By Rev. Eric Van Meter*

Photo: Rev. Jim Harnish provides insight and lessons on how to live generously at the 23rd Session of the Dakotas Annual Conference.

To Jim Harnish, it’s not about the money—except when it is.

Speaking during the teaching sessions to the Dakotas Annual Conference on Friday, Harnish identified generous living as the issue that will most clearly define who we are as followers of Christ.

“Salvation is never just about money,” Harnish said. “But it is never about anything less than money.”

According to Harnish, the problem for would-be disciples is rooted in a spiritual level. It begins with a selfishness common to all, but amplified in our culture of narcissism. The life of the Spirit found in the Scriptures stands in contrast to that narcissism, urging those who follow Christ to live open lives marked by generosity.

The mission of the church, he reminds us, is not to raise money or pay apportionments. It is to make disciples. To that end, we need to give people a larger sense of who they are, of why they are here, and of what God can do with their resources. This all-encompassing sense of purpose is, deeply rooted in John Wesley’s idea of Christian perfection.

But while living generously calls on all of our resources, it becomes acutely important in terms of our money, as Wesley was well aware. He set forth three rules for the Methodists: earn all you can, save all you can, and give all you can. Not surprisingly, as they followed his advice, the Methodists’ wealth began to increase, posing a spiritual difficulty Wesley felt compelled to address—not for his movement’s sake, but for the spiritual well-being of his followers.

“Wesley’s sermon on money was not about raising money for the Methodist movement,” Harnish said. “It was about helping his people move toward a better life by appropriately using their money.”

This requires more than charity, he argued. Charity is a short-term, compassionate response measured in its impact on the recipients. Stewardship, on the other hand, is a disciplined approach to a lifetime of generosity, measured in its impact on the giver.

Harnish concluded with some practical advice for how to live out Wesley’s rules. To begin with, leaders need to go first. Those who make the decisions for the church should be the first to model generosity.

Our talk of money must be biblical—“soaked in Scripture,” as Harnish puts it. But it also has to be accessible, in line with Wesley’s goal to present plain talk for plain people.

“We don’t need to pretend we’re talking about something else,” Harnish says. “This is an opportunity to offer an honest word with plain, practical guidance, because people deal with this every day.”

Our approach to money should also be positive and joyful, recognizing that money is not an inherent evil, but a necessary part of life that is in need of grace, but not guilt-ridden.

Natalie Hilton, a youth delegate from Piedmont Grace UMC (SD), appreciated what Harnish had to say.

“I like his unconventional style and humor,” she said. “That was one of my favorite parts of annual conference.”

*Eric VanMeter is the campus pastor at Dakota Wesleyan University.