Stewardship
What does it mean to be a good steward? Particularly in a church setting we become accustomed to hearing about “stewardship” in the fall season when the leadership begins to contemplate budgets for the upcoming year, and they ask the congregation to consider pledging to continue the ministry of the church. It is always one of the most anxious times for the leadership and frequently guilt-inducing seasons for church members. No one likes it.
But stewardship is far bigger than finances or making pledge commitments to keep the lights on at the church. Genuine stewardship is the “responsible care of property belonging to another.”[i] This definition causes one to ponder a few words. What does it mean to be “responsible”? What is meant by “care”? How is “property” best defined?
For most of us raised in western culture with its rugged individualism, we primarily consider how we and those closest to us are impacted or affected. This narrow perspective highlights the need to engage with those who possess a worldview different from our own. If we are willing to listen, these interactions might expand our experience of the world God has created. We hope that they will also enliven a sense of partnership with humanity as we recognize the reality that we share this world not only with all who live now, but also with those who have gone before, and those who have yet to come.
We practice stewardship then, because we know that all of creation is a space God formed for us to share so that all may thrive and enjoy God’s blessings abundantly. Our role in this plan is to help ensure that every person has the same opportunities for health, sustenance, joy, companionship, work, play, etc. As a result, the way we interact with others, how we utilize our time, the natural resources we expend to live as we do…should each be considered through the lens of our stewardship responsibilities toward all that God has created. Though we acknowledge the truth that everything comes from God, if we are honest - our conduct suggests otherwise. We must be willing to live differently. Ultimately, we know that:
“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;
for He has founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers.” Ps 24:1-2
The greatest challenge in our U.S. context is to accept that much about the way we live demonstrates that we consider ourselves to be more “owner” and “user” of creation rather than steward of what God has made. It will be tough to shift the relentless pursuit of our own personal comfort in order to practice genuine stewardship. Again, Wendell Berry challenges us to reconsider how we live so that the stewardship we espouse as followers of Jesus becomes a lived reality.
“We must achieve the character and acquire the skills to live much poorer than we do.”[ii]
If we accept the truth found in Psalm 24 and are then challenged to use that filter to consider the above quote it leaves us wrestling with several questions. What might “living poorer” mean for our day to day lives? How would “living poorer” positively impact the neighbors with whom we share the world now? How might that alter the stewardship legacy we leave for those who are yet to be? Our faith and desire to practice stewardship as we believe God intends should be what guides our lives as we consider these important questions.
[i] Berry, Wendell. What Are People for?: Essays. Counterpoint, 2010. P. 99.
[ii] Ibid. p. 201.
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Dan Kreiss, RPC’s Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach, brings with him a heart for service and a diverse array of experiences in the mission field. Be sure to subscribe to the Mission Outreach Blog to read and follow along as he documents his personal journey and shares his vision for RPC’s mission outreach commitment. Along with providing meaningful resources, this blog will help jumpstart the important conversations our church community must be having about missional living.
Dan Kreiss
Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss is the Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach at RPC. Dan is particularly passionate about encouraging the church to reflect the diversity found in its surrounding community in regard to age, gender, ethnicity, education and economic status.