At the heart of the faith of the Church is the grace of God, undeserved and unearned, to which our giving is a Christian response. This giving is of our whole selves. Christian stewardship is therefore, not only about giving money

but also

about the discipleship to which each Christian is called.

Christian stewardship, what on earth is it?

When the word ‘stewardship’ is mentioned in church, it’s easy to think, ‘oh, they want money again!’ but is that really what it is all about?

Christian stewardship is actually much more than just finance.

So what is it?

Christian stewardship is actually a way of life in which we regard ourselves and our possessions as a trust from God to be used in His service, for what He has done for us in Jesus Christ.  This means that we are stewards of everything God has given us; our time, our abilities, our possessions, our money and our whole lives.

Christian giving is much more than calculating how much to give but being caught up in the gracious giving to God.

The crucial question is not,

‘How much can I give?’

 but,

‘How much of me, my love for God, my life in Christ and the blessings entrusted to me are reflected in what I choose to give?’

 The theology of stewardship.

Christian giving is based on a theology of giving in response to God’s love and His overwhelming generosity.

It is based on the premise that giving is an act of worship, thanksgiving and discipleship and that giving in this way enables us to share in God’s action in His church, His world and in us, as we are transformed by the grace of giving.

Throughout the Bible we learn of God’s generosity and His desire for a response of love, worship and thanksgiving. This response has to come from right attitudes of the heart. Micah 6:8

Right from the beginning we learn of God’s creation and generosity. In Genesis we read of the first offerings to God from Cain and Abel.  Genesis 4

Within the Old Testament the tithes for payment of the Levites’ priesthood, care for the poor and celebration of God’s goodness are established. Transgressions both of the tithe and the principles of justice and charity are condemned by the prophets. Malachi 3:7-12, Job 22:9

Within the New Testament the Gospels present Jesus speaking more about money and possessions than either prayer or faith. He gives no direct instructions on giving but it is clear that He regards money as a threat to faith. Matthew 6:24

The stories of the rich young man and the rich fool with his barns show the futility of becoming wedded to possessions and wealth. Luke 12

Jesus’ teaching on the greatest commandments can be applied to how we spend our money as well as how we order our lives. Matthew 22:38-39

If we claim to love God and our neighbour and do not show that in how we spend our money, then we are not showing our faith in practical ways. James 2:14-16

This very practical attention to the needs of others as part of our expression of faith is expressed in Paul’s teachings on giving. In Corinthians he exhorts the Corinthians to follow the example of their brothers in Macedonia in order to help the church in Jerusalem. 2 Cor. 8 & 9

Not once in the whole two chapters does he mention the word ‘money’. For Paul, the collection is a clear theological statement about grace, trust, love and service.

For many Christians today, this message continues to be a real challenge. Money can be a good servant and a terrible master; like salt water it will never satisfy our thirst and will leave us wanting more. 

To trust God means to give to Him first and trust that there will be sufficient for your own needs. Like all acts of faith, this needs real courage.

To love is to give; “for God so loved the world that He gave…..” John 3:16

It is a crime and a betrayal of trust to love one’s children but not provide for them.

It is an act of faith to love and care for God’s church and God’s children in need, as part of our expression or our love for Him. It is the only way we can respond to His generosity, after all, we can never ‘out give’ God. 1 Chronicles 29:10-22

The grace of giving is a gift, but also a discipline that can be practiced and therefore received through this practice. 1 Corinthians 8:7

Some things to think about:

1. Did I realise there was so much about giving in the bible, or that Jesus spoke so much about money and possessions?

2. Do I agree that my giving is a barometer of my faith in Jesus?

3. Do I usually think of my giving as an act of worship?

4. Is giving to the Church a priority for me—if not, why not?

5. Do I regularly review my pattern of giving?

6. What do I think about giving in proportion to what God has given me?

7. What would I like to do about my giving and how can I take practical steps to move to where I would like to be?

If we give to God in all the ways we are able to,

If we all dedicated some of our time and talents to God’s church and its ministries,

If we each gave Jesus a new disciple,

If we all provided financially for the church family,

Just imagine what we could achieve.

Financial giving.

There are various ways in which to financially support the parish of Widford and our ministries;

The best way is to set up a standing order.

· This not only enables the church to plan ahead and budget better, but will also help those giving in this way to discipline themselves to give regularly to God as a priority. 

 The envelope scheme.

· This is another good way to ensure you give to God regularly.

· Simply collect some envelopes from the parish office or from your stewardship advisor. You can pop them on the plate when you come to church.

The plate is available during every service for your financial offerings to God.

Gift aid is a simple way to increase the value of your giving. If you are a tax payer, simply fill out a gift aid form and we can claim back the tax from the inland revenue.

Thank you for your gifts.

 back