Customer Reviews

Enough: Stewardship Program Guide

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Adam Hamilton and Church of the Resurrection have done it again. This is more than a useful tool for the yearly Stewardship campaigns that many churches have. It is a resource for faithful discipleship. ENOUGH provides all you need in order to encourage your congregation to look at generosity through a new perspective. Our church plans to use this throughout the year.

The intent of this book is to show people how to change their outlook from one of mindless consumerism to one of simplicity and generosity. The book is part of a sermon series delivered by Adam Hamilton and there is an accompanying DVD that will allow for a small group discussion to be offered in adult education. Hamilton's sermons on the DVD mirror the book so it is not really necessary to read the book prior to a class, except that the participant will be better prepared for any ensuing discussion.

While Hamilton offers personal examples of how even a pastor can become enveloped in consumerism, he doe not really blaze any new trails in his solutions. True, budgets will help young people and newlyweds organize their necessary spending, but he then falls into the same trap of preaching tithing to what will likely be deaf ears. He never really explores his subtheme of generosity. He suggests people give the first fruits of their labor to the church and then spend on the necessities. This is all well and good, but he then says that people's giving to help the poor and hungry are part of the 90% of left over income after the church receives its share. Helping the poor and hungry, in most people's views, are part of the 10% Hamilton says is solely for the church. Hamilton never seems to grasp that giving to charity and to the church are all one and the same type of giving in most people's eyes. The Internal Revenue Service would agree that any charitable giving is tax deductable, so is this part of the 90% of income we are expected to live upon or not?

Hamilton never develops a thesis of generosity though he does give examples of his daughts buying him a birthday gift with their allowance. Other than brief examples he otherwise fails to give generosity any real substance. He instead rails on consumerism and the need to have the newest gadget as a means of personal gratification. Maybe as we age we see less need to be trendy, so an audience of 19-30 year olds would veiw his message different from those of us over 45.

Anyway, this is not a bad sermon series, and some may even find an important message herein, but I felt it was a little too directed at consumerism and too little directed at charitable generosity.

I am converted to the philosophy of simplicity and balance vs. being a consumerist, so I was very excited to find this book, but it greatly disappointed. This book is an EXCELLENT gift to give a young person who is making decisions for the first time. It would be a good book for someone who is very "bourgeois" and has never thought about his or her over-consuming habits. However, it is SO basic as to be not useful to anyone who has already started on this path.

The book definitely has a religious tone. This book may also be useful for someone whose religion does not closely examine the connection between economic and consumer decision-making and religious values. (I am an Anabaptist, so been-there-done-that).

I feel a bit bad giving this book a low rating, because it is a good book, it just is marketed a bit poorly. It ought to be marketed for those who are looking for a transformation toward simplicity and who do not know where to start or what the arguments are to support this decision. (Besides, like Pastor Hamilton, I am a Kansan, and we like to stick together!) If the publisher updates the marketing information, I will give this 5 stars!

Our church is using this program in a home group study format. The pastor has broken the church into about 20 home groups with pastor trained leaders to run the program. I will be one of the leaders of a home group. When I purchased this book I thought I was getting a "teacher's manual". Since the book was on back order, I defaulted to the program guide thinking I would get the book within the guide along with teaching material. Unfortunately this is only a guide for the pastor to promote the program to the church. One good thing about the guide is that there is supplemental material ISBNs in the back that you can purchase separately. (Except for the 6 principle clings-problems with supplier). But as far as having week one lesson plan, week two lesson plan, week three lesson plan; forget it. This book contains bulletin inserts, mailing ideas, and sermon ideas. If you buy this, you will still have to purchase the book.