Our nation is experiencing what many have described as the “American Nightmare.” Increasing consumer debt, declines in savings, lower income growth, rising housing costs and a volatile stock market are all contributing to economic insecurity. We live in a society that tells us “you deserve it now,” whether or not we can afford it or really even need it. Simplicity, Generosity and Joy leads participants to examine their own values and habits around wealth, spending, discipline, giving and contentment.

This six session video study features Reverend Adam Hamilton presenting:

-Introduction: Faith in the Midst of Financial Crisis
-When Dreams Become Nightmares
-Wisdom and Finance
-Cultivating Contentment
-Defined By Generosity
-Bonus video: To Be A Blessing

Dave Ramsey - "We Americans love our stuff. We’re living in a fast-paced, me-first, instant-gratification world, and it’s finally catching up to us. Debt is out of control, homes are in foreclosure ... even banks are going out of business. What the world needs today is the message of contentment and simplicity, and that’s exactly what Pastor Adam Hamilton delivers in Enough."

Additional DVD with stewardship program, including printible artwork, bulletin samples, video clips, and other helpful resources.

JustFaith, a thirty-week adult educational and formational process, offers an opportunity for people of faith to embark upon a spiritual journey into compassion. Most of us long to be a generous and compassionate people. However, occasions to explore this tradition in a deliberate and engaging way have largely not been available. JustFaith provides a lively and challenging format to read, view, discuss, pray, experience and be formed by the justice tradition that changes lives, inspires faithful witness, and transforms the world through love and service. JustFaith is an extensive, conversion-based process that provides a context in which participants can grow in their commitment to care for the vulnerable and to become advocates for justice, and serves to strengthen the growing commitment of churches to be agents of social transformation, mercy and compassion. The JustFaith program has been offered in over nine hundred churches from a variety of denominations in thirty-seven states throughout the country.

This kit contains all the resources (23 books and videos) needed for teaching the JustFaith class. Participants will need to purchase individual copies of each book, available through Sowers Books. Videos are for in class viewing. Optimum class size is limited to 10-12 students.

For more information about the JustFaith program, visit www.justfaith.org, or email at: info@justfaith.org.

An eloquent, challenging and inspiring six-week introduction to Christian ethics that avoids pat answers and simplistic lists of dos and don'ts. Dr. Wheeler focuses on the formation of Christian character, citing helpful examples both from Scripture and from Church history. She concludes with a test case: the issue of money and consumption. What would Paul, Augustine, Luther and Wesley say to modern Christians about their use of resources?

The six video lessons (20 minutes each) include:
1. Introduction: A Christian Way of Living?
Four Models for Christian Ethics:
2. Scripture: The Story that Forms Us
3. Augustine: Ordering Our Loves
4. Luther: The Spirit of Christian Life
5. Wesley: Transforming Grace
6. Conclusion: Learning from Our Traditions- A Test Case

Tony Campolo and Shane Claiborne have created an intensely personal dialogue about the foundations of the Christian life and voluntary simplicity. Relevant to Christians today, this pointed-yet-hopeful DVD focuses on the following six topics: lifestyle, food, celebrations, stuff, money and justice. Includes leader's guide and bonus footage. Author and theologian Justo L. Gonzalez says, "Simply Enough is unique in its kind. Repeatedly, one finds in it challenging and refreshing new insights into old biblical texts. It calls us to responsible action and poses some very radical challenges, but it does this in a way that is loving and hopeful, while also offering concrete examples of such responsible action".
1 hour, 11 minutes total run time; Six sessions
Alternatives for Simple Living

Featuring Walter Brueggeman, Old Testament scholar, this five-part series shows how all of God's people - from Israelites fleeing Pharaoh's Egypt and slavery to today's Christians battling consumerism - struggle with the temptation to hang onto the status quo and the things that enslave us rather than step out of our comfort zone and claim God's promise of freedom from sin and bondage.
This is a new study for Progressive Christians. Ideal for Advent and Lent, flexible in format, this program includes over an hour of video on DVD and a CD-Rom with printable written materials.
Five sessions (10-20min/ea)
Session 1: The Way Out
Session 2: The Decalogue
Session 3: Countering Caesar
Session 4: An Act of Imagination
Session 5: On Not Doing God Any Favors

This video will expose students to the problem of overcomsumption and its effects on the society and the environment. This one-hour program takes a hard, sometimes humorous look at the American passion for shopping, and how it leads to debt and stress for families, communities, the nation and the world. It also explores the strategies used by marketers to sell products to young people. This program is appropriate for students grade 6-12.
Activities in teacher's guide are grouped by subjects such as communications, economics, mathematics, social studies, environmental studies and the arts.

The term "Affluenza" in this video is defined as: American epidemic of shopping, overwork, debt and pursuit of money. Tony Campolo tells us about a cure that's actually documented in the Bible - "Sell all you have and give it to the poor." Campolo says we can and tells us how. He tackles forbidden subjects such as our money, our time, and our stuff. He is really telling us that we must simplify in order to live fully and that simplicity is a path to the abundant life Jesus said he came to bring.
Tape 1 of 6.
Tony Campolo describes a simple lifestyle and an affluent lifestyle, followed by discussion about the anxiety that wealth creates and what Jesus says we should be seeking.

Tape 3 of 6
One of Jesus' parables of the Kingdom is a story about a banquet. No one comes because they don't have time. This session will help you determine what portion of your time is discretionary and how to allocate time.

Hosted by Alexandra Paul, this video shows teenagers grappling with what it takes to be "cool" and the environmental price we pay to have the latest, "coolest" stuff. This film looks at everyday items, from T-shirt to sneakers, and tracks the effect of their manufacture on the world's resources. This video provides insight into ways we can enjoy a sustainable, high quality life while being less focused on personal possessions and consumption.

Tape 5 of 6.
If you want to live a simple life for Christ, where do you get help, encouragement, and support for this radical thought? Tony Campolo suggests sources of help for changing our lifestyles.