Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth

Foster proposes that true simplicity is both an inner reality of trust and an outward lifestyle that counters contemporary society’s obsession with possessions and status. He begins by contrasting simplicity, which brings freedom and wholeness, with duplicity, which leads to anxiety and fear. Foster highlights how modern culture fosters a “psychotic” drive to accumulate goods, creating an endless cycle of buying, hoarding, and fashion-chasing. He distinguishes this from biblical teaching, noting that Scripture repeatedly warns against the “mammon” spirit of wealth and upholds God as the true provider of all material needs.

Biblically, neither forced poverty nor asceticism aligns with genuine Christian simplicity. Instead, Foster underscores that creation is good and meant to be enjoyed, yet he cautions that it must be kept in proper perspective. Drawing from Jesus’s teachings, Foster points out that simplicity springs from seeking the kingdom of God first, an orientation that frees believers from the tyranny of materialism. When possessions are viewed as gifts, entrusted to God’s care, and held loosely for the benefit of others, one experiences inner liberty from worry.

However, Foster insists that genuine simplicity must be visible in the way Christians actually live. He offers 10 practical principles for outward expression, such as buying items for their usefulness rather than status, living free from addictive consumer patterns, developing the habit of giving things away, and practicing honest speech.