Note: This post is an excerpt from the book Christian Minimalism: Simple Steps for Abundant Living. One of the major reasons that many Christians hesitate to live out radical generosity and serve others is a pervasive American heresy called the “prosperity gospel,” which proclaims that wealth and health and success
Have you ever bought something small that sounded like a good idea at the time, but ended up being useless or broken in a matter of minutes? You’re not alone. Chances are, you’ve experienced this at least once, and know the frustration that comes with buying something that ends up
In the United States, there is a wide range of acceptable price ranges for goods and services. For example, I live in Manhattan in New York City, which is the second-most expensive city in the U.S. When you live, work, and play in New York City, you know that– for
Real riches are the riches possessed inside. B.C. Forbes, founder of Forbes magazine When people gauge success in consumer society, it’s typically based on salary and the accumulation of wealth/material possessions. As you make more money, and amass more money and possessions, you continue to be more and more “successful.”
Benjamin Franklin once wrote a famous quotation about money that still haunts us today: Remember that time is money. He that can earn ten shillings a day by his labour, and goes abroad, or sits idle one half of that day, though he spends but sixpence during his diversion or
A few years ago, I discovered a song by Janis Joplin called “Mercedes Benz.” The lyrics go something like this (and you can listen along here): Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amendsWorked hard all my lifetime, no help from
Here on the Christian Minimalism blog, we’ve looked at minimalism in The Greatest Showman and A Christmas Carol. This time, we are looking minimalism in the movie Yesterday. In Yesterday, Jack Malick is a struggling singer-songwriter who plays gigs that are barely attended and booked by teacher-by-day, manager-by-night Ellie Appleton.
Lately, I’ve been reading through Psalms and Proverbs for my regular Bible devotions. And I came across this Bible verse: Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life. Proverbs 1:19 (New Living Translation) I was immediately struck by this verse, since as
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has become a classic Christmastime tradition. Whether we watch one of the many film adaptations, the stage play, or read the original written story, it has stood the test of time and continues to be a tradition every year. It’s a story that has ingrained
I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer. ~Jim Carrey From a very young age, we are told that the more money we make, the happier we will be. Rarely do we hear this