stewardship handsStewardship

What does Stewardship mean to me?? What should Stewardship mean to you??  These are questions that have perplexed churches since the first church budget was ever proposed.   It is not a subject that many people like to deal with since money and budgets are not “proper” topics for church members to discuss.  We believe that God will provide.

Stewardship is more than just giving money so that the church can stay open and pay its bills.

Stewardship is about returning to God what God has given to us.  “What percentage of my income is God calling me to give?” He made clear that our giving is not based on what we think we should give, but giving what we want to give because of God’s generosity to us.  God is not asking us for compliance, but to begin a journey of the heart, where we surrender to our trust in God’s unfailing mercy.

Stewardship is our responsibility to see that God’s work on this earth is done.  Unfortunately, that does require money.  It also requires our participation.

1 Corinthians 12:4-13

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of then in all men.  Now to each one that manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues and to still another the interpretation of tongues.  All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.  The body is a unit, though it is made up on many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.  For we are all baptized by one Spirit into one body- whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.