by Mike Slaughter with Karen Perry Smith
Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, Ky. 200 pages
REVIEWED BY MIKE LITTLE
When I see that a popular megachurch pastor has written a book about money, my initial reaction is dread. It seems to me that some churches attract and keep large congregations by avoiding the hard topics: sex, politics and — the big taboo — money. In the 20 years I have worked with faith and money, I have rarely heard a prophetic word about money, although I’ve read many books and heard many sermons. “The Christian Wallet” is a welcome exception to my experience.
Slaughter does not spiritualize money. With refreshing honesty, he shares his own struggles, failures and challenges. He invites readers to connect our faith with our money and to let go of the messages of fear and anxiety that surround us. Slaughter is not afraid to offend our sensitivities and lifestyles with disturbing facts. With wise guidance, he undermines the popular teaching of the prosperity gospel, which basically presents wealth as a sign of God’s favor, making poverty a sign that a person is not doing something right. In the introduction he says: “Conscientious and compassionate use of our money in a world where people spend $310 million on costumes for their pets and $5 billion on entertaining ringtones for their phones is not an easy task. The temptation to spend now and think later (or never!) is ever-present, but with good intentions and prayerful hearts, we can slow down and reflect on what we earn, how we spend it, who is affected by it, and who we can share it with.”
This is not a fluff book and does not promise easy answers. There are chapters on taxes, generosity, conscious spending, simplicity and consumerism. I am most excited about his inclusion of responsible investing. This is an area that is often left out of stewardship and money conversations. Many of us, as people of faith, give a portion of our income to help others. Those of us brought up in church life were probably taught to give away 10 percent of our income, a tithe. What about the other 90 percent? What about the money we don’t give away — the money we plan to spend, save for emergencies or invest for retirement? Our savings can actively benefit our community and be there when we need it, just by carefully choosing where we bank. Our investments can support our faith values and grow for retirement if we intentionally select where we invest.
Our relationship to money and material possessions helps to define who we are, what we value, how we live and even what we believe. Yet we often go about life not connecting the material with the spiritual. Slaughter’s book moves us in the right direction. It is both supportive and challenging and helps us wrestle with important questions about using money: how we spend, how we live, how we save, how we give. Inspired by a preaching/teaching series he gave to the congregation he serves, it is full of great questions for individuals, families and small groups to ponder. People of faith need help to move from general desires to specific actions and Slaughter shows the way. The skeptic in me worries that if he does keep preaching and teaching “The Christian Wallet” he may lose his job.
MIKE LITTLE leads the inward and outward work of Faith and Money Network as director. Within the network, he fosters relationships with individuals and churches, leading reflections and discussions on the role of money the lives of people of faith.
