Stewardship

The word steward in the New Testament speaks of one who is given the administration of a master’s household. A steward oversees the property and affairs of another person.

In Proverbs 3:5, 6 we read, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Just a few verses later, we read, “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9, 10).

Financial margin: that pleasant and sometimes rare, financial distance between income and expenses. Some of us ask, “Where did it go?” and “How do I get it back?”

We know that a biblical perspective on our finances is based in the awareness that God is the ultimate owner of everything and has entrusted resources to us to steward, or manage, for Him. Our job, then, is to be faithful stewards.

It’s easy to talk about faithfulness and to assume we are faithful just because we have the desire to be. But what does faithful stewardship look like in terms of our day-to-day lives?

Over the years, I have observed five habits consistently present in those who wisely handle finances. 

While some preachers are well cared-for by their congregations and live with very few financial difficulties, many others struggle financially. Often, this is unavoidable. The offerings are modest, and there is no way for the church to do more for the pastor than it does. I hope the following suggestions will encourage you, and be of some practical value in the matter of handling your personal income.

You’ve read the testimony of the Macedonian Christians who gave sacrificially to the Apostle Paul. Paul used it to encourage the Corinthian churches to be faithful in giving, and two millennia later, it motivates us today. Why? The significance lies in their motive. In God’s economy, the motive is as important as the gift. In other words, why we give is as important as that we give.

Over the years, I have learned that the term budgeting has different meanings for different people. I recently read a definition that described a budget as, “An orderly system of living beyond our means.”

Nearly every pastor or church leader knows the burden of carrying the financial responsibilities of a ministry.

Attitudes regarding money are learned, and children learn theirs primarily from their parents. You’ve seen it: Families that charge themselves into deep debt often see new debt perpetuated in the next generation. Likewise, families that are inconsistent in giving often see similar inconsistencies in the next generation.

The Apostle Paul told the church at Corinth about another church on which God had bestowed a special grace. That church was in Macedonia and that grace involved their giving (2 Corinthians 8:1–15).

God is a miracle-working God! “Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee” (Jeremiah 32:17). Amazingly to me, however, is the fact that He allows us to have a part in the work He is doing. God could do things all by Himself as He did when He created the universe, but He desires to involve us in His miraculous works.

Many Christian financial consultants wisely counsel people to budget and save for predictable large purchases rather than be caught unprepared and go into debt.

I recently preached from 1 Chronicles 28 and 29 on having a renewed vision for the work of God. Amazingly, after forty years of leading God’s people, David’s heart for God was still passionate, and his vision for God’s work was still fresh. As I studied for this message, I was impressed by how David personally participated in providing materials for the construction of the tabernacle.

Each year, as a part of our stewardship campaign, we have men from our church give stewardship testimonies. We generally have a testimony every Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night for a month, and two or three additional testimonies at our stewardship banquet.

In today’s difficult economy, many are reducing expenses. While we all hate to be set back in any way, there are both wise and unwise ways to do this. Here are some thoughts that may be worthy of your consideration:

It has always amazed me, that God, who owns everything, allows you and me to be involved in meeting the needs of His church. Let me encourage you to evaluate your own stewardship and ask God to grow your faith.

We greatly value people who can do it all in a local church. These versatile members of the body seem to thrive no matter what responsibility they shoulder. They are precious gifts from God to the local church, but we would be unwise to let them do it all, especially when it comes to matters of church finances. In financial discipline in the local church, there are duties that are incompatible for the same person to do.

It must have been a difficult task for Elijah—asking a widow woman for her last meager meal. Before this, God had provided for Elijah through the ravens and the brook Cherith, but the birds stopped coming and the brook dried up.

Bob McQueon, a former congressman from Ohio who is also a Christian, tells this story about taking his son to McDonalds.