Giving, Stewardship
Our congregations finance committee has selected "Transformed Living" as a way to teach the biblical and spiritual principles of generous giving in our stewarship education emphasis this year.
Exciting days are ahead.
We’re about to introduce a life-changing opportunity, from mid September-October, for our church family, and it’s a chance for us to dive deeper into all that God has for us, both individually and as a congregation.
In coming weeks, you’ll be able to pick up a copy of Treasures of the Transformed Life: Satisfying Your Soul’s Thirst for More at Worship. This book includes forty daily readings that will challenge you in the areas of service, prayer, attendance, financial gifts, and commitment. You’ll have the chance to ask yourself some probing questions about what you believe and why. Please take advantage of all that this book has to offer. Set aside a few brief moments for introspection each day, and I guarantee that the Lord will meet you exactly where you are, and begin to fulfill desires of your heart that you might not even realize you have.
To deepen your experience, we’ll be discussing each week’s topics in both our small group/Sunday school meetings and in Worship. That way, we’ll all have the opportunity to grow as one, reaching for a common goal. And that common goal, friend, is a rich, rewarding, blessed life of adventure, joy, peace and purpose.
At the end of the study, we’ll all take part in Commitment Sunday, when we’ll have a chance to put our faith into action. But that will be here soon enough. For now, let’s focus on the task at hand.
Do your best to attend worship services in the coming weeks, and keep your eye out for the start of the campaign. I’d hate for you to miss a moment as we all embark on this journey together. And please, join me in prayer that God would indeed “throw open the floodgates of heaven,” as He promises in Malachi 3:10, and pour out so much blessing individually and corporately that we don’t have room to contain it.
There’s so much more to God than we can even imagine. Over the course of this forty-day study, however, we’ll have an opportunity to see Him—and His presence in our lives—in an entirely new way. The water’s fine. So won’t you join me in jumping in?
Sincerely,
Mike Cowart
Finance Committee Chair
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in My house. Test me in this and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
(Malachi 3:10)
"As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace."
(1 Peter 4:10 )
"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, nor reluctantly, or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
(2 Cor. 9:6-7)
Christian stewardship is grateful and responsible use of God's gifts in the light of God's purpose as revealed in Jesus Christ. Christian stewards, empowered by the Holy Spirit, commit themselves to conscious, purposeful decisions.
The primary task of Stewardship is to help persons understand the meaning of stewardship and practice it in all areas of life -- with your prayers, your presence, your gifts and your service. This is a year-round emphasis. This process begins with a reflection on your gifts of talent, time and treasure. All of these gifts require prayer, thoughtfulness, and being honest with yourself.
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It is best to look at talent first, because it gives direction to how the other two may be shared. In order to best know how to be grateful for my talents, I must know them. One way is to answer the questions: What am I good at doing and because I am good at it, what do I enjoy? Now that I have a sense of my talents, how will I put those talents to use and serve others?
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The second of these gifts is time. Good questions for reflection on this gift might be: How do I spend my time? Where do I spend my time? Does how I use my time help me and/or others have a closer relationship to the Lord and others?
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The third gift is treasure. In thinking about treasure, some questions that consistently need to be asked are: Do I really need this or do I want it? Do I trust God enough to share this gift? Am I using this gift in ways that are pleasing to God? How can I better use my treasure (material goods) in the service of the Lord and my neighbor?
You can’t be a steward without being a giver. Stewardship is about deciding what you really care about and then committing your talent, time, and treasures.
“For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be . . . Much will be required of the person entrusted with much.”
(Luke14:32-48)