relationships paired with sacrificial giving. The great narratives in Scrip- ture record God’s work of generously shaping our relationships and behav- iors. We also know that God is con- cerned with how followers of Jesus invest generously, not only time, tal- ent and treasure but also with how we relate to God, to creation and to the world. Maybe no other financial steward-
ship model anchors the individual in a life filled with generosity than the intentional “firstfruits,” the idea of moving toward a balance of sharing 10 percent of income, saving 10 per- cent and spending 80 percent (10-10- 80). The firstfruits practice calls us to adjust our financial behaviors by 1 percent of our income each year until reaching the overall goal of 10-10-80. Firstfruits giving (sharing) cre-
ates a culture of humility by moving ourselves out of the center and mak- ing God the focal point in our life (relational). Because of the size of such a gift, we will need to budget for adjustments (sacrifice) in some areas of our life and in our core values so others might discover a changed and redeemed life, hope and hospitality (life-giving). This model encourages every follower of Jesus joyously to rest in a loving relationship with God, rec- ognize and generously use assets for God’s mission, and live generously toward family, neighbor and future generations.
Common themes Congregations living generously reflect common themes in their giving-education methods. They: • Establish generosity as an act of worship. Rooting our giving in wor- ship assures that our relationship with God and the faith community is connected with sacrificial sharing and life-giving purpose. Even parish-
ioners who share financial gifts elec- tronically will find creative ways to participate in the offering by using check boxes on properly marked offering envelopes and other means of participation. • Concentrate on generosity. Peo- ple give to congregations for differ- ent reasons than they do for secular causes. The cultivation of a generous heart is essential to good stewardship and leads away from the fundraising model. Setting a budget and asking people to make a gift to support it is a transactional goal fraught with pit- falls. Transactional stewardship fre- quently elicits people trying to define their “fair share”; invokes relatively small increases in giving; and diverts energy to the one or two negative reactions people have to a specific proposal. • Write the joy-filled vision that sings. Stewards in all generations care that where they give is a strong, focused, future-oriented ministry. A clearly articulated and internalized sense of God’s mission is key to the creation of a generous culture. The accountability for God’s preferred future strengthens relationships and paves the way for sacrificial giving. • Host a financial stewardship ven-
ture four times each year. Provide multiple venues through which Jesus’ followers reflect on their relationship with God and their generous living behaviors will only strengthen faith and equip the church in cultivating Christ-centered and resilient faith- communities. Using these events to thank the followers of Jesus, interpret God’s work, share an account of our stewardship, celebrate the work of our hands, and pray for the dedication of our gifts is an invaluable part of our discipleship. • Base stewardship ventures on a biblical rather than institutional foundation. Preach and teach the biblical principles of generosity and percentage giving of income. It’s dif- ficult for Jesus’ followers to see stew- ardship as an integral part of their lives and the life of the Christian com- munity if they can’t understand that living generously is foundational to discipleship. When generosity is not taught, fundraising will become the default model for stewardship. Financial stewardship ventures are
opportunities for changing the face of every follower of Jesus to reflect and act on the connection between living generously and living richly in faith toward God.
October 2014 15
SHUTTERSTOCK
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