Discussion Questions

Craig says Salt and Light starts with the conviction that “everything we have belongs to God, not just our money”; what picture of God’s ownership and intentions is assumed here, and how does that challenge the way Anabaptists and evangelicals commonly talk about “my money” and “my life”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If everything we have belongs to God (not just our money), what does that say about what God owns and wants? How does that challenge the way we talk about “my money” and “my life”?

The course avoids a prescriptive “do this and this and this” model and instead keeps pressing, “God, what do you want me/us to do with this truth?”; what do you gain and what do you risk when a stewardship course refuses to give exact steps, and how would early Christians—used to apostolic instruction and communal accountability—have “wrestled” with principles as a brotherhood? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What is good—and what is risky—about a stewardship course that doesn’t give exact steps, but keeps asking, “God, what do you want us to do?” How might early Christians have worked this out together with group accountability?

Craig warns against the mindset: “I give this amount to God… and I’m guilt-free”; where do modern church practices (tithing talk, giving campaigns, automated generosity) subtly train people to seek “guilt-free” completion rather than ongoing obedience, and what would repentance look like in that area? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Where do church habits like tithing talks, giving drives, or automatic donations train us to feel “done” and guilt-free instead of staying obedient? What would real repentance look like here?

The methodology deliberately replaces “teacher-student” with “facilitator-participant,” rejecting the “sage on the stage” posture; what does this reveal about how truth is meant to be learned in the body of Christ, and what habits in your church would have to change for “learners together” to be real instead of a slogan? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What does switching from “teacher-student” to “facilitator-participant” say about how Christians should learn truth together? What would your church need to change for “learning together” to be real?

Brian highlights that people often feel “incompetent” to lead; how does the course’s design (discussion, stories, activities, no answer key) confront the modern assumption that only trained experts can guide spiritual formation, and what does that imply about the priesthood of all believers in practice? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How does a course with discussion, stories, activities, and no answer key challenge the idea that only experts can lead spiritual growth? What does that mean for the priesthood of all believers in real life?

Discuss the M&M wealth-distribution activity (97 to 3 people, 3 to 7 people) and the follow-up line: “If you have $10,000 in assets, you’re part of that group of three”; how does that reframe “poor vs. rich” in a North American church, and what uncomfortable obligations does it raise about stewardship, generosity, and community responsibility? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How does the M&M activity change the way a North American church thinks about who is “rich” and who is “poor”? What uncomfortable responsibilities does it raise about generosity and caring for others?

Craig says you can extend the M&M activity by sending the “seven” out of the room to mirror how “we look around and we only see people with hands full of M&Ms”; what does this expose about selective visibility (who we notice, who we don’t), and what concrete changes would help your church stop doing stewardship only among people “in the room”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What does it show when we only notice the people “in the room” with full hands and ignore those we don’t see? What practical steps could help your church include people who are usually left out of stewardship discussions?

Track C’s Trey-and-Haley story emphasizes walking with people without a “fairy tale ending,” and noticing “the person pushing the shopping cart… might be struggling”; what does faithful stewardship look like when outcomes stay messy, and how does that confront modern Christian expectations of quick fixes, “success stories,” or measurable results? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What does faithful stewardship look like when situations stay messy and don’t end with a neat success story? How does that challenge our desire for quick fixes and clear results?

Every lesson ends by prompting participants to track income and expenses because “we can… hear great things… and walk out… and nothing changed”; what does this assume about human nature and discipleship (habits, discipline, follow-through), and where have you personally settled for “great study, no change” in money, time, or vocation? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Why does the course make people track their income and spending at the end of every lesson? Where have you personally settled for “good learning but no change” with money, time, or work?

Craig attacks the “sacred-secular divide” by insisting, “My work is ministry… everything I do is mission work,” and he highlights “heroes… you’ll never see a biography written about”; how would early Christians have viewed everyday labor as kingdom service, and what specific workplace behaviors or decisions would have to change this week if you truly believed the “drudgery” is one of God’s main mission fields? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If “my work is ministry” and everyday jobs matter to God, how would early Christians have viewed daily work as serving God’s kingdom? What is one specific thing you should change at work this week if you really believed that?