¡Death to Pragmatism & Efficiency!

Where in the Bible are pragmatism and efficiency held up as values? I need some help with this one. They may be there and I don't know it. But I doubt it. I'm thinking and ranting out loud at the moment so don't hold me to any of it. Is efficiency the opposite of blessing? I'm thinking of when God was to release the Hebrew people from captivity and he promised them a new land, a land over flowing with milk & honey. This new land was to be extravagantly joyous and brimming with the produce of the earth. He wanted to bless them, not just be efficient? Where is God ever efficient? That just doesn't seem to be his style. Now one might say, God was efficient in his production of Manna (bread from heaven) when His people were in the wilderness and also when he was feeding Elijah & the widow at Zarephath. He gave them just enough for that day. But then again, when He was feeding with fish and loaves there was an abundance -- 12 baskets leftover was a lot considering he started with a not enough for one basket. When he gave the disciples fishing advice and told them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat, He gave them a super-abundant supply of fish. Jesus also said, you shall have life and have it to the full -- not the minimum. When the church is being efficient we ask certain questions. We look for the bare minimum we need. We look to give or spend the minimum amount. We look for how to get a project done quickly, as if we didn't do as quick as possible, we some how aren't doing it right. God is a god of blessing. I think he likes to bless. It seems that blessing really isn't about the bottom line. Blessing is about giving in such a manner that provides more than necessary. I know. I can hear it now. "More than necessary? That's wasteful. That's not godly either. What about the starving people in the world?" But there was left over Manna every day and the people were not able to keep the extra. I'll bet there were starving people in the world then also. Question: Can God bless someone with abundance or even extravagance and still have poor people in the world, or is every rich person supposed to eventually become poor and just be a vehicle for the transference of wealth? Is God's desire ever for someone to enjoy wealth and it's privileges, even when there are poor people some place else in the world? Another thought: how about when God gave instructions to the Israelite priests and temple builders. They weren't to use just any linens but fine, expensive, extravagantly beautiful linens. They were not to use just any wood, metal or stones, but precious metals and gorgeous gem stones and fine cedars. But this is not so with the current people of God from the evangelical strain. I suppose not just them, but they are one of my favorite targets. Ever been part of a building project? They are forever searching for how to cut corners and do it for the bare minimum. "Can't we get some of own people to do it or do it at a discount?" "No one really needs more than 1200 ansi lumens any way." "Dial-up is good enough." Or how about when we set pastors salaries? Do we look to bless? I doubt it. Basically we don't want him or her to have more than common person gets? Often it's based on what does the local school teacher get paid. Leaders think that's a safe number. It won't look like we're being extravagant and the congregation won't get mad at us. And it will keep him or her humble. Church leaders think: no one goes into ministry to get rich, and we'll make sure of it. I think it really gets out of hand when there are multiple staff. The associate pastor gets a percentage of the senior pastor and the youth pastor gets less than that. Why? Efficiency and pragmatism. Are the senior pastor's responsibilities that much more important, or are they just different? Is there really a good reason other than tradition, efficiency & pragmatism to give the associate staff less than the senior or lead pastor? After a while this conversation always takes a turn. Eventually someone says, "Let's get real." In other words, "Let's be pragmatic." Sure God is a god of blessing in theory. But in realty, His people are tight-wads and will only give if we cajole them just right, send them a t-shirt and are as efficient and pragmatic as possible. We do things like check the five star efficiency rating of our favorite charities at Wall Watchers. If it's good, we give. It it's not, we are suspect of them being hucksters and ungodly, because certainly "God's people would be efficient." Assuming that we've heard God's call correctly: I wonder if we should really be making plans for building new churches, or setting pastors salaries, or creating new ministries, or giving to the poor as if the money wasn't going to run out. I guess I wonder if we should be acting as if God was really providing for us, and He didn't want us to just get by but wanted to bless us. Is He an efficient God or a God of blessing or something altogether different? I, for one, am tired of serving the God who makes us cut corners to get by and never seems to have any extra, and never, ever appears extravagant. More to come on Emma Flower Taylor and Episcopal wealth ...