Stewardship

We can see how God's economic principles are set in motion by our unselfishness toward our
financial resources through a passage in 2nd Corinthians 9:
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

In this passage, areas concerning the heart and the act are addressed - God wants us to give out of our love for Him, and if that is our motive, then we will have a cheerful heart.   But, nevertheless, giving is a foundational act for the child of God.  And, we realize there are blessings that come as we are unselfish in our appropriation of resources.  As we give, we receive the incredible opportunity to be part of the advancement of the Kingdom of God on earth.

+++++

In Malachi 3, we can read this passage about financial stewardship:
8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

We recognize that the work of local churches is funded by the faithful giving of their members. And, even though Faith Radio is a listener-supported ministry, we believe that giving to the local church - the storehouse - should be first and foremost.  Then, as God has blessed you in your finances, it is important to fund other ministries.

This passage likens the lack of giving to God to "robbing God."  And, there are churches struggling today in financial matters.  There are, according to a Christianity Today story about a new LifeWay Research survey, churches that have actually been "robbed" - literally - through thieves in their midst.

The article notes: "Overall, 9 percent of pastors say that their church has had funds embezzled, while 91 percent say they are not aware of any embezzlement."

Scott McConnell, Executive Director of LifeWay Research, says, "Churches run on trust—but they also know people are imperfect and can be tempted,” adding, “That’s why safeguarding a church’s finances is an important part of ministry.”  The story says that, "Most churches rely on volunteers to handle their finances," according to McConnell.

Another survey contributes to the overall picture:

A study of more than 2,400 fraud cases at businesses and nonprofits by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners found 2.4 percent of cases involved churches or other charitable groups. The average loss was $82,000.

Other topics covered by the LifeWay survey included the auditing of a church's finances - about two-thirds of pastors said they had been audited within the past five years.

The CT story also notes:

Many churches function with little margin for error when it comes to their finances.

According to their pastors, 1 in 4 churches (26%) only has enough cash on hand to cover seven or fewer weeks. A similar number (24%) have between eight and 15 weeks of operating reserves. Meanwhile, 15 percent have between 16 and 25 weeks of reserves, while 12 percent have between 26 and 51 weeks. Almost 1 in 4 churches (23%) have a year or more of reserves.

McConnell says, "It takes a lot of faith to run a church, especially when finances are tight,” adding, “But some churches may be missing out on ministry, because there’s not enough money in the bank to respond to needs and opportunities that arise.”

Can you help?  Most certainly.  The financial mechanism to support the work of the local church is the faithful giving of its people.  The ability to provide for the operational needs of the church, including proper staffing and the funding to carry out various activities, in directly proportional to how the congregation operates in God's financial principles.  Those principles are predicated on giving.  

And, the Bible states that giving not only shows our devotion to Christ and a willingness to obey God, but that there are blessings that come to the believer who gives.  In the Kingdom mindset, we are not to give in order to get; rather, we are to recognize that the fulfillment of God's plan on earth comes as His people are obedient.  Our willingness to give sacrificially sets in motion a pattern - we give, our needs are met and there is an overflow, and we can give again and perhaps give more.  We can tithe to the local church and also recognize that there is a tremendous work of the Kingdom that is taking place through missionaries, parachurch organizations, and other ministry organizations.

In light of this LifeWay survey, churches can be challenged to consider stewardship issues related to financial security - protection of funds is important; even though a small number have had funds outright stolen, there is still that temptation there. 

Faith Radio is grateful for the financial support of our listeners.  And, as God has blessed you and strengthened your walk with Christ through this ministry, we would encourage you to prayerfully consider supporting us in our Kingdom work.  We do not wish to take the place of the local church, but to complement its work.  We are a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, which holds us to seven standards, and it is important to us that we are responsible for the dollars we receive.