Stewardship

 

As an act of worship

 

Any discussion of stewardship cannot properly or rightly begin with a discussion of money.  Such focus distorts the biblical understanding of stewardship and gets in the way of properly understanding the word in the life of faith.

 

Stewardship can only be seen properly as first and foremost an act of worship.  Stewardship encompasses more than verbal word of praise to the one who has created all things.  Stewardship is our response to the goodness and blessings of a gracious God.  Our life as stewards is merely responding to what God has provided for us (everything).

 

And so, any proper look at biblical stewardship begins rightly in Genesis.

Genesis 1 & 2

 

Let’s take a look at what is transpiring in Genesis.

 

God creates the whole creation.  Here on earth he puts people in charge.

 

In Genesis 2 God gives Adam a job from the beginning.  Adam names the animals as they are created.  God makes Adam part of the process, and thereby gives him responsibility for creation.

 

In Genesis 1 God creates people last—they are the high point (the climax) of creation.  He gives people a job.  They are to have dominion over the earth and subdue it.  That does not mean we are to beat the pulp out of creation, shaping it according to our will with no regard for what God intended. The Hebrew refers to the gatekeeper at the watergate of the irrigation system.  We are to keep control of the watering process for the fields and everything else in God’s creation.  We are caretakers of the earth and all creation.

 

Such an understanding of stewardship has implications for how we approach the earth.  We are called to nurture the earth and all that is in it.  We are called to take care of it, all animals and plants, all people, and each other.  It implies reaching out beyond ourselves to approach the other.  That action in itself is praising God.

 

 Budget, not the work of Stewardship Committee

 

The stewardship emphasized in the Church is not part of the budget process.  We do not tie our giving to the budget.  The budget is the work of the Finance Committee, not the Stewardship Committee.  We do not give to the church so it can make its budget.  We give to the church if and only if we find the Church to be a worthy recipient of God’s blessings put into our care.  We give because the Church is an extension of ourselves as stewards.  Does the church use funds wisely?  Does the church use blessings it has received in a praise-giving way?  Does the church show itself to be a good steward?

 

Tithing is over-emphasized—God doesn’t want 10% (too limiting, and not enough)

 

God is the author of everything and the giver of everything.  Why would God rely on our 10%?  God has it all.  God does not want 10% from us, as if he stands in need of our offerings.  God does not need when it comes to Stewardship.  We need though.  We need to give.  We need to show our thanks for what God has done for us.  We need to give that others may be supported, cared for, helped and nurtured. 

 

Tithing is Biblical, but the way we talk about tithing and practice tithing is not Biblical.  The tithe was not a goal for the people of scripture.  It was a beginning.  The tithe was the first gift.  The offering came after the tithe.  The tithe was the expected level of work, and giving.  What came after that was the offering of the people. 

 

10% of all we are and have does not belong to God.  It all does.  So, why talk about tithing?  And why practice tithing?  Tithing helps us to learn to be stewards—to be good managers of what has been entrusted in to our care.  The old rule of thumb is give 10% to God, give 10% to savings, and live on 80%.  Such living is a discipline. It requires planning, effort, and understanding.

 

Paul does not speak about tithing in his letters.  Instead he writes about proportionate giving.  (1 Cor. 16:1-3)

 

Paul encourages the people of Christ to put aside and save a portion of what they have earned.  That portion is to be given as an offering.  It is this portion that is to be used for the mission and ministry of the faithful in the church.  That portion is a percentage of what we have received (time, talent, and treasure).  What is it for?  To support the mission of God’s people locally, and within the larger scope of the church’s work.  Why?  Because the work of the church is worthy of being supported. 

 

How does this fit within the realm of stewardship?  The offering is included in worship rite because it is an act of praise.  During the offertory we sing words of praise of God for his benefits to us.  We show forth our praise as we offer to him a portion of what he has first given us—ourselves, our time, and our possessions.

St. Andrew Areas of Giving

• General Fund – all the areas of daily concern for St. Andrew.

• Mission Support – Our giving toward the work of the synod, ELCA and their larger concerns for ministry.

• Coraopolis Cooperative Food Pantry – Our support for the local food pantry

• Building Fund – Savings Fund for continuing building projects and improvements.

• Good Samaritan Fund – Monies given to provide aid to those from the community with various needs.