Abundance, Scarcity, and Renewal
Churches treat stewardship in a few characteristic ways. They avoid talking money or limit talk to giving more to church. Some will teach good financial practices. Few teach about what money buys: land, labor, and capital. Abundance, Scarcity, and Renewal is a more comprehensive approach to biblical stewardship. Abundance is when you have plenty, scarcity is when you do not have enough, and renewal is when abundance returns, but it’s different. 
Biblical Abundance, Scarcity, and Renewal
The pattern of abundance, scarcity, and renewal. Is throughout the Bible. We see abundance in God’s creation (Genesis 1,2), the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), the Nile delta, and the Holy Land. We see scarcity through exile from the Garden (Genesis 4), slavery in Egypt (Exodus), wandering in the desert, Babylon, and the crucifixion of Jesus. We see renewal in exodus from slavery in Egypt (Exodus), entry to the Holy Land, return from exile in Babylon, and heavenly visions of cities immersed in nature (Ezekiel 37, Revelation 22).
Abundance
God turned nothingness into a living order (Gen 1-2), gifted natural resources to people made in God’s image to work and care for them to generate abundance (Genesis 2:15).
Scarcity
Human can face scarcity, from the being cast out of the Garden (Genesis 3), wandering in the desert (Exodus to Numbers) to the siege of Jerusalem (Lamentations).
Renewal
Our Lord is a God of renewal, from the Israelites’ return from Babylonian exile, Jesus’ healing and resurrection, and restoration of Eden (Ezekiel 47, Revelation 22).
Modern Abundance, Scarcity, and Renewal
This pattern persists today. We have created unprecedented material abundance. However, renewal is possible—toward sustainable peace and prosperity.
Modern Abundance
In the modern age, humans have answered God’s call to work to create immense material abundance and immense civilizations.
Modern Scarcity
However, humanity’s call to care for God’s creation has lagged in the modern world. As a result we face the challenges of a changing climate, mass extinction, and contamination and degradation of natural resources such as water and soil.
Modern Renewal
Yet, we have opportunities for renewal, to bring humanity back into balance with God’s full creation. However, we need to act sacrificially and creatively for the long-term good of all creation.