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Missionary Rick Lance is executive director of the Alabama Baptist State
Board of Missions. |
Other Recent Blog Entries:
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Tuesday, January 3, 2012
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This can be the most wonderful time of the year if we
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SBC
Today: An Interview
Thursday, October 16, 2011
Managing ourselves means more than controlling the
calendar, staying morally and ethically pure, reading the latest books, keeping
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that you make the right decisions and lead in the right direction.
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May 2010
Taking the 'Stew' out of Stewardship!
Submitted: Thursday, May 27, 2010; 3:10 p.m.
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When
Paul Powell was president of the Annuity Board, now GuideStone
Financial Resources, he once told me that he was writing a book
on stewardship. As Paul described his upcoming publication, he
paused and then said, "But you know what? I don't know what to
title it.”
My response was meant to be cute rather than serious. I said,
"Why don't you entitle this new book Taking the Stew out of
Stewardship?.” I laughed a little, but he didn't even
smile. At first, I thought I had hurt his feelings. I mean this
was a serious project, and maybe I was being a little too cute
for my own good.
Then I was totally surprised when Paul responded, "Well, that is
the title of the book! I am going to use that. Thank you for
mentioning it." I fumbled around some and said, "Hey, wait a
minute. I was just kidding about the title.” He responded:
"Well, I am not kidding. The title fits the book. I am using it
for sure.”
Occasionally when I go to my library, pick up that book and
glance at the foreword where Paul Powell thanked me for giving
him the title, I am amused all over again. How can you obtain a
book title in such a way? How can you just kid your way into the
naming of a book? It sounds so counterintuitive.
Since that time, I have actually thought that the book title was
really appropriate. For most Christians, stewardship causes a
real "stew" in their lives. We live in a world seemingly
drowning in debt. Nations have borrowed so much money they are
now asking other nations to borrow money to loan them so they
can pay the interest on their own loans. That is a real "stew"
if I have heard of one.
Countries can become debt laden, and so can Christians. Until
the recent "Great Recession," credit card borrowing and other
forms of excessively easy credit was omnipresent. The real
estate bubble burst was largely a result of too much easy credit
and lenient borrowing practices by lending institutions. That
has become well documented and vehemently debated ad nauseum.
The terrible reality about debt is that, at some point, someone
has to pay for it. That can create a crisis when such
inevitabilities have to be faced. Americans, as well as others
in the world, have way too much debt. Christians are in that
category too. This has to be one of the reasons why evangelical
Christians contribute less than 2.5 percent of their income to
any all charitable causes, including their churches. Think about
that for a moment. Generally, people will borrow money to do
almost anything but not to give to their church.
That is a real and growing challenge for churches, denominations
and, as we would describe it, Great Commission Ministries around
the world. This is why I believe any real consideration of a
Great Commission renewal begins with individual Christians and
local churches. We must return to the biblical teachings about
faithful stewardship. That is the only way to take the "stew"
out of stewardship.
For many years now, significant Christian voices have been
warning us about the dangers of debt and the bondage of
borrowing. Managing our financial resources is an act of
stewardship. When the Corinthian believers were described as
"first giving themselves to the Lord," they set the example for
us. When we give ourselves to the Lord, everything else is
prioritized. The "stew" comes out of stewardship.
To some, tithing is too legalistic to discuss or teach today. I
am saddened by such thinking. A legalist, I do not want to be. A
Pharisee? I loathe the thoughts of such a characterization. Yet,
tithing is biblical. An attitude of legalism or Phariseeism
about it is not Biblical or Christian.
Teaching solid biblical stewardship to believers, younger and
older, is a healthy place to begin getting us out of this
"stew.” If we fail to do so, the situation will just get worse,
and we will have lost another teachable moment in our
generation. Debating over a declining piece of the pie in
churches and conventions is a symptom of the "stew" we are
facing. It is not a solution.
I think I am going to reread the book Taking the Stew out
Stewardship. And better yet, I believe I am going to
seriously study the Scriptures anew for a fresh word from the
biggest Giver in the world. "For God so love the world He
gave....”
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