Aligning Treasure with Truth

By: American Decency Staff

Christian stewardship is a topic far larger than can truly be tackled in this limited space.  Investing our time and talents for the glory of God and the furtherance of His kingdom is certainly a matter of good stewardship.  How we use our resources is another form of stewardship.

We at American Decency have long attested that supporting companies which honor biblical principles and, the reverse side of that coin, boycotting companies which undermine those values – is a matter of Christian stewardship. 

In theory that is exactly what we should do; in practice it’s not always so easy.  In our culture today, where corporation after corporation has jumped on the homosexual-agenda bandwagon, finding companies deserving of being boycotted is not difficult at all.  The problem lies in finding a place where we can, in good conscience, shop.

However, there are certain companies which are so blatant in their calling “good evil, and evil good” (Isaiah 5:20) that it is a clear choice not to use the resources God has given us to empower them.

Starbucks, we believe, is one of those companies.

In a memorandum issued in January 2012, Starbucks went on record to state that homosexual marriage “is core to who we are and what we value as a company.” This position was personally reiterated by Starbucks CEO Howard Schulz at a 2012 annual shareholder meeting.  This policy was put into practice as Starbucks pushed for the legalization of homosexual marriage in the company’s home state of Washington.

These actions resulted in many customers choosing to find another coffee shop and a national boycott of the company was organized.

At the 2013 shareholders meeting, things got testy when one shareholder questioned Starbucks’ position on homosexual marriage.

Shareholder Tom Stobhar, who is also founder of Corporate Morality Action Center, expressed concern that Starbucks’ push for same-sex marriage was hurting the corporation’s bottom line.   Stobhar reportedly stated in this shareholder’s meeting:  “In the first full quarter after this boycott was announced, our sales and earnings — shall we say politely — were a bit disappointing.”

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz in essence told Stobhar the company’s advocacy for homosexual marriage was more important than profit, stating:  “Not every decision is an economic decision.”   Schultz went on to imply that if Stobhar didn’t like the policy, he was welcome to sell his stock.

Not only did Starbucks actively support efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in the state of Washington, Starbucks also pushed that philosophy nationwide.  In 2013 Starbucks filed a brief seeking to have the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, putting in jeopardy voter-enacted marriage amendments in dozens of states.  In June 2013 the U.S. Supreme Court did just that – overturned the Defense of Marriage Act.

As the National Organization for Marriage has stated, “In taking these actions, Starbucks has declared a culture war on all people of faith (and millions of others) who believe that the institution of marriage as one man and one woman is worth preserving.”

For those of us concerned about biblical stewardship, it seems clear that Starbucks is a company not worth supporting. 

Instead of buying a Starbucks gift card this Christmas for a coffee-loving friend or family member, we urge you to instead support the ministry of Thomas Street coffee.

When you purchase Thomas Street Coffee, you’re supporting efforts to proclaim the gospel of Christ in countries where 40% of unreached people groups live, including Ethiopia, Uganda, Honduras, Indonesia, and other coffee growing regions.  You’re also contributing to efforts to build schools, libraries, medical facilities, and clean water wells; as well as underwriting women’s literacy, agricultural education, and micro-finance programs.

To place an order or for more information call 1-877-927-4917 or
go to http://thomasstreetcoffee.com/

When it comes to investing – for those with stock, mutual funds, an IRA, or 401(k) – contact the Timothy Plan, the leader in Biblically responsible investing.  The Timothy Plan takes great care in screening out companies that undermine Christian values.  For more information on the Timothy Plan go to http://www.timothyplan.com/home.html or call 1-800-846-7526.

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To support our efforts please click here or mail your gift to American Decency Association (ADA), PO Box 202, Fremont, MI 49412.   

American Decency Association is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

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