What is stewardship?
Stewardship means guarding, giving, sharing and using responsibly that which God has given me.
Giving’s guiding principle:
Everything belongs to God, and all I have has been given to me by God. I am called to share and use these gifts to glorify God.
Who should give?
Anyone who has been blessed should seek ways to bless others. “I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing … and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2-3).
Why should I give?
- Giving recognizes God as the source of our blessings.
Every good and perfect gift comes from above. - Giving reveals our heart’s condition and keeps us from loving things rather than God.
“…Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:34). - Giving expresses our thanks to God.
“I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 69:30). - Giving to those in need honors God.
“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God” (Proverbs 14:31). - God blesses those who give.
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38).
What can I give?
• Money
• Time
• Work
• Love
• Encouragement
• Forgiveness
• Good News
• Mercy
• Hope
• Yourself
• Whatever the Lord has given to you that you might share with others
How should I give?
1. Give in love.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
2. Give with joy.
“God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
3. Give in humility.
“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:2-4).
4. Give sacrificially.
“‘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 you will not have room enough for it’” (Malachi 3:9-11).
(“Tithing” means returning 10% of what you have been given back to God. An “offering” is any amount given in addition to the 10%.)
4. Give as unto the Lord.
“‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:35-40).
What MUST a parent do to help children enjoy giving?
1. Model good stewardship; giving parents raise giving children.
2. Teach good stewardship.
3. Remind children to practice and develop the habit of good stewardship.
If you are an active parent at FBA and would like offering envelopes for your child, please request them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please include your child’s name and mailing address.