03/09/2008 - Chump Change
This year’s stewardship campaign, once again, came from Phil Woodruff & the Finance Committee. Thank you! They creatively linked these five weeks with September’s visioning. The ensuing discussion among committee members, then, was so robust that considering what the pastor has to say was almost an afterthought. In some congregations, that’s a problem, because they expect their pastor or priest to always take the lead & execute ministry. United Methodists do things differently. We rely more heavily on the gifts which the Holy Spirit endows among the church as a whole. The pastor is included, but, not necessarily as the sole leader in the ministry equation. Pastors are, well, almost an afterthought.
So after Mr. Woodruff & the committee designed the first three weeks’ presentations, invited the district superintendent for the fourth week, lined up the “How to Manage Your Money” class, & got things underway, Phil said to me a month later, “And you will be preaching about stewardship, too, won’t you?”
I just smiled & assured him that I would. I have to say, Jesus talked about money a whole lot more than I do, so I’m only too glad to say more. He knew what had people’s hearts & many days it wasn’t God. It was money.
This morning, then, I not only want to touch on some of the good & helpful ways that churches talk about money, but also bring some of my own testimony.
There are many congregations that emphasize financial giving much more than we do. They especially stress sacrificial giving. That’s not a bad thing. Often, though, the message is “give ‘til it hurts.” A life-long, senior Methodist layman once said to me, “Don’t give ‘til it hurts. Give ‘til it feels good.” There’s some wisdom in that, isn’t there? As St. Paul writes, “The Lord loves a cheerful giver”(2nd Cor. 9:6-7). Give because you love being on the giving end.
Other congregations prefer to take the total annual budget, divide that amount among members, & then ask folks to pay “their fair share.” That’s how many Jewish congregations decide to assess their temple dues. Even some Christian churches, without actually stating what members “owe”, base their askings on this method. It is a way for everyone to be treated equally … except, persons who can afford more, may not give more. That’s not fair. Plus, persons who cannot afford the set fee, may feel inadequate or discouraged or quit coming altogether. They want to pull their weight, but cannot. Is that fair? The Bible talks about giving as we have been given (to), an idea that takes into account our wealth or our lack of it (2nd Cor. 8: 11-14). The fair share method does not ask us to give according to how God blesses the individual, but is solely based on what’s required by the congregation.
Other churches ask persons to put God first. They follow the injunction from Moses (speaking for God, of course), to give to God the first & the best which folks have (Ex. 22:29ff, etc.). It’s not the amount given, so much as the practice of putting God first. When the paycheck is cashed, the first check that’s written is for the church (or other faith enterprise). Christ’s kingdom, then, always gets blest first, rather than getting what’s left over after the rest of the bills are paid & purchases made. These folks would rather deny themselves something of less importance, than know they are cheating the God who’s blest them so abundantly.
Still another approach comes from individuals & families who realize what God has so graciously done for them, in general, & through the loving salvation of Jesus Christ, in particular, & want to reciprocate. I received this letter from a family shortly after Christmas. It exemplifies the practice of wanting to return to God as one feels blest by God.
Rev. Gary & Everyone at Christ Church,
When we heard the budget had a shortfall this year, we wanted to help.
After having a trying year for our business in 2006, the Lord has blessed us with an exceptional year in 2007. (Through lots of hard work, of course!)
I hope this will help put a dent into the outstanding balance.
Christ & CUMC are something we truly believe in….
This family gave from their business, not just from their own pockets. When the business was operating in the hole, God made no demands. When the business turned a profit, this family blest God in return.
At other times, the Step Chart, like the one in last week’s bulletin, is helpful. No one suggests how much to give, or whether to put God first or last, or anything other than taking a step up to increase one’s giving. That’s sensible. Gas prices go up without our permission. Taxes are raised, even if we disapprove. Inflation & recession take their toll. The church, though, is considerate enough to kindly ask us to give more.
Our ministries have increasing financial obligations, too. To financially keep pace requires adequate funding. To conduct additional meaningful ministry, means even more funds are needed. In recent weeks, you heard from mission, music, & Christian education representatives what your offering is currently doing. As our faith grows, we want our ministries to grow. We can envision & dream about what can happen, but we can also give to make it happen. God’s people are different from the rest of the world where scarcity is the byword right now.. A God who brings resurrection from death, can certainly produce abundance in Christian lives & churches. We don’t have to be like everyone else.
Each of these methods that I’ve detailed works with certain persons & churches. They all have their own merits & downfalls. It’s not so much a matter of right or wrong method, as what works best. “Different strokes for different strokes.”
Here’s the approach which my family & I prefer.
We like the tithe, which translates to 10% of one’s income. A tithe doesn’t mean any amount of offering. It means 10%. Now, let me say, in Matthew 6’s Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns against bragging about tithing. Please don’t hear my words as bragging, but as a testimony from your pastor. As a part of the calling to Christian ministry, sometimes I am properly expected to take the lead & model spiritual disciplines. How the pastor handles giving is one of these matters. Although I may look at ease today, this is not the easiest subject to talk about with so many listeners.
It’s no secret what I earn. I tithe. Deb tithes. The girls, well, they outshine Deb & I, going beyond tithing their allowance & the monetary gifts they receive from grandparents at birthdays & holidays. Consequently, their model has encouraged Deb & me to move toward a double tithe. The tithe itself goes to Christ Church. Moneys above the 10% figure go to other Christian ministries. Our church is first. Almsgiving & offerings to other needy situations come right on the heels of the tithe.
Let me be clear. God never said, “Thou shalt tithe.” Churches & church leaders have generated a lot of ill-will & guilt trips in these matters. The idea initially came about when Abraham experienced so much blessing from God, that his heart felt compelled to return 10% (Gen. 14:18-20). His gift, then, became the standard, the accepted practice, such that the prophet Malachi instructs us to, “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse…” (Mal. 3:10).
I see tithing, then, as a spiritual practice to emulate, not so much an imperative “Thou shalt.” Plus, when we do tithe, not only does God promise that we’ll experience even more blessing (& not just financially, either), but most importantly, God’s kingdom will always have enough to do the work of ministry. Tithing is God’s way to fund ministry. Tithes help bring our prayers to life.* Those of us who are transformed by Christ’s love can change our church, our community, & our world, when we tithe & move toward the tithe! Whether your income is six figures, or below the poverty level, I’ve known tithers in each category.
When we (the Knerrs) tithe, God is first. That translates into tithing our gross income, rather than our net income. I love my country & fly the U.S. flag everyday, but my Jesus is more important than Uncle Sam. In other words, I give to God before the IRS gets their cut. Gross or net: which is best for you? Jesus is clear: Don’t split hairs on this stuff (Mt. 23:23 ff). Give as the Spirit leads. It’s a matter between you & God. That’s why, between God & me, I tithe: I don’t want money to get in the way of my relationship with God, & come between us.
I didn’t come from a tithing family, so I can tell you, there are ways to grow into tithing. If you’re like most church-goers nationwide who give 2% of your income, take a percentage step up every year until you reach the tithe. Tithe a bonus. Tithe your raise. Tithe your tax refund. Tithe your inheritance or stock dividend or birthday gift. Try tithing for a month. (I know one United Methodist pastor who offered money-back guarantees, if after a month of tithing, your life is not better & more blest than before you tithed! Sounds gimmicky, but he never had to give any money back & it got his church into tithing. They’re here in the North Penn area. What a financial powerhouse for the kingdom they are.)
You see, lack of giving is never a financial issue. It’s a spiritual issue. “I’m goin’a give when the Spirit says ‘give.’” It really is a matter of ridding ourselves of the consumer culture’s dictates, & yielding our lives to Christ’s love, abandoning ourselves to his grace.
Believe me. I don’t think for a minute that tithing is easy. Then again, no one thought that raising a man from the dead would ever happen, either. God did that. He can do impossible things with us, too. “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you,” the Apostle Paul wrote (Rom. 8:11). Certainly, after conquering death, conquering our financial habits is chump change.
In the Name…. Copyright 2008 by G.D. Knerr at Lansdale, Pa. All rights reserved.
* - The fact is God’s already provided. How dare we then ask God (in prayer) to provide, when all we need to do is put those provisions in the offering plate.
TITHING IS BIBLICAL,
BUT IT ISN’T EASY FOR MOST OF US!
Some persons jump right in to tithing.
Others prefer to wade in gently.
If you’re a wader,
here are some helps to get your financial feet wet.
Tithe your next bonus.
Tithe your next raise.
Tithe your tax refund.
Tithe your allowance, grass-cutting, or babysitting earnings.
Tithe money from an inheritance you may receive.
Tithe a stock dividend.
Tithe a birthday gift.
Calculate how much of your income you put in the offering plate, then commit to moving up 1% each year until you reach 10% of your income (the tithe).
Try tithing for a month.
And whatever you do…
talk to God about it. Trust the Holy Spirit to transform your giving, just as Christ transforms you.
TITHING QUESTIONS? Ask the pastors or any member of the Finance Committee.
Phil Woodruff Joe Miller Charles Kline Leroy Horst Barb Gingrich Tom Wick Cory Souders
Ken Dickinson Deb Willey Kent Conway Judy Bell Celeste Loscalzo Irene Dickinson Don Albacker