Home / Get Involved / Becoming a More Faithful Steward of God’s Gifts
Giving to God is giving to His kingdom, and not about giving to the church’s needs or budget. Our responsibility is to give to God in response to His loving generosity.
The church is a vehicle for accomplishing the work of God. It is we, the Body of Christ, who accomplish His work through our giving. We give through the church, not to the church. We are called to use all that God has given us in service to others.
Make your pledge of time, talent and treasure now!
How To Be and To Make Disciples of Christ
Evangelism, Missions and Stewardship are interrelated “action” ministries. Each ministry functions independently but complements and supports the common goal of advancing God’s kingdom. Consider being and making Disciples of Christ by committing your time, talent and treasure to God’s kingdom, witnessing to God’s work in your life and serving others by sharing the love of God.
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- Stewardship
Managing one’s time, talent and treasure for God’s purposes
- Evangelism
Witnessing to God’s work in one’s life
Serving others by sharing the love of Christ.
What is Christian Stewardship?
You don’t need to look too far to learn the meaning of Christian stewardship. By simply reading a few of chapters of Genesis, the meaning of Christian stewardship is clearly revealed.
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“The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” –Genesis 2:15
Look a little further and Psalms 24:1 shares, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
It is clear that we have been created to care and stewardship is the care of all creation that God has given to us. This is the fundamental principle of biblical stewardship. God owns everything, we are simply managers or administrators acting on his behalf.
Stewardship is the commitment of one’s self and possessions to God’s service, recognizing that we do not have the right of control over our property or ourselves.
“Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service, you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already.”
– C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
The Principles of Stewardship
Stewardship can be confusing. It’s sometimes mistaken for fundraising, but stewardship is not about the church budget or paying for a new addition to the church building, it’s about recognizing God’s work in our lives and responding to God with gratitude. To help you better understand stewardship and what God expects of us, we’ve provided the Principles of Stewardship:
Principles of Stewardship
- All we have belongs to God. Our blessings are gifts from God, our generous Creator.
- We are lifelong stewards of the gifts with which God has blessed us.
- God expects us to practice stewardship in ways that glorify God and that strengthen His earthly Kingdom.
- Our stewardship decisions reveal the relative importance of God in our lives.
- Stewardship greatly impacts the depth of our relationships with God and the quality of our earthly lives.
- As good stewards, we should use our gifts of time, talent and treasure in those places that best further God’s Kingdom. Buncombe Street Methodist Church is a conduit through which God works.
- The practice of stewardship changes hearts and strengthens relationships with God. Stewardship is a tie that binds us to God.
What The Bible Says About Stewardship
According to scripture, God created Earth for mankind and we are to be stewards of God’s creation. This means it is our responsibility to look after and take care of this world. We should accept this responsibility with gratitude and use our gifts to glorify God, and in turn, our relationship with God will be strengthened.
What Else Does the Bible Say About Stewardship?
Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God.
1 Peter 4:10
The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord.
Psalm 24:1
Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.
James 1:17
Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest.
Proverbs 3:9
Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
Malachi 3:10
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6
This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
1 Corinthians 4:1-2
Riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of everything. Power and might are in Your hand, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all.
1 Chronicles 29:12
Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’
Matthew 25:21
Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person, but a foolish man consumes them.
Proverbs 21:20
So if you have not been faithful with the unrighteous money, who will trust you with what is genuine?
Luke 16:11
For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Matthew 25:29
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
–Matthew 6:21
Understanding Stewardship: A Sunday School Class Teaching Aid
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How Do I Know What Gifts I Have Been Given?
God has blessed each one of us with special gifts. He has entrusted us to use these gifts to glorify Him, by using these precious gifts wisely to advance His kingdom. Are you seeking to find your place in the Body of Christ? If your answer is “yes”, we can help. Click the following link to download the survey that will help you learn more about identifying your spiritual gifts.
Spiritual Gifts Survey
How Can I Use My Gifts to Serve God?
We are entrusted to “use our gifts to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace”. We are given these gifts for the “progress and joy” of one another’s faith.
Giving of time, talent and financial gifts is a way of worshiping God and glorifying Him. There is a special delight in our grace-gifts when we don’t think of them as “mine” but make use of them to increase the delight of others and magnify Him and glorify Him.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.–Matthew 6:21
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For a complete listing of service opportunities, click here.
For a complete listing of ways for financial giving, click here.
Is God leading you to create a new ministry? If you have an idea, or have noticed a need, click this link and provide the church with your ideas.
What Our Members Are Saying About Stewardship
Video Gallery
Article Gallery
Recommended Reading about Stewardship
The Legacy Journey: A Radical View of Biblical Wealth and Generosity, Dave Ramsey
The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving, Randy Alcorn
Living Life Backward: How Ecclesiastes Teaches Us to Live in Light of the End, byDavid Gibson
The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith,by Timothy Keller
Frequently Asked Questions
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Make a Commitment / Annual Pledge
How we use our gifts of time, talents, and money signifies what we value. Our gifts can become instruments with which we express our love for God.
We ask our members to make an annual pledge each year because we believe that the process of self-evaluation and a formal annual commitment to God will strengthen each of us in our daily Christian lives. Pledges of time & talent can be made by estimating the number of hours per week you are able to commit to service. Financial pledges can be fulfilled weekly, monthly, or even yearly, and they can be paid by check, cash, monthly automatic bank draft, or online gift.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21
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Make your pledge of time, talent and treasure now!
Adult Commitment
Time & Talent
Service Opportunities
Online Commitment
Treasure
Treasure Commitment Form
Electronic Funds Transfer (ETF) (PDF)
Online Commitment
Student Commitment
Time & Talent
Service Opportunities and Treasure Form
Endowment
Our Endowment Fund was created to receive gifts, large and small, which are invested to provide income that is used for the perpetual support of the mission and work of our church. It generates funding for the ministries, missions, and outreach activities not supported by the annual operating budget.
Buncombe Street Endowment Fund
Resources
If you are making a presentation to a Sunday school class or church ministry about Stewardship, click “Read More” to access the resources you may need. If you don’t see what you need, or have a special request, contact the church office.
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BSUMC Stewardship Presentation (PDF)
Principles of Stewardship (PDF)
Sample Letters, Pledge Form, Instruction Form (PDF)
Stewardship Binder (PDF of the three files noted above)
