investment. But good gardeners, with lots of practice, get higher yields!

The church has a second opportunity to witness the glory of God by ensuring the funds invested in these small businesses produces the greatest results by matching seasoned business veterans with the start-up entrepreneurs. By coaching, mentoring, and accountability, success rates can be substantially higher.

One wonders, then, how is all this evangelism? The Greek term translated as gospel, ninety-nine times in the New Testament, is always a form of euaggelion, which means simply “good news” (which also appears seven times in the New Testament and is also always translated from a form of euaggelion). Jesus’ declarative statement in identifying himself with the arrival of the Kingdom of God on earth was “to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are downtrodden, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord” – Luke 4:18-19. Four of the five points of his speech – the poor, the captives, the downtrodden, and the favorable year – were economic issues. While salvation in Christ is our preeminent gain in knowing Christ, the overturning of the world system of cultural, social, economic, and political elitism, all feeding greed and oppression, was intended in Christ’s Incarnation, his coming among us to preach in precise detail the failing of Israel to become the “wise and understanding people” God intended them to be as a witness of his glory to the nations surrounding them (Deuteronomy 4:6). If the failure rate among new Christian businesses was significantly less than the failure rates of all new businesses, the world would take notice. The Harvard Business Review would publish articles and the goodness of God would be ever more prominently shared.

Too often, modern evangelism has lost sight of the real world impact the Gospel was intended to have and turned too far to an escapist mentality, embracing faulty doctrines of eschatology that deny the redemption of all creation, God’s intent in his mission in the world. Too much focus has been placed on personal salvation as a singular event in the life of the believer without actually fulfilling the discipleship mandate of the Great Commission. christian discipleship means that we carry forward the work of Christ in the world, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, housing the poor by the most effective means we can muster. We, the church in developed economies, have the opportunity to make a difference in our world by demonstrating the goodness of God, that is, witnessing to his glory, in tangible ways. That is the heart evangelism because that is good news to the poor, the good news of the Kingdom of God “on earth as it is in heaven.”

Are we ready and willing to lay down our lives by putting our money, our time, and our expertise where our mouths are as the acts of “no greater love” to which we have been called? – John 15:13. Who is the neighbor we are willing to love as we love ourselves? – Matthew 22:39.

I invite you to engage with me as I formally launch the Eden’s Bridge Business and Mission Institute. The ministry is knowledge-based to encourage broader and deeper collaboration within the church to reach the world, to reveal the glory of God, that by demonstrating his love, serving the poor in the name of Jesus Christ through market mechanisms for the alleviation of poverty, and empowering people to be the productive workers God intended, the kindness of God leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). It is not enough to simply share in words what God has done in our lives nor even proclaim the good news of salvation in Christ. We are, as Jesus did and we are all called to follow him, to minister in actual feeding, healing, and releasing of all God’s children, revealing the grace and mercy of God: “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue [as nothing more than clanging cymbals], but in deed and truth [in sacrificial action]“ – 1 John 3:18.

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Filed under Faith in the Marketplace

August 20, 2012 · 3:54 pm

Eden’s Bridge Ministry Launch

Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. – Isaiah 40:31

Today, my strength has been renewed!

This is to let you know that the waiting has come to fruition. Most of you know that I have committed much of the last ten years to research and writing on the integration of faith and economics. This past January, Wipf & Stock Publishers released my book, Eden’s Bridge: The Marketplace in Creation and Mission. Later that same month, God gave me a vision for the ministry that was to follow. Since then, I have waited for the right timing, listening to the Lord for His “now is the time.” That “now” came this morning while meeting with a new but very dear friend and brother in Christ, John Caldwell.

Now is the time to launch the Eden’s Bridge Business and Ministry Institute. The aim of the institute is to empower small businesses among the world’s poor through connecting them with the necessary resources to succeed. These necessary resources include knowledge even more than capital but the hope is to connect the church in developed economies and neighborhoods with those who need their helping hand. A big first step is pending as I will attend the Lausanne Global Business as Mission Think Tank North American Group meeting this coming Friday (08/24) here in Atlanta.

The first step is to incorporate as a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit. To do so, I am requesting that you prayerfully consider contributing toward the $1,000.00 needed to file with the State of Georgia and the IRS. I am only asking for pledges toward that amount today such that, when I am ready to file, I can ensure the tax deductibility of your gift. That is when I will ask, in the coming weeks, for the fulfillment of your pledges.

Pledges can be made simply by emailing back to me.

Honestly, this is a day that I wondered if would ever come. Now I am rejuvenated and excited to move forward.

Thank you and may God bless you today in all that He has placed before you.

David B. Doty
Eden’s Bridge
859-621-3636
davedoty@edensbridge.org

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Filed under Announcements

August 15, 2012 · 2:42 pm

Seeking Professional Input

LinkedIn Friends, Connections, and Groups:

I am at a transitional point in my career. I am very interested in the business as mission movement (including domestic urban and rural redevelopment) and have written a book (Eden’s Bridge: The Marketplace in Creation and Mission) on the topic of the integration of Christian faith and economics (Wipf & Stock Publishers – January, 2012, available in print or Kindle from Amazon.com).

I have a long history of small business ownership, development, and management (nearly thirty years) and received a seminary degree in evangelism and mission in 2006. I have also worked in cooperatives and academic settings. I am looking to put the complementary experiences of those tracks of my life to work to serve building the Kingdom of God through marketplace mission.

I invite your input as to how I might put myself to work to serve those ends, and how I might serve your ministry through consultation, research, strategic planning, outreach (in a marketing sense), and so on. I welcome requests for freelance consulting and am interested in telecommuting opportunities in business ministry pursuits (as I am based semi-permanently in Atlanta, GA). I have intentionally studied across a broad spectrum of disciplines in my lifetime with particular focus on organizational development and business planning, leadership development (especially in biblical context), creative marketing (fledgling businesses must use guerilla tactics!), and Christian ethics.

Let me know your thoughts, especially how I might utilize the broad range of professional skills I have developed (which can be seen in my LinkedIn profile). Also, please feel free to review my blog at http://www.edensbridge.org and provide feedback.

Thank you in advance for any thoughts or advice.

David B. Doty

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Filed under Faith in the Marketplace

July 11, 2012 · 4:47 pm

The Pursuit of Godly Knowledge

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction” – Proverbs 1:7.

I often hear reproach, as a biblical and theological researcher, denouncing theological education. These critics claim that the academic pursuit of knowing God is somehow detrimental to one’s faith, the church and world, and advancement of the cause of Christ. Frankly, such claims are utter nonsense. All of our doctrines have been derived from the study of the Bible by theologians, whether they call themselves that or not, throughout the history of the church.

The very definition of scholarship is learning or knowledge acquired by study. Anyone who studies the Bible, or reads the teachings of another Christian, or inquires into church history, is a scholar, even if what they read is written by the uneducated or the misinformed. The academic study of these things is simply scholarship conducted in a formal, institutional setting. Whether one grows in faith and obedience has little to do with the venue of study but has everything to do with the heart of the one pursuing godly knowledge. If the researcher is cynical about God going into their studies, they will find a way to justify their skepticism and unbelief. On the other hand, if they are truly seeking to know God and his ways, God will freely give of himself, revealing a growing knowledge of himself, his love, and his calling to us.

Psalm 37:4-6 is a good launch point: “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.  5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:  6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Too often we take verse four to mean that God will give us the perfect spouse or a fulfilling career or even a new car and a big house. But the verse actually sets up a circular process: as we delight ourselves in the Lord, he becomes the desire of our heart, and he gives himself to us. Verses five and six follow suit. As we commit ourselves to God and his ways, trusting in him by growing faith, he will increasingly lead us into righteousness which pulls us more deeply into committing our ways to him.

With that, then, I offer a brief survey of the statements on godly knowledge in Proverbs which are largely attributed to Solomon. Though the authorship of some of Proverbs’ content remains in dispute and may have come from several different collections of wisdom sayings, the whole book stands as an amalgamation of wisdom pivotal to the Hebrew Scriptures, our Old Testament, and Christian faith.

The purpose of the Proverbs as wisdom sayings is explained in the book’s opening chapter in Proverbs 1:2-4. The proverbial sayings are for the attainment of wisdom and discipline, to gain understanding and insight, to acquire a disciplined and prudent life (doing what is right, just, and fair), for giving prudence to the simple, and knowledge and discretion to the young. The first use of the term knowledge comes in verse four and is translated from the Hebrew da`at (Strong’s 1847), which is derived from yada’ (Strong’s 3045), which means to know by seeing. This is enormously important if we believe in the revelation of God, that God reveals his glory in creation and history. Nature and the events of God’s intervention for Israel, and the church and even all the world in the ministry of Christ, is to be remembered and shared as even the accusations against us before God, voiced by our enemy Satan, are overcome by the blood of Christ and the power of our testimony (Revelation 12:11), that is, our witness. It is the evidence of what has transpired in the past, reflected upon in the present, which gives us hope for the future. Without the knowledge of God’s benevolence in creation and history, especially delivered to us in the pages of the Bible, we have little hope for a victorious future.

I had a pastor several years ago who came to our church just a year before I started seminary. George had a way of being very succinct, capturing the core importance of issues in short sentences. I posed two questions to him in the months before I began my master’s education. The first was “what is your best advice for me before starting seminary?” He said, simply, “Be teachable.” The second question I posed knowing he would also give a straight answer that would be an encouragement to my studies. I asked, “Why should we study theology?” He answered, “Theology is the study of God. That is always a good thing.”

Next, we will simply survey what the Book of Proverbs says about knowledge. Remember the purpose of the Proverbs is for attaining wisdom and discipline, gaining understanding and insight, acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, giving prudence to the simple, and for the knowledge and discretion of the young (Proverbs 1:2-4). Also keep in mind that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (1:7).

God asks, “How long, O naive ones, will you love simplicity? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?” (Proverbs 1:22). Near the end of the first chapter, God warns that the godless “will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me, Because they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of the LORD” (Proverbs 1:28-29).

The knowledge the theologian seeks (and we are all theologians on some level) is the knowledge of God, that is, about him and his ways.

Proverbs 2 starts by assuring us that if we will seek wisdom, listening intently and searching diligently, we will “discern the fear of the LORD, And discover the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:1-5), for it is God who gives wisdom, knowledge, and understanding (v. 6), and wisdom will enter our hearts and be pleasant to our souls (v. 10). We find ourselves increasingly at peace and being joyful as we come to know him more deeply.

It is by God’s knowledge that “the deeps were broken up, And the skies drip with dew” (Proverbs 3:20). This is the creator God who created by his knowledge. That one may be a bit too deep for this discussion here and now but it tells us something about him . . . his knowledge can make things happen our of nothing!

When we listen to wisdom and seek understanding, we will be prudent and speak true knowledge (Proverbs 5:1-2). Wisdom utters righteousness and no perversions and its sayings are clear and right to those who understand with knowledge of God. We should choose knowledge before wealth (Proverbs 8:8-10 and 20:15). Those wise and prudent will have knowledge and be discrete (v. 12).

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10), and wise men store up knowledge (Proverbs 10:14). Sadly, the godless man runs down his neighbor but the righteous are delivered through knowledge (Proverbs 11:9).

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid” (Proverbs 12:1) and “A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims folly” (v. 23). “Every prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool displays folly” (Proverbs 13:16). God not only calls us fools if we reject the opportunity to grow in our knowledge of him, he flats out calls us stupid! Our knowledge need not come by formal study and advanced degrees but he expects us to seek knowledge.

“A scoffer seeks wisdom, and finds none, But knowledge is easy to him who has understanding.

 Leave the presence of a fool, Or you will not discern words of knowledge” (Proverbs 14:6-7).

“The naive [the ignorant!!!] inherit folly, But the prudent are crowned with knowledge (v. 18).

“The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly” (Proverbs 15:2). “The lips of the wise spread knowledge, But the hearts of fools are not so” (v. 7) and “The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on folly” (v. 14).

Those knowledgeable of God hold their tongue and levelheadedness demonstrates understanding (Proverbs 17:27). The prudent acquire knowledge and the wise seek it (Proverbs 18:15).

Without knowledge we are prone to error (Proverbs 19:2). Correction and discipline will keep us growing and abiding in godly knowledge (vv. 25 and 27, 21:11, and 23:12)

“The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man” (Proverbs 22:12). “Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge” (v. 17). “Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge” (v. 20).

By attaining knowledge of God, we will be blessed and increase in wisdom and influence (Proverbs 24:4). Understanding (wisdom) and knowledge will even preserve our nation (Proverbs 28:2)

Much of godly knowledge is wrapped up in economic justice, protecting the rights of the poor, but the wicked do not understand (Proverbs 29:7). In fact, Jesus said that all of the wisdom and godly knowledge of the Law and the Prophets stood on the foundations of two commandments: to love God and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40).

While gaining godly knowledge is to be highly prized, it also comes with a heavy burden of responsibility. According to Luke 12:48, “from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” In the Epistle of James, assuming those with greater knowledge should be teaching those with less knowledge, the author warns, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment” (James 3:1). The Apostle Paul, that famous learned Pharisee (Philippians 3:5), wrote to the Romans to consider humility in relation to whatever knowledge they possessed: “Do not be wise in your own estimation” (Romans 12:16).

Perhaps Thomas à Kempis, a fifteenth century Augustinian monk, captured the sentiment of Paul’s directive best. Writing Of the Imitation of Christ in 1441, he advised, “Affect not to be overwise, but rather acknowledge thine own ignorance” (II.3). The idea of seeking knowledge and then acknowledging one’s own ignorance seems counterintuitive but it is not at all. Any honest scholar will tell you that the more they learn the more intensely they are aware of their own lack of knowledge. Any statement made in a scholarly article or book is based on a hierarchy of interconnected thought through eons of time and many hundreds or even thousands of previous scholars. To trace the history of complex theories, the resulting diagram would look something akin to an inverted genealogical chart. I am often impressed by the degree of scholastic interactions when some assemble their books and cite hundreds of other sources, often offering three or four to illuminate or expand on a single point. I have been reading one book that contains almost forty pages just in its bibliography!

Some who denounce theological education have encountered fools in their own studies who are arrogant about even the little knowledge they have accumulated. But they do not stop to think that no matter how deep, wide, or profound their knowledge may be, their knowledge in other disciplines very often rises no higher than what might be common among high school students and it will almost always fall far short of the expertise of the learned in other fields.

The central problem with knowledge is, because we worship an infinite God, it is infinite. We, on the other hand, are decidedly finite. Even all the collected knowledge of all the human race, living and dead throughout history, together still does not amount to even one percent of the knowledge of God. That’s the nature of infinity. It knows no bounds and cannot be measured. To think we have gained much knowledge is to become arrogant. That is why Paul must direct his readers to choose a humble way in light of any knowledge they have gained.

Andrew Murray was a writer, teacher, and pastor of Scottish, French, and German descent born in South Africa to missionary parents in the early 19th century. One of Murray’s most famous books, Humility: The Beauty of Holiness, is short and an easy read, at least in length. Murray’s challenge that we embrace and practice humility is not, however, at all easy. Perhaps the most poignant sentiment in Humility is that we will recognize humility when we recognize God for all that he is and reflect on ourselves in light of that view of God.

The study of theology is essential for the advancement of the church and God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. One need not have a seminary education to become wise in the knowledge of God but we should take care if we feel we need to denigrate those who have responded to God’s calling to higher education. Our God is not some simpleton whom we can “figure out” with a shallow knowledge or follow according to pithy statements, platitudes, and random verses from the Bible. He reveals himself graciously to all according to their capacity but more importantly according to their desire to know him.

 

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July 11, 2012 · 12:36 pm

Eden’s Bridge – Radio Interview from 07/10/12

This interview aired on the Write Here Write Now radio program on Atlanta Business Radio X at 10:00 a.m., July 10, 2012. Enjoy. I certainly welcome comments, questions, challenges.

Click here to hear the interview on Business Radio X.

Visit Write Here Write Now by clicking here. Let Dr. Tim Morrison know what you thought of the program.

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July 6, 2012 · 3:36 pm

Eden’s Bridge Internet Radio Interview – 7/10/12

Subject line:  You’re invited to my interview on Write Here, Write Now radio

 

Just wanted to invite you to hear an interview we are giving on Write Here, Write Now, which is part of the BusinessRadioX.com in Atlanta.  The show streams live at 10:00amET on Tuesday, July 10th.  We’d appreciate your company by having you tune in at 10:00amET.  Log onto: http://writeherewritenow.businessradiox.com then make sure the listen live icon is set on Alpharetta and “turn it on.” If you can’t join us for the live broadcast, tune in later to download the MP3 file of the interview.

I hope you will listen in!

 

Dave Doty

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June 18, 2012 · 3:50 pm

Reflections on Acton University 2012

I spent the better part of last week attending the Acton University (AU) conference, the flagship annual event of the Acton Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This was my fourth AU since 2004. Many things transpired during the week worthy of note . . . at least in my book.

For those not familiar with the Acton Institute, you can visit their web site at www.acton.org. They are a Christian think tank with the byline toward a free and virtuous society, which is perhaps one of the most succinct eschatological statements I have ever come across. Their slogan is “connecting good intentions with sound economics,” which includes both marketplace considerations as well as public policy concerns. They have initiated an incredible program within the business-as-mission (BAM) space called Poverty Cure (www.povertycure.org) which is worth a long look as they have now partnered with about 160 like-minded organizations (including Eden’s Bridge).

It was great to reconnect with Ray Nothstine, who is an employee of Acton, and Dr. Joy Moore of Duke University, both of whom are fellow Asbury alumni from my era in Wilmore, Kentucky. And those reconnections are at the heart of what AU accomplishes in a most significant way: connections. But I will get back to that.

The University runs from Tuesday to Friday nights and includes twelve seminars (four per day) and evening plenary speakers after what have always been excellent dinners. The event has grown to 800 attendees, more than a quarter from outside the United States, covering seventy five countries and the major traditions – Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Reformed Protestant, and Evangelical – of the global church. The last few years have also incorporated a small interfaith contingency of a handful of Muslim attendees. The last two years AU has been held at the expansive DeVos Convention Center in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids (a beautiful location on the Grand River). I was put up at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. As the previous three times I have attended AU, the food, the accommodations, the teaching sessions, and the people were all beyond expectations.

I need to pause here to give a shout out to a few select people, in particular to acknowledge the heart and hard work of three. Father Robert Sirico (the “face” of Acton) and Kris Mauren founded Acton in 1990. Their brilliant vision and tireless work have created a space in global Christian discussion that is unmatched in the arena of the integration and Christian faith and economics. But their example is fostering other such entities and conferences that are spreading around the world.

The third person that must be recognized is a dynamic and brilliant young woman named Kara Eagle. AU is Kara’s baby, so to speak, though she now has her own flesh and blood child of just six months. Kara is an exemplar of the whole spirit of excellence and servitude that surrounds AU. She, working with every member of Acton’s thirty two other Grand Rapids’ staffers, pulls AU together with unparalleled excellence. I can appreciate what Sirico and Mauren have done in their ministry but, frankly, they struck gold when they hired Kara and her ministry has been of no less significance than theirs. Her cheerfulness, energy, and humility are always present, even amidst the particularly harried moments that inevitably happen in these kinds of events. Kara Eagle defines the good and faithful servant.

Okay, back to connections. I met several new friends during AU, likely the most significant being my roommate Gregory. The Acton staff is diligent in trying to match roommates and Gregory could not have been better suited, at least for me. I hope he feels the same way. We were similar in age, early and mid-life experiences, philosophical leanings (though from very different faith traditions), and innate curiosity about all things Jesus and the outworking of our faith. We are fellow travelers on the path pursuing God’s glory.

Other friends included Cheryl, Tiffany, Trevor, Tomi, Jenni, Roland, Travis, and two Jim’s. Striking up conversations around our ministries and faith journeys extended even to our final parting as we left the airports at our final destinations (except for Travis, an advocate for independent Brazilian coffee growers who was journeying on to Rio de Janeiro). But the most significant contact for me at this year’s AU was Rodolpho (Rudy) Carrasco.

Rudy Carrasco is the U.S. Regional Facilitator at Partners Worldwide (http://www.partnersworldwide.org/), likely one of the most active and effective BAM ministries in the world. He is also very active with the Christian Community Development Association – CCDA (www.ccda.org) which has historically been focused on urban redevelopment but is now expanding into initiatives in domestic rural areas and internationally. I originally “met” Rudy through CCDA’s national conference in Indianapolis last October after being selected to present a seminar on “Small Business Development for Sustainable Funding.” Rudy and I only saw each other in passing in Indy as he was a very, very busy man during the conference.

But imagine my delight when Rudy and I crossed emails just days before AU and I found he was to be a presenter on “Private Charity: A Practitioner’s View.” His was not one of the sessions I had chosen but I was looking forward to the opportunity to meet with Rudy and discuss the convention of the Lausanne BAM Think Tank. I am delighted to report that I will be working on the North American-focused data gathering and reporting agenda for the Think Tank. Stay tuned!

To close I would suggest that anyone interested in the integration of their faith and economic issues, especially marketplace vocation and / or ministry, should check out the Acton web site and seriously consider attending Acton University next summer. The seminars are diverse and insightful, the food and facilities are wonderful, and the people are intentional about advancing the Kingdom of God through marketplace and government relationships. Shalom.

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June 17, 2012 · 2:34 pm

Prayer Request: Crossing a Bridge

I will be formally launching (incorporating) Eden’s Bridge Ministry in the coming months. Partnering with Poverty Cure (an Acton Institute business as mission initiative) and working with the the Lausanne BAM Think Tank (with Rudy Carrasco of Partners Worldwide and the Christian Community Development Association) for the coming year to compile data and generate reports on North American Kingdom companies and BAM ministries.

Eden’s Bridge will be focused as an information brokerage and BAM mobilization ministry to help network and serve the multitude of ministries and businesses seeking to advance the Kingdom of God through marketplace relationships, and providing educational materials and resources on BAM to the church at-large. I would welcome any opportunity to speak on the theology of the marketplace, business as mission, and engagement opportunities for marketplace Christians to help this movement forward.

Particular prayer needs are for financial support, travel provision and mercies, and volunteer web site hosting and development expertise. Busy, busy! all to the glory of God.

Stay tuned for developing news!

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June 7, 2012 · 5:48 pm

BAM Resources

I had a request the other day about BAM resources. Following was my reply. These are only a very small portion of the resources I have accumulated but offer a pretty good overview.

Here are some titles and links that I would recommend. It should talk you longer than you have to investigate all of these thoroughly. I would advise starting with the video of Rudy Carrasco at www.twofortygroup.com. Rudy is one of the directors of Partners Worldwide, is active in the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) where I first met him, and is active with the Acton Institute and will be speaking at the Acton University conference (which I be attending next week).

God is at Work – Ken Eldred – business as missions foundations, including key models
Business as Mission – C. Neal Johnson – the BAM textbook, so to speak (comprehensive)
Business as Mission – Michael Baer – a foundational text on BAM values
Bridging the Gap – Bruce Bradshaw – connecting evangelism and BAM
Eden’s Bridge – David Doty (HEY! That’s me!) – theology of the marketplace

www.povertycure.org – BAM initiative and organizational (partners links) of the Acton Institute
www.acton.org – Acton Institute – think tank, integration of faith and economics
www.businessasmissionnetwork.com – BAM links and organizations
www.businessasmission.org – YWAM, Youth with a Mission is one of the most progressive missions organizations in BAM
www.partnersworldwide.org – a very sophisticated missions organization that is highly focused on BAM
www.bamthinktank.org – one year global BAM think tank of the Lausanne Committee
www.ccda.org – Christian Community Development Association, predominantly focused on domestic inner city redevelopment but starting to go global

Let me know any questions or thoughts that you have. I love to talk about the integration of our faith and economics, and especially BAM.

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