Stewardship Devotion: Stewardship Season

Matthew 6:1   “Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

Like most churches, it’s Stewardship Season in our congregation. For six weeks, we are all supposed to focus upon what we give to God through the local church. Each Sunday, church members give testimonies about why they support the congregation and how they feel drawn closer to God by the worship, fellowship, and faithfulness at Erin.

The same sorts of stories are being told all over the land. Churches are gathering centers of like-minded people who pool their resources together in order to become effective vehicles of Christ’s ministry and mission at home and abroad. Stewardship is a key element to the impact that any church makes on the surrounding community. Without the money that people give, without the resources that people offer, Christ’s work could not be done.

At our church, people are given an annual invitation to re-make a personal financial pledge to the congregation. Even in tough economic times, Erin Christians are still willing to make money commitments to sustain the work that Christ has asked us to accomplish. It’s very humbling and uplifting to see the pledges coming in from all different sorts of folk. The people who pledge are making an investment in the future of the church and making a difference in the world. They look for no reward or public recognition; they give for all of the right reasons – to glorify God and to support Christ’s mission.

The challenge for all of us who are reading this today is this: have we prayed about our financial commitment to God’s work this year? Are we willing to invest our money and resources in the future work of our church, so that Christ’s ministry may continue to be worshipped, honored, and supported through our faithful giving and generous love?

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, You call us to be disciples of Your way, messengers of Your truth, and stewards of Your life. Open our eyes to Your work in our church; open our minds to Your mission in our community; and open our pockets to Your purposes for our congregation. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Lighthouse drawings called “Guiding Light.” You can view a larger version of this picture at the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6225/6290707518_a96fd3c801_b.jpg

Stewardship Devotions: Money Matters

2 Corinthians 8:3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.

It’s Stewardship season in many churches across the country. Before the end of the year, congregations try to anticipate what their budget will be for the next year. In these tough economic times, it’s hard to estimate what people will actually give of their money. Time and talents are sometimes easier to share with the church rather than income and resources. Sadly, when people hold back or cut back on their giving, the work of the church is deeply affected.

The Macedonian Christians were not wealthy. They had limited finances in troubled times, but when their hearts were given to Christ and their lives were kindled by the Holy Spirit, they cheerfully wanted to give to the church, even beyond what was expected of them. When Paul writes about them, he does so with a great deal of pride and pleasure. The Macedonians were a great example to the rest of the young Mediterranean church. Their enthusiasm in giving acted as a wonderful motivator for other Christian communities to go all out and do more than their fair share of pledging and giving.

Today, we are all faced with the same exciting challenge. Christ’s work in the world is needed as much now as it ever has been. Our faith is connected to our finances and our beliefs are indicated by our bank books. If we feel insecure about our resources, then we may be also insincere about our faith. If we hold back our money, then what else are we holding back from God?

Cheerful, considerate, and generous giving can release us from our financial worries and money woes. In doing so, we show that we do not depend upon the dollar or pin our hopes to the pound; by giving honestly, sincerely, and cheerfully, we liberate ourselves from the chains and burdens that a love or obsession of money can trouble us with, and show our true devotion to the Lord.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, it’s so easy for us to get caught up in financial worries and cash concerns. Sometimes we live beyond our capacity to give. Sometimes we burden ourselves by borrowing more than we can afford. Teach us the biblical principles of money management and help us to release our resources to You and Your church. In Your Holy Name we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest night time drawing of Knoxville’s Sunsphere at the World’s Fair Park. A larger version of the drawing can be viewed at http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5095209018_cf3f00de0f_b.jpg

(John has a limited number (25) of signed and matted prints for sale)

Erin Church's Daily Devotional : Give without Sparing

Proverbs 21:26 All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. (NIV)

Recently, we’ve had to fix a major repair over at Erin Presbyterian church. Our current building is about 55 years old, and in this part of the country, that’s almost antique! I know that Scottish churches go back centuries, but over here the extreme weather conditions and heat causes buildings to deteriorate at a much faster rate.

Anyway, we’ve got to raise about $40,000 to pay off the repair and so far we’ve brought in about $14,000. We set aside about $16,000 in our budget to cover the costs, but as usual we didn’t know what the damage was until we started to repair it.

What has amazed me is the response that people have made in the last three weeks. Some of our people who have fixed incomes sent in $130 – a dollar for each year our church has existed. Those givers don’t have a lot to spare, but they have given cheerfully. Others have contributed $400 – one percent of the repair costs – showing their commitment to the upkeep of the church over and above what they give each week. Still others have contributed higher amounts without any fanfare. They just want to see the church ‘get better’ as we grow bigger.

I am truly humbled by these responses, and I know that there are others both in our congregation and from the outside who will make donations (even some people who read these devotionals have given to the church – wow!). It is a joy to serve the Lord and to faithfully give of our resources for the enhancement of His work. Glory be to God for the bounty He has given and the blessings we receive!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, all our churches belong to You and we want them to become mission centers, safe sanctuaries, and ministry headquarters. Grant us the gift of righteousness – to give without sparing and to completely love You through the life, ministry and work of all our churches. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Meaning

Audio version here

John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

I was having an interesting discussion the other day about church with a long time member. This person volunteers three days a week for a special organization because he wants to do something that makes a difference in the world. He doesn’t feel that organized religion can supply his personal needs to be doing something meaningful. Somewhere along his spiritual journey, his attitude about church has become detached. I listened carefully to what he was saying and tried to understand his dilemma. He wants his church to make a difference in the world, but he can’t see that what we are presently doing accomplishes that goal.

I think that what he was expressing is something that many people feel about church today. It’s an institutional monster which constantly needs fed to maintain buildings, ministries, and missions. There’s nothing exciting about giving money to fix a wall or sending money to other religious institutions. There’s nothing dynamic about maintaining ecclesiastical cisterns and pipes, rooms and roofs that constantly need attention. If you think that church is just a religious business or commercial caring center, then you may indeed lose any sense of relevance that is has. If all that we are doing in church is oiling the machinery of ministry and keeping the momentum for mission support going, then there is no meaning or purpose. We are just collecting dollars in order to spend them. We’re just recycling money in a religious way.

But what is the purpose of the church? Is it to make an impact on the community, so that life on earth is better? If that’s the case, then we’re no different from all the other philanthropic clubs, organizations, and foundations in our community. We may as well merge with other compassionate associations that promote the well-being of the community. Church life would be no different and church membership would just be like joining a club.

Yet there is a difference. All those clubs, organizations, and foundations will eventually diminish and fade away. The church goes on into eternity. Where we have made a difference in the world is preparing people to meet their Maker, is in helping others to get into God’s Kingdom. Our churches, ministries and missions are vehicles for one eternal and everlasting purpose: to bring people to Christ and to help them find salvation for their souls. At the end of history, when all of humanity is judged, it will not be the amount of philanthropic organizations that we have financed, joined or helped that will save us; it will be our sincere belief in Jesus Christ, as the Son of God who forgives our sins and saves our souls, that will be of the utmost and eternal importance.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are many good causes in our community that need our time, talents, and treasures of support. They specialize in making a difference in the world for those who are helpless, powerless, and in great need. Your churches are in the same business, yet they are called to have an impact, not just in today’s world, but throughout all of eternity. Give us a better understanding of why our churches exist, what we are supposed to do, and how we can expand, extend, and enhance Your ministry and mission in the world. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Giving

2 Corinthians 8:10 And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.

I don’t like to talk about money from the pulpit. Ask our Stewardship committee. They’ll tell you that I have a hard time asking for general contributions. I don’t know if it’s a Scottish thing or a John Stuart thing. Either way, I have to be totally convinced when it comes to asking.

It’s not that I don’t appreciate stewardship. I really do like the positive attitude that some people have when it comes to sharing and giving of their time, talents, and money for God. I think it’s because I grew up in a deprived household with a poor family. My Dad was too proud to ask for help, even when he was unemployed for almost a year. During that tough time, I can remember going to school with holes in my shoes, trousers, and shirt. I couldn’t accept invitations to go to friends’ birthday parties because we had no money to buy gifts. It was an awful year.

Anyway, I think that’s why I find it difficult to ask for money from the congregation. Paul, however, didn’t have any qualms about this. He felt that giving was the best expression of faithfulness that any church could display. That’s why he writes directly to the Corinthians about their contributions to the church in Jerusalem. The previous year, they had been amongst the first to give and were bursting with enthusiasm about how they supported the whole church. A year later, they seem to be dragging their feet about fulfilling their pledges and promises which, in turn, concerns Paul. If they are not giving as they should, then they are backsliding in their faith. As an old pastor once said to me, “You can’t be devoted to God and steal from Him at the same time.”

So, I guess this devotional is about stewardship after all. Paul’s advice about giving is something we all need to revisit. And during this special time, this Holy Week, shouldn’t we all review what we give to the church because it was established by the One Who Gave Everything for us?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You call us to be disciples of faith and stewards of Your Kingdom. You know what we give and our motives behind our giving. Challenge us about stewardship and change us if we allow pride to get in the way of our giving. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.