Apr 28, 2020
By Rob Appel
A few years ago, I was asked by one of our newer congregations about tithing, and especially about the difference between tithes and offerings. I spoke privately with the pastor about the joys and blessings of someone who is a faithful tither and gave him my wife’s and my personal testimony about being faithful givers.
The pastor claimed that many people were new to the whole concept of tithing, and they did not know the difference between tithing and giving. Many thought that if they dropped a dollar into the collection plate they were tithing. Many would describe this gesture of a dollar or two as being a giver—but not one who was really generous or even a good steward of their resources. And this makes me wonder: What is the difference between stewardship and generosity? What comes to mind when you hear these words?
We are stewards of the earth and the things that are entrusted to us, inherited by us, and earned by us. We are also stewards of our personal wealth and possessions and physical bodies. “Stewards” were those people many years ago who were given the title of “trustees.” Trustees had fiduciary responsibilities and many cared for things owned by someone else.
Today you don’t hear much about stewards and stewardship outside the church. Stewardship is a language derived from our Biblical roots and our church heritage; and by using, or saying, the word stewardship, you might be deemed as one using insider language. This is language that outside of the church is not easily accessible, or immediately understandable, by those new to the church. Also, there is something slightly legal sounding about the word stewardship. As a pastor’s kid, I grew up hearing about stewardship, stewardship campaigns, and committees on stewardship, and the language focused our attention on supporting the church financially.
Generosity, however, is an aspect of character. It is an attractive quality to aspire to and desire to see cultivated in my church family. The opposite of generosity is selfishness, self-centeredness, greed, and self-absorption. And generosity extends beyond just the use of money. There are people with generous spirits; people who are generous with their time, with their teaching, and with their love. Generosity finds many Biblical sources, and is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It sounds more living, more reproductive, less legalistic, and less formal than the term stewardship.
Generosity is not a spiritual attribute someone acquires apart from the actual practice of giving. It becomes apparent through action.
Generosity focuses on the spiritual qualities of the giver, often derived from the generosity of God personally–rather than on the church’s need for money.
So, is it stewardship or generosity? One of these terms is not superior to the other. Perhaps there are differences in how they are perceived by young and old, to those new to the faith, or from those long-established in our churches. But, maybe using both wisely helps us reach people at different places on the journey of faith.
Whatever term you use, the bottom line is that churches must emphasize the Christian’s need to give more than the church’s need for money.
Congregations should speak confidently and faithfully about money, giving, generosity, and the difference giving makes for the purposes of Christ in the world and in the life of the giver. They need to teach, preach, and practice relational giving with the goal of tithing. They need to speak of joy, devotion, how this honors God, and the steady growth of spirit that leads to greater generosity and the delight in giving.
The church could, or should, hold pledge campaigns that are about mission, spiritual growth, and relationship to God. This will build community, unite people with purpose, and clarify the congregation as a whole, towards purpose and mission.
Here are some things that the church could do. Share personal testimonies about how stewardship has changed their lives. They could publicly thank God for the generosity of the people. They could express personal appreciation to those who give. The church needs to do this by talking about specifics and not deliver the message in general terms about stewardship.
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Don’t emphasize the church’s need for money.
Don’t cause fear, guilt, shame, or pressure as a motivation for giving.
Don’t allow any stewardship campaign to focus solely on the church as an institution—focus on its people and their purpose as a congregation.
Here is a BIG one: Don’t hold pledge campaigns that are about money, dollars, and budgets.
And, Don’t ever apologize, moan, whine, act embarrassed, or feel awkward as you encourage giving.
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Cheri and Rob Appel’s personal testimony about tithing and stewardship: We were married in August of 1977 and every month Cheri would say to Rob, “We should be tithing our income.” He would respond, “Yes, I know, but if we tithe, we won’t have any money left at the end of the month.” This went on for months until in March of 1978 Rob’s response was, “Yes, you are right.” We started that month and, at the end of that month, we had more money left over than we had in the previous six months. God had blessed us because we were willing to believe that He would take care of us. Since then, Cheri and I have never stopped tithing, giving, and sharing our wealth that God has blessed us with. We have a saying between us, “You can’t out give God.” God keeps blessing a cheerful giver—and He has certainly done that with us.
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I encourage you, and your church, to take on a challenge of tithing, generosity, and stewardship. See where it goes. Take on a mission, a labor of love, as a congregation. Encourage those who are on the fence about expenses to have a cause to be blessed by.
