From Your Pastor’s Heart – Spiritual Gifts

Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:7-8
This month I would like to spend a little time talking about stewardship. The mere mention of the word “stewardship” might solicit several reactions, most of them being feelings centered upon money. Some will read this month’s pastoral offering intently and think seriously about their role as stewards of God’s blessings. Others might skip over this column entirely, figuring they already know that the pastor is going to talk about money and the church’s need for more. I pray the majority of our members see themselves as part of the first group I mentioned, for we really do need to think about how we are to be good stewards of all that God provides…and I do mean ALL. Still, the “s” word conjures up many mixed feelings, so it is perhaps good that we focus on the scripture passage above before we dig too deeply.
One of the things Christians must always understand is that God is able to provide us with every blessing in abundance, so that we have enough of everything, and we may share it abundantly (2 Cor. 9:8). Sadly, too many Christians understand stewardship as being a means for a congregation to pay the bills. In so many congregations, the mantra becomes, “If we don’t start bringing in more members, we’re going to have financial trouble.” or “We can’t cut much more out of our budget, there’s nothing left to cut.” The problem with these statements is they place the focus on the church building and programs first and the giver second, without ever mentioning God’s role in providing what is necessary to do His will. This is in direct opposition of what being a good steward really means.
Stewardship is NOT a means for the church to collect money. Rather, stewardship is a way for God’s children to grow in relationship with the One who is the provider of all that we have…again, ALL. Focusing on the institution’s need for funds and the giver’s responsibility to provide them gives humans the false notion that they are the possessors and God’s church is the possession. If you think for a moment, you will quickly see how this is played out in churches all across the land, even St. Jacob’s.
We have all heard statements made to the effect that the church should be run like a business. Nothing could be further from the truth. Businesses have one focus, to maximize profits for the sake of their shareholders. The heftier the bank balance, the healthier the business. Churches, on the other hand, exist for the sake of their non-members, those who are the neediest among us. The Church’s focus is its ministry to the gospel, proclaiming the good news of God’s salvation and meeting the needs, both spiritual and physical, of the needy within the surrounding community and world. A healthy church is not necessarily one with a hefty bank balance, but one that has an appetite for growing in faith and a thirst for God’s Word. Healthy churches understand that the blessing of treasure is one to be openly and generously shared. As Christians, we have to believe that God will provide what we need in order to do the work He has called us to do. In fact, God has already provided us with such blessings.
There is an old joke where preachers give congregations the good news and bad news concerning the need for funds. The good news is that God has provided all we need. The bad news is that it is still in your pockets. Think for a moment, there is some truth in this statement. Christians are called to tithe the first fruits of their labors, giving the first fruits of what God has provided for the sake of the gospel. It’s not simply a suggestion; it is a precept of God for the people of God. Thus, being a faithful steward and a cheerful giver means realizing all we have belongs to God, who entrusts such blessings unto us for the sake of those whom God places within our midst. The first fruits of our time, our ability and yes, our treasure, therefore, are to be generously and cheerfully shared so that the message of the gospel becomes reality for those who are in need of God’s saving grace.
Tithing is not simple, it takes discipline. It takes prayer and requires a shift in mindset that in all matters of life, God will provide for our needs. Yet, truly, not all are able to tithe ten percent, but all are able to give of their first fruits. Working together as a congregation, we can learn what it means to become good stewards, learning how we can share our time, talent and treasure for the sake of the gospel. As we become good stewards and cheerful givers, we will soon realize we can overcome the “business mentality,” and further our focus on growing in relationship with God. As Christians, this is our duty and our goal, that we offer God what He has first provided us, ourselves, our time, and our possessions, these signs of His gracious love.
Grace and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila