Sunday Services

Stewardship

Motivation to Give

Greetings Family of Faith!

Christian stewardship leaders cited four primary motivations people give for contributing to religious organizations:

• Reciprocity with God (giving to Him because He's given to me)
• Reciprocity with the religious organization (do your part to keep the church going)
• Giving as an extension of self (so the church can continue serving you, i.e. - dues)
• Altruism and thankfulness (do something good and help the less fortunate)

Each of these may be useful fundraising motivations, but do they adequately reach the heart of God and the central motivation behind Biblical stewardship?

To answer that question we need to fully appreciate the fact that we ultimately own nothing - that everything we think of as "ours" can be traced back to its roots as God's provision given out of His love and grace. This includes not only our finances, but also our time, our natural talents, our relationships, our spiritual gifts, our desire to pursue God, our bodies, our testimonies of His faithfulness, our possessions...our everything. We know from Psalm 50:10-12: "for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine...for the world is mine, and all that is in it" (NIV)

And we also know from John 3:16 that God gave everything: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (NIV)

Building from the foundation of these two Biblical truths, we begin to see the Lord's wisdom for "why" we give of ourselves. We're really not offering Him anything He doesn't already own - we're just giving back what He has entrusted to us to steward in the first place. In addition, we WANT to give back our best for He gave us the very best in Himself. There is nothing God has withheld because of His boundless love for you. Out of devotion, loyalty, love, and gratitude, we gladly and joyously offer what is ultimately His back to build His Kingdom on earth. God structures it so we have the privilege of partnering in His purposes!

Will you allow the Spirit to keep this fresh when you're asked to give some time to serve? Can you view your relationship with fellow brothers and sisters as so valuable that Jesus died on the cross for each of them? Are you open to worshipping God through the offering? Will you sacrifice your body (through nutrition, exercise, and purity) to your Creator?

The list goes on but you get the point. Whole life stewardship affects all areas of our lives because God wants and deserves access to everything. For He owns it all, and has given His very best. He deserves no less from us.

Epistle Archive
written and contributed by our own
Stewardship Commission members.