STEWARDSHIP
AND DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER
An article that I read from Christian
Stewardship Network, Stewardship Education that Builds Disciples[1]
had an excellent series of statements:
On
stewardship theology:
1. God owns everything and needs nothing.
2. We own nothing and need everything.
3. God is the sole provider of all resources.
4. God uses stewards to manage His resources.
On
effective discipleship:
1. Create a safe space for relationships to form.
2. Conversation should be organic.
3. Customize teaching style to individual’s
a.
life
stage,
b.
spiritual
maturity, and
c.
financial
health/season.
I thought it was important to spend time this summer
discussing stewardship as many of us and our churches spend time in the fall “doing”
stewardship and fund raising. It’s time to start planning now, not wait
until a couple of weeks before the first stewardship sermon or letter.
I am going to spend some time over
the next few weeks picking apart the Scriptural basis for these statements, as
well as how we can “do” stewardship more effectively.
I want to make sure that we realize
that stewardship and discipleship have to work together. One cannot
exist without the other. “Ultimately stewardship is using the resources God has
blessed you with in order to further his kingdom, whereas discipleship is
pursuing growth as a follower of Christ.”[2]
We aren’t effective stewardship if
we aren’t disciples, and we aren’t disciples if we aren’t using the resources
give to us to further God’s kingdom.
Stay
tuned for this ongoing stewardship conversation.
If you wish more information on this or would like to discuss stewardship and its relationship with discipleship,
please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or sranousacctg@twcny.rr.com. I’d be happy to help.
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