Question:
My pastor talks a lot about money. I get sick of hearing about it all the time. He calls it “stewardship." Can you tell me what stewardship is and what it has to do with giving money to my church?

Answer:
Principles of stewardship
A steward actively directs affairs, a manager
Stewardship is fulfilling the responsibility of a steward; active and faithful management of that which belongs to another. We are managers, not owners - Psalms 50:10

We are the possessors of nothing, but the stewards of everything
Our very lives do not belong to us
We are not our own. We have been bought with a price - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
The Lord bought (ransomed and redeemed) us from sin and destruction

We must realize everything in our lives is a result of the mercy of God
James 1:17, John 10:10, Deuteronomy 8:18

We must not allow earthly things to distract our attention from heavenly things - 2 Timothy 2:3-4
We cannot serve God and man - Matthew 6:19-24
Paul left all his earthly credentials behind to follow Jesus - Philippians 3:3-9
Trust in God rather than in riches - 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19
God requires certain things of his stewards
Liberality - Matthew 10:18, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
Faithfulness (trustworthiness) - 1 Corinthians 4:2, Luke 16:10 -12, Matthew 25:14

We possess things from God that the world desperately needs
The mysteries of God - 1 Corinthians 4:1
The manifold grace of God - 1 Peter 4:10
Christ in us, the hope of glory - Colossians 1:27

Major areas of stewardship
We are stewards of our time
We are to give time to God
In praise and worship - Hebrews 13:15
In prayer - Luke 18:1
In Bible reading, study and meditation - 2 Timothy 2:15
We are to give time to others in service or ministry - Matthew 25:40

We are the stewards of our talents (abilities)
Parable of the talents - Matthew 25:14-30
Every servant had some ability
Some had more than others
They were not rewarded on the basis of how much they had, but on how well they fulfilled their stewardship
Natural qualifications are not the same as spiritual qualifications
God looks on the heart - 1 Samuel 16:7
Character is more difficult to develop than talent
Whatever ability God has given you, use it to its full potential for the glory of God

We are the stewards of our treasure (money)
Giving financially is important
Financial giving in obedience to God's Word brings blessing
God has established laws of sowing and reaping
Mark 4:26-29, Mark 10:29-30, Luke 6:38, Galatians 6:7
We worship with our giving - Deuteronomy 26:1-2
We finance the Gospel by our giving - Deuteronomy 8:18
Giving money represents giving ourselves (our money represents our life)

Tithing
From the Hebrew word maasrah, meaning tenth
A tenth of our gross (firstfruits), not our net increase- Genesis 4:3-4, Genesis 14:18-19, Genesis 28:20-22, Deuteronomy 26:2
We bring the tithe to the priest in his office
In the Old Testament, the priest was a man - Deuteronomy 26:3-4
In the New Testament, the priest is Jesus Christ - Hebrews 7:5-8
Bring your tithe into the storehouse where you receive spiritual food - Malachi 3:10
Make your confession of faith when you bring your tithe - Deuteronomy 26:3, Deuteronomy 26:5-11

Offerings
Offerings are above and beyond tithing
Offerings can be for different purposes
To spread the Gospel
To minister to the poor
As a praise to God
As a sacrifice
Simply because you want to

Areas to avoid in giving
Giving where God has not placed His name - Deuteronomy 26:2
Giving for an unclean use or for the dead - Deuteronomy 26:14
Giving grudgingly or of necessity - 2 Corinthians 9:7

Withholding tithes or offerings
A tithe withheld must be paid with 20% interest added - Leviticus 27:31
It tends to poverty - Proverbs 11:24
Robbing God - Malachi 3:8-9