STEWARDSHIP AND DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER

                       RELATIONSHIPS AND ORGANIC CONVERSATION

 

            Continuing my discussion on stewardship and discipleship, I want to shift focus to the keys to effective discipleship.[1]

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

c.    Financial Health/Season

            I will spend more time next week on the customization of teaching style. This week I want to concentrate on the first two statements above:

            We’ve been talking about stewardship during these summer months since most of our churches commence their stewardship programs in the fall. Too often I’ve found that the focus is completely on money, i.e. making the budget, paying the bills, slashing costs, etc. What if we focused on the people, or relationships, instead?

            If the only relationship someone has with the church is when they’re being asked for money, what kind of relationship is that? Relationships need to come first. See All the People talks about relationships as part of discipleship. So stewardship and discipleship and relationship are all intertwined together! Losing any one of the three cripples the entire “process.”

            The second statement above talks about conversation being organic. Have you sat in a room, maybe at a part, or at a meeting, or a class, and just talking to someone is a struggle? If you’re an introvert, this is easy to understand.

·         Questions asked get a very short answer.

·         Follow-up questions don’t happen.

·         Before you know it, silence reigns.

            Conversations about money, politics and religion (you know, all the topics you were taught not to bring up in public) can result in arguments, or hurt feelings as a minimum. So, talking about money in church combines two of those topics together. That leads to an uncomfortable conversation, at best. But if you have a relationship with some, then those difficult conversations can still happen.

            So forming relationships comes before anything else! How are you forming relationships in your church? Does your discipleship plan/program include relationships or just “doing.” Does your stewardship program just talk about money? Relationship needs to be cultivated first!

            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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[1] Stewardship Education that Builds Disciples, Furlong, Jessica and Dick, Don (Christian Stewardship Network), https://www.christianstewardshipnetwork.com.

 

                         STEWARDSHIP AND DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER

                                     God Uses Stewards to Manage

 

            Continuing my discussion on stewardship and discipleship, I want to focus on another statement I have previously shared:

            God uses stewards to manage His resources.[1]

            The following are the scriptures that the article by Christian Stewardship Network cites about God using stewards to manage.

Genesis 2:15 – “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

1 Peter 4:10 – “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

Luke 12:48 – “But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

Matthew 25:21 - “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

            Reading this statement reminded me of something I found many years ago when I was preparing for my first workshop on stewardship, and that is the source of the word steward, which is sty-ward, the person in charge of caring for the pigs.

 

            With that as the source of the word steward, the idea that God uses stewards to management His resources makes a lot of sense! But this statement has two parts. The first is that we are stewards, not owners, but managers. The second part of the statement is that the resources are God’s!

            So, as a steward, we are tasked with caring for what is owned by another, and our every need is cared for.

            As we continue to discuss stewardship and discipleship in the upcoming summer weeks, to help us prepare for our stewardship and discipleship often done in the fall, remember, stewardship and discipleship have to work together. One cannot exist without the other. We aren’t effective stewards 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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[1] Stewardship Education that Builds Disciples, Furlong, Jessica and Dick, Don (Christian Stewardship Network), https://www.christianstewardshipnetwork.com.

 

                          STEWARDSHIP AND DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER

                         GOD AS SOLE PROVIDER OF ALL RESOURCES

 

            Continuing my discussion on stewardship and discipleship, I want to focus on another statement previously shared:

            God is the sole provider of all resources.[1]

            These are the scriptures that the article by Christian Stewardship Network cites about God being the sole provider.

2 Peter 1:3 - His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

1 Timothy 6:17 - Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Philippians 4:19 - And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

John 15:7 - If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

            My first reading of the statement above led me to think that it was pretty much the same as God being the owner, but after reading the scriptures and thinking about this a little more, I realized it was quite different. God created and owns; we’ve covered that. But providing is something more. Providing means caring for others with what is owned. As an example, parents provide for their children. God provides for us.

            Going another step further, while parents provide for their children, we’ve discussed that we don’t actually own anything. But God created. God owns. God provides:

·         “his divine power has granted us all things”

·         “God…richly provides us with everything to enjoy”

·         “God will supply every need”

This is amazing! God created. God owns. But God provides, and not only does God provide, God provides for us, for our every need.

            As a steward, we are tasked with caring for what is owned by another, and our every need is cared for.

            As we continue to discuss stewardship and discipleship in the upcoming summer weeks, to help us prepare for our stewardship and discipleship often done in the fall, remember, stewardship and discipleship have to work together. One cannot exist without the other. We aren’t effective stewards 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

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[1] Stewardship Education that Builds Disciples, Furlong, Jessica and Dick, Don (Christian Stewardship Network), https://www.christianstewardshipnetwork.com.

 

                     STEWARDSHIP AND DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER #3 

                         OWNING NOTHING AND NEEDING EVERYTHING

 

            Continuing my discussion on stewardship and discipleship, I want to focus on another statement previously shared:

            We own nothing and need everything.[1]

            Last week’s statement was the complete opposite, with God owning everything and needing nothing. This week the statement is from our vantagepoint.

            We are stewards, not owners.

            These are the scriptures that the article by Christian Stewardship Network cites about the ownership by God:

John 3:27 -  “John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.”

Ecclesiastes 5:15: “As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.”

1 Timothy 6:7: “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”

1 Corinthians 4:7: “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”

            Each of these scriptures talk about how we came into the world with nothing. That means nothing that we have is ours. Too often (and I’ve done this myself), when we are introducing the time of giving during a worship service, we say that it is our opportunity to give back to God some of what we’ve been given.

            While that may be true, I think it also implies that we have ownership of stuff that we are sharing with others and with God. That ignores the fact that what we hold in our hands isn’t ours.

            As a steward, we are tasked with caring for what is owned by another. Since we own nothing, we actually need everything.

            As I said last week, God created, God owns, and God doesn’t NEED anything.

            As we continue to discuss stewardship and discipleship in the upcoming summer weeks, to help us prepare for our stewardship and discipleship often done in the fall, remember, stewardship and discipleship have to work together. One cannot exist without the other. We aren’t effective stewards 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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[1] Stewardship Education that Builds Disciples, Furlong, Jessica and Dick, Don (Christian Stewardship Network), https://www.christianstewardshipnetwork.com.