Jesus spoke about the “abundant life” but it had nothing to do with having lots of stuff. It was about restoring our relationship to what it had once been, an intimate relationship with God, fulfilling the deepest desire of our souls. Living counter-culturally is a challenge, especially in the area of our finances. The ever-increasing rise in consumer debt, the increased conflict in marriages and families due to financial stress, increase in anxiety and anxiety related illnesses along with the downward trend in giving is evidence of this. Reports indicate that money issues are one of the top two stressors for Canadians. God’s economy is different. It is one of giving and receiving, sowing and reaping, not just buying and selling. Consider these stats: n An Ipsos survey released in 2017 showed that 52% of Canadians are just $200 away from financial insolvency at the end of each month. Nearly 1/3 said they do not make enough to cover their expenses. n At the end of 2017, Statistics Canada reported that debt to income ratio increased to 171%. This means that for every dollar a household makes, they owe $1.71 (this includes consumer debt, mortgages and non-mortgage loans). This number has been climbing for decades and is at an all time high. 1 3 | u n m a s k i n g m a m m o n Unmasking_Mammon_book_4.5.indd 13 2018-07-11 7:41 AM