411 on Stewardship
Steve Scudder, Director of Missions

"And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
Genesis 12:2-3 (ESV, emphasis mine)

Stewardship is not a popular theme in good times let alone the tough economic struggles we are currently facing. Yet, followers of Jesus who seek to practice the lifestyle taught in the Bible realize that even when times are tough, they are expected to be God’s stewards. A steward is a person who manages another's property or financial affairs. Followers of Jesus manage the resources that God has given them according to the plan God laid out.

Stewardship 101

It’s All God’s. The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein (Psalm 24:1-2, ESV). God created the world and everything in it. God sustains His creation, giving it life and meaning. God redeems His creation, having given His Son’s life so that you and I could have life.

We Are God’s Managers. The Lord answered: “Who are faithful and wise servants? Who are the ones the master will put in charge of giving the other servants their food supplies at the proper time? Servants are fortunate if their master comes and finds them doing their job.” (Luke 12:42-43, CEV). A steward is a manager of resources. When God gave us resources to manage, God had a goal and plan in mind. That goal is best understood in the call of Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 (see also 1 Peter 3:9). God has blessed us with resources so we can use those resources to bless others.

A tithe (10%) is the minimum expectation that God has on our sharing. God also expects us to give beyond a simple tithe. Our generosity should reflect how generous God has been with us. This makes our tithes and offerings acts of worship, our expressions of gratitude towards a generous God.

Faithful Stewards Invest in God’s Kingdom. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. (Luke 12:31, NLT). God has provided three gifts to every believer: time, talent, and treasure. These gifts are given to enhance our lives, to help us become the people God wants us to be, and to enrich the lives of people and communities around us.

Time: We have more free time than any society in history, yet we have more demands on that time than ever before. Wise stewards intentionally carve out time for family, for personal development, recreation, and Kingdom service. The key word is balance. Look at how you spend your time and ask,
• How has the time I have spent talking to God and studying His word impacted my life?
• Am I keeping a healthy balance between work, family, and recreation times? Ask your spouse and children this question and compare their answer to yours.
• How accurately does the time I spend serving my church family and impacting the community around me reflect the gratitude I feel towards God?

Talent: God gave you talents and abilities in a combination that is unique in you. You are talented. You may not be a good singer, an inspiring public speaker, or dynamic teacher. However, God equipped you to be a blessing to others. Are you using your talent to bless other people?

I have a friend who loves football. He became a coach for a kid’s league and has helped those boys develop into a team. They even won the division. But my friend has taken a lot of criticism because he misses prayer meetings on Wednesday nights at his church building. What his critics do not understand is he has combined his talent to train boys for a game he loves with his passion for God. The results of this stewardship of talent has been to teach the boys the importance of prayer (they pray before every game and know God answers), to listen and encourage them in life situations, and to share with them the impact his relationship with Christ has made in his life. Many of these boys were unchurched, but now attend activities at his church. A couple of the boys have made professions of faith.

Treasure: My heart skips a beat every time I stop to fill my gas tank. It’s enough to make me cry in my $4.00 cup of coffee from that beverage place I love so much. Yet, I must share the treasure God has blessed me with if I am to be a blessing to other people.

My tithes and offerings are investments in God’s Kingdom. When I give, the building within which my church worships and disciples is maintained. When I give, my pastor and his family are taken care of and can be more effective ministers. When I give, hungry people are fed, missionaries are equipped and sent, the Gospel is proclaimed, and the world is blessed. When I give, I demonstrate I trust God to meet my needs and I am willing to be the servant God has called me to be. When I give, I reflect the generosity of Christ.

Stewardship Improvements

What do you do if you have not been tithing your time, talent, and treasure? Tom Elliff, missionary, pastor and former SBC president, recommends five steps for restoring Biblical Stewardship:

Confess and Repent. Agree with God that you should be a better steward, turn away from a self-focused lifestyle, and commit to living a life of generosity so others may be blessed.

Live Generously. Examine how you spend your life and your treasure and explore how you use your talent. You may not be able to tithe in these areas tomorrow, but you can take steps today to move you closer to that 10%-and-more goal.

Eliminate Nonessentials. Most Americans spend more money every year than they earn. If you fall in this category, you must change the behavior that got you there. Confess and repent. Learn to budget your income and live within that budget. There are many sources for help in budgeting. Get help.

Examine your time commitments. Make a list of priorities in your life and see if your calendar reflects these priorities and the priorities God gives. Balance personal time, time with family, rest/recreation, work, and Kingdom service.

Take Responsibility for Your Debt. If you find that you are a victim of your own poor choices, get help in developing a plan for debt elimination, let your creditors know you are working to pay them back, and live within your means.

Be Patient. Stewardship is a discipline that takes time to develop. If you have not managed your budget or calendar well, realize that it will take time for you to master them. With God’s help, however, you can learn to live the lifestyle to which God has called you. As you do, you will discover that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”