FIRSTFRUITS FINDINGS Vol. 8 No. 1 Mar - Apr 2003 A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR A fun part of my job is meeting with a group of people from a church who have formed a stewardship team. After they have studied Becoming a Firstfruits Congregation by Bob Heerspink, or The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn, invariably someone will say, "I've changed my view of stewardship". This person will go on to say, "It's no wonder I haven't experienced the joy of giving". Frequently, they state it is because giving was done out of a sense of obligation like paying a bill. Why? Why don't many Christians experience joyful, generous giving? (Surveys we've conducted show less than 25%.) In this issue's feature article, "What Does Stewardship Really Mean?", we suggest six dimensions of living directly affected by our understanding of the true meaning of stewardship. Bottom line? God owns it all, and how well or how poorly we manage His gifts to us affects our relationship with Him. The church needs to be involved in developing and encouraging stewards. We are able and willing to assist in this important work. Give us a call or send us an email and we will share with you how we can help. In my travels, I've heard many stories from people whose lives have been touched significantly by God, as they begin to understand and practice good stewardship. If you have a story, we invite you to share it with us so we can share it with others in future newsletters. (See "Share Your Story") ~ Norm Vander Wel WHAT DOES STEWARDSHIP REALLY MEAN? Stewardship is not another word for giving. Too many times, in an effort to raise money to meet the budget, churches begin to talk about stewardship. The emphasis is that since God has given us what we have, it is important to give back part of what He has given us. As a result, many of the real facets of stewardship have been ignored or totally missed. So what is the true meaning of stewardship? Everything we have actually belongs to God and we are His stewards or managers. As His managers, God is as concerned about what we keep, as He is about what we give. So what does good stewardship really mean? Once we truly understand that God, as owner, is the one who provides, and we, as managers, have the responsibility to care for and make productive what He has given us, there is an impact on many dimensions of our lives. First, it affects the way we work. The ability to work and the opportunities for work are a gift from God. The Bible makes it clear that we are to do our work as unto Him and not to men. Second, our understanding of stewardship affects our level of honesty. In a society where honesty often goes only as far as it is convenient, God has a completely different standard for His stewards. Good stewardship demands absolute honesty in all business and personal dealings. Third, good stewardship affects how we raise our children. As stewards not only of our resources but also of our children's upbringing, it is important that we model and teach our children the principles of good stewardship. Fourth, stewardship affects how we invest and save. Does good stewardship matter to God? Absolutely! It is surprising how many verses in the Bible address saving and investing our resources. The parable of the ten talents is really about investing and making productive all that God has given us. Fifth, good stewardship affects our spending. It is often said that one can easily determine what our values are by looking at our checkbook. It quickly indicates where our priorities lie and what is important to us. Sixth, closely related to spending is giving. Although stewardship is not synonymous with giving, giving is clearly part of God's plan for good stewardship. God repeatedly condemns selfishness and encourages generosity towards those in need around us. A good steward, then, must take seriously God's word and look to it regularly for guidance. The Bible actually says more about handling our possessions than any other topic - approximately 2,100 verses and 2/3 of Jesus' parables. When you become successful, don't say, "I'm rich, and I've earned it all myself." Instead, remember that the Lord your God gives you the strength to make a living. That's how He keeps the promise He made to your ancestors. Deut. 8:17,18 (CEV) CATCH THE SPIRIT! What happens to us when we begin to understand that real stewardship comes from the heart? We begin to adopt a spiritual lifestyle that gives us new insights - a new vision of the world around us and what it means to be a manager of the gifts God has given us. That's exactly what happened to Dave Nienhuis, Stewardship Chair for Haven Christian Reformed Church in Zeeland, MI. According to Dave, "For my wife and me, recognizing that 'God owns it all' affects everything in our lives. We now look at the difference between wants and needs. As we consider major purchases, we pray about them. Prayer led us to decide NOT to complete a big purchase - and, consequently, with that decision our eyes were opened to several exciting ministry projects we could support." Dave adds, "We always considered the tithe of 10% as something to strive for, however, we now look at 10% as a place to start!" SHARE YOUR STEWARDSHIP STORY! In your own personal stewardship journey, what has been the most life-changing experience for you or your family? Maybe it was a book, a sermon, a small-group study, an event, a person, or maybe it was something entirely different! Whatever it was, we'd like you to share it. If you use a computer, please go to our website at: www.barnabasfoundation.com/firstfruits, click on "Share Your Stewardship Story" and give us the details. Or send your story to Laura De Vries, Barnabas Foundation, 18601 North Creek Drive, Tinley Park, IL 60477-6399. SPECIAL OFFERING IDEA Here is an idea to help raise a specific amount of money for a cause. In this case, money was needed to buy mattresses for a Honduran hospital. Only twenty envelopes were printed showing scanned pictures of the hospital and the doctor. At the table with the envelopes, the church had a poster that told about the medical clinic and showed pictures of some of the church members volunteering there. The people were asked to take the envelopes and return them the following week with the specified amount enclosed. They could ask friends and co-workers for help. The scene after church was comical. People were fighting for the envelopes and then looking for someone who had one so that they could contribute. More money was raised than had been asked for! INVESTING IN ETERNITY Can you imagine an investment with an endless return over a billion years? That's what happens when you invest in eternity. In Randy Alcorn's , The Treasure Principle, you will come to understand what it means that "you can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead". Through six life-changing principles, Alcorn invites us to "transfer your assets from earth to heaven... where they will safely await you." Though this book is a quick read, it will surely challenge you as you discover a joy of giving that has radical implications. The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn. Published by Eternal Perspective Ministries (503-663-6481).