21 Years on – things I still believe!
Notes from Bruce's message at Liberty Trust's 21st Birthday - 30 Oct 2010
INTRODUCTION:
Earlier this year 2 young men made an appointment to see me about Liberty Trust! We had a great time together and they went away with eyes sparkling I thought with every intention of joining!
About 2 months later I found out from a family member that they hadn’t proceeded because a friend had developed a model that was able to out perform Liberty Trust! I could see a bit concern in her voice as she shared this. Immediately I felt a rush of inner anger and found myself responding with the words, “But he missed out 5 things in his model!”
Today I want to tell you what those 5 things were!!
1. His model forgot to factor in the command for Christians to ‘do good to the household of faith’ (Gal 6:10)
Liberty Trust was never established to make people rich but to make them FREE! The reality is that most people are indebted to banks and so the perception now is that if you are mortgage free you are rich!! Wrong thinking!! It is the will of God for everyone to be debt free. Liberty Trust has been and is committed to this!
2. His model forgot that we are to ‘do good to all men!!”
Jesus came to ‘seek and to save that which is lost…(Matthew 18:11)”. This is not just people but systems, principles, understandings!!
Liberty Trust is a REDEMPTIVE ECONOMIC MODEL!!
3. His model did not take into account that God is a generational God:
God is still the ‘God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!’ He is a generational God!
If this young man is able to make his model work and achieve its projections releasing him from Mortgage debt quicker than Liberty Trust and other repayment plans it still has a flaw! His children will then need to begin the same sacrificial process as they reach the age of needing to have a home. While it is true that this man will be better positioned than most to assist them nevertheless ‘interest’ will remain an essential ingredient in their asset acquisition journey!
That is not so with Liberty Trust. We are have already seen significant benefits to those who have pioneered the work of Liberty Trust BUT we know that essentially these pioneers have paid a price that the next generation will significantly benefit from! The ‘Interest’ cycle will be broken and a clearly superior lending agent will replace the banks as the lender of housing finance for great Kiwi families!
4. His model did not remember the axiom that “he who gives to the poor, lends to the Lord’ (Prov 19:17)
There is no provision for the care of the poor in his model and in fact I am sure that his giving will be significantly restrained by the repayment regime he will need to employ! Not so with LT. As people sacrificially and systematically contribute to LT they are helping to create an ever increasing ‘Storehouse’ for the care of others including the poor!
I see this factor as being the number one ongoing challenge to the Trustees!
5. And finally his model makes no provision for the weakness in 21st century Westerners to sacrifice in the way it would be necessary to make his model work:
I am confident knowing the young man involved that he will likely achieve what his model projects. But not so most people! They will be caught up in the marketing mania of our generation, will live right up to their means and settle for the easy road of a life time of debt!
Liberty Trust on the other hand represents an aspect of giving – an altogether Christian lifestyle responsibility which brings out the best in all of us!!
So, I turned to my family member and said, “Factor in those 5 things and LT is ‘way ahead’ of any other model!
You see I still believe all of those things!
I still believe that Luke 16: 8 doesn't have to be so…
“…for the sons of this world are wiser (more shrewd) in their generation than the Sons of Light!”
I still believe that God’s plan is not that we should ‘make it on our own’. That the devil gains control of people economically through, ‘divide and conquer’ – that the strength of the church is in UNITY!
Acts 4: 34, “…there was not 1 poor one among them”
LT is not a Robin Hood scheme – not taking from the rich to give to the poor. It is ordinary people assisting ordinary people! THAT IS THE CHURCH!
I believe that repentance is an economic thing!
a. John the Baptist (Luke 3: 8, 11 – 14)
John said to the crowds coming out to baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance …
“What should we do then?” the crowds asked. John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none and the one who has food should do the same”.
Tax collectors also came to be baptized. “Teacher” they asked, “what should we do?” “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely – be content with your pay”.
All 3 groups were told the same thing – change they way they treat their resources and money. Instead of greed they should share with those in need. Instead of seeking the most money for themselves they should seek to benefit others. They were called to Economic Repentance!
b. Jesus (Luke 4:18) ‘Good news to the poor’
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”!
c. The Church (Acts 4: 31 – 35)
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. …
I STILL BELIEVE THAT Liberty Trust IS A KEY PART OF GOD”S END TIME PLAN FOR THE CHURCH!!
The day will come when people will press in to be involved in LT but today sacrifice is still required to make that a reality. Thanks for being willing to make those sacrifices!!
30 October 2010