Douglas John Hall, a theologian and author, says that stewardship is a biblical metaphor that has come of age. In the past two centuries, this idea has become largely jaded because of its abuse and misuse. The era of Protestant missions in the 19th century utilized stewardship to raise money for mission work. If you review literatures about stewardship in the past century, you will find that it talks about finances, church budgets and related money matters. But according to…
This story has been retold in different ways and has been used to spread the “Gospel of Love” everywhere. In Luke 15:11-31, a rebellious son decides to leave his family and waste all his inheritance on worthless things. When he didn’t have anything to eat anymore, he realizes his wrongdoing and comes back to his father who welcomes him with open arms. He says in Luke 15:21 (NIV), “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no…
To tithe or not to tithe? This remains to be among the top questions Christians ask today. We want to obey and honor God in our lives -- we read the Bible, we pray and go to church, try to be and do good to others -- all pretty straightforward. But when it comes to honoring God with our money, we hit a snag. All of a sudden, all these questions about the biblicality of tithing, its relevance to modern-day…
We know that God is the owner and therefore, the provider of everything that is needed to fund His Kingdom work on earth. However, He uses people to mobilize His resources and accomplish His purposes. The book of Nehemiah makes a great case study for God’s funding method. God was pleased to use Nehemiah to organize one of the biggest capital campaigns: a building plan to rebuild the broken walls of Jerusalem. Have you ever been involved in a huge…
It is important to note that throughout the Scriptures, two kinds of giving are consistently taught: compulsory—required or mandatory giving (as to the government in the form of taxes) and voluntary—when giving to God (as an offering) and to charity. The misunderstanding stems from the nature of the Old Testament tithes. Israel then had a theocratic government with the Levitical priests acting as the civil government. One of the purposes of the tithe then was to: Fund the priesthood. These…
(an upside-down world!) In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. (2 Cor. 8:2-4) The Macedonian church were the first to respond with their gifts to the troubled church in Jerusalem. They were not…
Fear about fundraising come from a mindset that says it is an embarrassing act. People fear that donors will say no and they will be rejected. Questions such as, “What if I fail to raise the fundraising target?” plague many fundraisers. You also hear comments such as, “Fundraising is a necessary evil, but it has to be done because we need money to fund ministry programs.” Those are common apprehensions and misconceptions about fundraising that lead to fear among…
Along with the principle of tithing is that of "firstfruits." They go hand in hand. In Proverbs 3:9, the Israelites were commanded to “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of your crops.” But what exactly are firstfruits? Leviticus 23:9-14 institutes the firstfruits offering. The people were to bring a sheaf of grain to the priest, who would wave it before the Lord. A burnt offering, a meal offering, and a drink offering were also required at that…
YOLO or You-Only-Live-Once, is a trending catch phrase among the youths nowadays. This term speaks of indulging on what you want to do because you don’t know when your life will end. It may sound optimistic but the true meaning conveys a most dangerous appeal. In the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21, NIV), Jesus Christ tells the story of a rich ruler, harshly calling him a fool because this man had a YOLO attitude. In Luke 12:19 (NIV),…
Have you ever wondered why some of us are rich and wealthy, and some of us are not? Does God show favoritism when it comes to who should be blessed and who should not be? If God is a rich God and we are His sons and daughters, then why aren’t we financially-blessed equally? Why do some of us still lack despite giving faithfully? If God is a good God, then why doesn’t He bless us and make us rich?…
Putting our Faith into our Spending
Why is budgeting important for Christians?
How do we make sure that we do not honour the rich over the poor?
Does it matter how we earn our income?
How A Kingdom Entrepreneur Should Start Their Day
Is this the missing element from your business?
Income Inequality Isn’t Wrong from a Christian Perspective
Should Churches have a stewardship committee?
Vision : If a Church gets this right, the money follows
Organizing a Fundraising Dinner That Rocks
How do we make decisions about how much we should give, save, and spend?
