Apr 28, 2020
By John J. Pethtel
Director of Church Development & Pastoral Services
1. “Stewardship,” “generosity,” and “giving” are not synonyms.
I now realize, using these terms interchangeably confuses people. Stewardship is a role, giving is an act, and generosity is an attitude. Stewardship is recognizing that God is the owner and we are His managers, responsible for using God’s possessions
to please Him. Generosity involves a willingness to sacrifice for the benefit of others. Giving is merely
the act of releasing something of value.
2. Poor stewardship is dangerous for you; rich stewardship is for your benefit.
When I communicate to people about money, I guide them to understand that I want something for them, not something from them.
Poor stewardship is dangerous for you. Between 25 and 50 percent of church attenders give nothing
or next to nothing. This is not a financial problem but a spiritual one. God is a giver. Our willingness to give reveals our relationship to God.
On the other hand, rich stewardship benefits
everyone. In Acts 2:42–47, the early church lives out
a culture of stewardship. Verse 45 says, “They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” This first-century church is a beautiful picture of generosity in action, even in their scarcity.
3. Stewardship is about hearts, not causes.
We live in a world fraught with causes to support. Yet the point of stewardship isn’t about causes, important as they may be.
Jesus surprised His disciples with this principle. The story of Mary and the expensive perfume in Mark 14:3–9 is one example. Some of the disciples grumbled, imagining all it could have accomplished for the poor. But Jesus wanted to focus their attention on the heart of the giver. When we make God our highest priority, our desire is to honor Him. This releases a spirit of love, which releases resources to meet real needs.
In 2 Corinthians 8:8, Paul addresses this same concept when challenging the early Macedonian church: “I am not commanding you, but want to test the sincerity of your love.” Generosity, even amidst poverty, reveals our love for God (2 Corinthians 8:2).
4. We need more teaching about money, not less.
Money is an emotional topic, so people want to hide their financial struggles. They often feel they
are not in a position to be generous. Avoiding the topic of money only deepens the problem. Preaching frequently about money creates a greater willingness in your people to address their financial health.
Here are three aspects of money to address to help your people grow as stewards:
The practical aspect: This involves teaching people how to organize their finances and manage their money.
The emotional aspect: When it comes to money, if the heart overrules the head, the result is frequently disastrous. Just follow teenagers around the mall to see what I mean.
The spiritual aspect: Your people will never be good stewards if they do not align their financial
decision-making with the wisdom of God’s Word.
5. Your relationship with money impacts your relationship with God.
Stewardship is not a financial ministry; it is a discipleship ministry. If people don’t hear teaching and preaching about money, they are left exposed to one of Satan’s favorite tools. The stakes are high. We cannot leave our people lacking a clear understanding of the spiritual implications of their relationship with money.
As I’ve learned over time, if you build a healthy stewardship culture, your church will never be the same. Your people will grow closer to God, your congregation will experience increased spiritual vitality, and greater resources will be unleashed for kingdom impact.
Dave Briggs is currently the Enrich Director at Central Christian Church of Arizona. Excerpts reprinted with permission from the August 2016 edition of Christianity Today.
