Leeds Vineyard

Looking after it

A person who is following hard after Jesus looks after their money, their body, their time, their integrity and the world around.
 

What does that look like?

 

'Looking after it' can be a daunting list, and it is important that these qualities are seen as an attractive vision for living life to the full, rather than a standard for judging others or a personal guilt trip. It is probably not possible to work on every area at once, so each individual will need to listen to God's prompting about what to work on next. The outcomes we see in the lives of people following Jesus will vary, but might include:
 

Money

 

Recognising that "it all belongs to God", looking after it might mean:
  • Spending less than you earn
  • Avoiding consumer debt, or working towards freedom from debt
  • Having a financial plan, and a budget
  • Saving, and investing in an ethical way
  • Giving a proportion of your income
  • Generously and spontaneously giving money and other resources to people who need it
  • Using money to support and provide for family members
  • Making buying decisions with an awareness of fair trade
 

Body

 

Recognising that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, looking after it might mean:
  • Exercising: maintaining a level of fitness
  • Resting: getting enough sleep
  • Eating: choosing a healthy diet; eating in moderate quantity; being in control of appetite (e.g. learnt through fasting)
  • Not being mastered by addictive substances, or working towards recovery from addiction. e.g. alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, prescription drugs, recreational drugs, illicit drugs, substance abuse.
  • Sexual expression within an appropriate context, and sexual abstinence outside that context.
  • Keeping an active and pure mind: a life-long learner, exploring cultural and artistic expression, in control of your screen use (TV, computer, games), avoiding pornography and excessively violent entertainment

Time

 

Looking after your time might mean:
  • Being organised and disciplined about getting things done efficiently
  • Having time to relate to people even when busy
  • Setting goals and priorities in prayerful conversation with the Lord
  • Protecting time for important things
  • Having a regular day off work, being disciplined not to overwork
 

Integrity

 

Looking after your integrity might mean:
  • Telling the truth
  • Being consistent, trustworthy and reliable: sticking to promises and commitments you make
  • Able to channel strong emotions (such as anger) in appropriate and non-destructive ways
  • Using power and influence for the common good rather than for personal advantage
  • Following the radical ethics of Jesus and the law of the land even when it is not convenient
  • Staying within the spirit of boundary rules: not gaming the system, not exaggerating claims for benefit, expenses or insurance, not avoiding tax
 

The world around

 

Recognising God's mandate to humankind to be stewards of creation, looking after it might mean:
  • Reducing waste, reusing, recycling
  • Minimising personal impact on planetary resources
  • Living out "Godliness with contentment is great gain" and rejecting the consumer quest for more, bigger, better, and newer; and the social pressure to conform to what others are consuming.
  • Encouraging and perhaps campaigning for other individuals, corporations and governments to look after creation resources
 

How does it come about?

 

The way we see that becoming deeply rooted in people's lives includes
  • Personal reflection on scripture or through reading Bible-based books, and God's challenge and prompt to the individual
  • Role models living out these values and talking about the reasons why
  • Housegroup discussion that includes scriptural challenge, sharing where you are at the moment and prayer for change and development.
  • Running partners and coaches listening to the current situation and helping the individual form action steps towards change and development
  • Practical equipping through seminars and workshops in lifecraft skills such as
    • Money management
    • Healthy living
    • Time management
    • Practical ethics
    • Living with less consumption
  • Campaigns and joint efforts to make a change in an organisation or community

Resources

 

 
Serendipity Bible Study
 
  • Assertiveness - Holding your own (Serendipity Felt-need course 11, page M13)
  • Pressures - Keeping it together when it's falling apart (Stress - Serendipity Felt-need course 14, page M16)
  • Balancing act - Winning at work without losing at home (Time - Serendipity Felt-need course 20, page M22)
  • Stress - Surviving day to day (Stress - Serendipity Felt-need course 34, page M36)
  • Hot issues - I've got to talk to somebody (Integrity - Serendipity Felt-need course 36, page M38)
  • Stressed out - Living in the fast lane (Time - Serendipity Felt-need course 38, page M40)
  • Business ethics - A Christian in a down and dirty world (Integrity - Serendipity Felt-need course 39, page M41)
  • Whol-i-ness - With myself, others and God (Serendipity Felt-need course 46, page M48)
  • Financial stress - Making ends meet (Money - Serendipity Felt-need course 50, page M52)
  • Healthy habits - Shaping up (Body - Serendipity Felt-need course 55, page M57)
  • 12 steps - The road to recovery (Body - Serendipity Felt-need course 60, page M62)
Videos
 
  • Nooma 004 | Sunday: "Why do we do the things we do?"
  • Nooma 013 | Rich: "Maybe God has blessed us with everything we have so we can bless and give to others."
  • Generosity: six short video clips from Stewardship, featuring David Flowers
Stewardship
  • A huge bank of resources,: testimonies, studies, work sheets, stories, ideas, briefing notes. Stewardship's mission is to Make Giving Easy, Inspire Greater Generosity and Strengthen Christian Causes. You'll find it very helpful.
From our own website

 

Covenant eyes
 
 Looking after Money: talks and articles 
6 questions to ask before you borrow moneyThis article has associated audio
6 questions to ask before you take on debt. More ...
It all belongs to God – why we giveThis article has associated audio
There are several mistaken reasons to give and several things that make it difficult. But the starting point, the main reason to give is because everything we have belongs to God. David provides a helpful perspective to handling money and giving. More ...
David Flowers
Resources relating to money
As part of the teaching series on money in Feb-Mar 2009 we have compiled a set of resources that you may find helpful and useful. More ...
David Flowers
The 5 biblical principles for handling moneyThis article has associated audio
We live in anxious times and many of us are facing money worries. The bible has much wisdom for a right approach to money. More ...
The power of money 1: why we spendThis article has associated audio
Michele offers a challenge to us by looking at ways our hearts can be held captive by money. She also suggests ways that we can become free from that captivity. More ...
Michele Goulding
The power of money 2: Know the territoryThis article has associated audio
Ben talks about how we steward our money, addresses common myths regarding money, and challenges us to make courageous decisions about how we manage our money. More ...
Ben Newman
The power of money 3: Difficult TimesThis article has associated audio
David challenges us in difficult times to build our financial house on the rock of the truth of what the bible says about money, and not on the sand of affluenza and debt. More ...
David Flowers
 
 Looking after your time: talks and articles 
Making Space For Life 2: Making space in a busy worldThis article has associated audio
Sally looks at how to make space for life in a busy world. Many of our lives are stressful or busy. How do we manage to fit space for God amidst all that is going on? More ...
Sally Wallace
 
 Looking after your body: talks and articles 
God makes a difference - WorryThis article has associated audio
Understanding worry, plus lots of practical steps that show how God makes a difference. More ...
Sally Wallace
Looking after it - YourselfThis article has associated audio
The bible encourages us to look after ourselves - for a start we need more sleep. More ...
David Flowers
   
 Recent Media Uploads 
God makes a difference - Work (download)
Ben talks about the difference God makes to our work life. In a world where work often means stress and the relentless pressure to perform and make enough money, God offers a very different vision of what we work for.
Ben Newman, 15/07/2012
God makes a difference - Choices (download)
When it comes to making decisions God makes a difference because (1) He is interested (2) He helps you make good decisions and (3) as you follow Him you change the way you make choices.
David Flowers, 01/07/2012
God makes a difference - Money (download)
Alex looks at the difference God makes to how we view our finances. He encourages us to get all we can, save all we can, give all we can and to sync all we can.
Alex Griffin, 24/06/2012
God makes a difference - Worry (download)
Understanding worry, plus lots of practical steps that show how God makes a difference.
Sally Wallace, 17/06/2012
Desire (download)
Mark, Associate Rector at St George's Church in the city centre, talks about the desire to possess more stuff that drives consumerism, and that fills us with the fear of not having enough, and the disappointment that nothing ever quite delivers the fulfilment it promises. Yet, Jesus promises that he can free us from fear and disappointment, that in following him, we will have enough.
Mark Powley, 03/04/2011
Making Space For Life 2: Making Space in a Busy World (download)
Sally looks at how to make space for life in a busy world. Many of our lives are stressful or busy. How do we manage to fit space for God amidst all that is going on?
Sally Wallace, 20/06/2010
Making wise decisions (download)
David Wallace sets off our series on decision making by encouraging us to consider our ways, to become aware of how and why we make decisions, so that we can ensure that our decisions are wise.
David Wallace, 22/11/2009
We too can be wise (download)
God wants us to become wise, he is eager to give us wisdom when we ask. Wisdom begins with the realisation that the world and everything in it belongs to God.
Erik Peeters, 01/06/2008
Hi! How are you? - Depression (download)
Jason reflects on what our community needs to be like to be effective in ministering to those suffering from depression.
Jason Procter, 02/12/2007
Hi, how are you? Loving me, loving you. (download)
David & Alison explore the way we need to love ourselves and each other as we and those around us experience depression.
David and Alison Flowers, 18/11/2007
Hi, how are you? Feeling good, feeling bad. (download)
We look at the "D" word and what it really means to suffer from depression. Mel Rogers shares some useful information and Michele Goulding tells some of her journey through depression. David then explores the way Elijah, when severely depressed, is looked after by God.
David Flowers, 11/11/2007
Hi! how are you? Knowing me, knowing you. (download)
David starts a new series discussing issues surrounding mental health. To start with - do we really know much about each other and how do we handle feeling different from everyone else? Jesus shows us a way.
David flowers, 04/11/2007
Restoring the soul (download)
Four simple steps to keeping fit and healthy in your spiritual life. And then a reflection from Psalm 42 on why it is not always as easy as that.
Jason procter, 22/07/2007
Choices (download)
We are told that economic success leads to choice and choice leads to happiness. What about the choice to deny ourselves and follow Jesus?
Ashley Hardingham, 18/03/2007
Accountability (download)
Mark talks about the value of small groups and also of being accountable with one or two other people. How to go about setting up an accountability relationship.
Mark Saxby, 17/12/2006


 
Kate Newman and David Wallace, 07/05/2011