On Sunday, September 14th, I attended a Bread for the World workshop at First Lutheran Church in Duluth. I announced that I was planning to go during both worship services. I also offered a ride to anyone interested in attending. I was disappointed when no one chose to attend this workshop with me. In fact, I almost decided not to go myself. Ultimately, I did decide to go and I am so glad that I did. I am glad partly because of the material presented at the workshop and I am glad because of a book recommendation that I received when I was there.

The book that was recommended to me is titled, How Much is Enough? It was written by Arthur Simon. Arthur is the son of a Lutheran pastor. His father and mother served in the mission field before returning to the states to raise their family. Arthur has a brother named Paul, who has had a career in politics in the state of Illinois. A few years ago he left his position in the United States Senate to teach at a university. Paul is the one who wears the bow tie and failed in a bid to become president a few elections back.

Arthur chose a different path, but one also very involved in politics. He worked to get Paul elected in the early days of Paul's political career. While working on Paul's election campaign, Arthur discovered what it takes to influence political decisions in this country. He decided to spend some time convincing politicians in this country to do something about hunger in this country and hunger around the world.

Eventually Arthur's work on hunger issues led him to form an organization called Bread for the World. Over the years, Bread for the World has literally saved millions of lives by convincing politicians in this country to devote some of our tax dollars to fighting hunger.

He did not write this book to lay a guilt trip on people who drive Ferraris and live in mansions. He wrote it to free us from some of the things that enslave many who live in today's culture of wealth and greed. He encourages us to live the life Christ had in mind for us.

He describes a view of stewardship that is refreshing. Too many times stewardship is presented like the pledge campaign on public radio. It is the we need money in order to make these programs available to you approach. In the church it becomes we need money to pay the pastor's salary and the heat bill in the church. The entire concept of turning your entire life over to the will of Jesus Christ is lost. If you read this book, Arthur Simon will help you find that view. It is the view the Bible teaches.

Too many times people look at Christianity and ask, "How many thing am I going to have to give up in order to follow Christ?" It is a bit like an alcoholic who asks, "How many things am I going to have to give up if I decide to stay sober?" I can answer part of that question. When alcoholics stay sober, they give up having to spend a half-hour in the early morning throwing up into the toilet. They miss out on the splitting headaches that come after consuming too much alcohol. They miss out on some of the destructive behavior that ruins many of their relationships with other people. They miss out on liver disease and an early death.

When the first disciples decided to follow Jesus, they left behind families and fishing nets. They probably used to have a place to stay and a bit of security in fishing for a living on the Sea of Galilee. It was probably not as easy for them as it seems when we read it in the Gospel stories. Jesus said, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." (NRSV) He also said, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." It sounds like complete hardship, but it is not.

Think of what the lives of the disciples would have been like after deciding to follow Jesus. They got to see water changed into wine at a wedding celebration. They got to see people being healed. They say the blind receive their sight, they saw the lame dance for joy, and they saw the deaf hear. They saw lepers cleansed and they even saw Jesus raise people from the dead. They participated in feeding five thousand people with two fish and a few loaves of bread. The got to hear the Sermon on the Mount first hand. Some of them got to see Jesus, Moses and Elijah on the mountain of transfiguration. They saw the empty tomb, and they watched Jesus ascend into heaven.

They faced some hardship, but they also experienced great joy. Arthur Simon points out the emptiness in chasing after the next new thing, and the joy of living the life God intended for us.

The book is in the St. Mark's library. You can also purchase it for $12.00 from Bread for the World. If you purchase the book from Bread for the World, the proceeds go to the work of that organization. It is one of the best books that I have read in a long time and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

May God bless and keep each and every one of you.

Sincerely,

Pastor Birk