Bible Verses Supporting A Life of Giving and Stewardship

• John 3:16 "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.
• Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
• Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
• Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
• Acts 11:29 The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea.
• 2 Corinthians 8:1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
• 2 Corinthians 8:2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
• 2 Corinthians 8:3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,
• Acts 11:29 The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea.
• 1 Corinthians 16:1 Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do.
• 1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.
• 2 Corinthians 8:12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
• 2 Corinthians 9:5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
• 2 Corinthians 8:6 So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.
• 2 Corinthians 8:10 And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.
• 2 Corinthians 8:11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.
• 2 Corinthians 9:3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.
• 2 Corinthians 9:4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we--not to say anything about you--would be ashamed of having been so confident.
• 2 Corinthians 9:5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
• Acts 9:36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas ), who was always doing good and helping the poor.
• Acts 9:39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
• 2 Corinthians 8:10 And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.
• 2 Corinthians 8:1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
• 2 Corinthians 8:18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel.
• 2 Corinthians 8:19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.
• 2 Corinthians 8:23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ.
• Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Biblical Principles To Guide Our Giving

I. Each person is to give according to his/her ability

All Christians, according to their ability, should be involved in sharing their material possessions to carry on God's work in the world (Acts 11:19-30).

II. Our giving is to be regular and proportionate

Christians should set aside a certain percentage of their income on just as regular a basis as they are paid in order to be able to systematically give to God's work (I Corth. 16:2).

God honors believers' gifts once they begin to give regularly and systematically, even though they may not be able to give as proportionately as they will be able to once they have their economic lives in order (2 Corth. 8:10-12).

III. We are to give willingly

Christians should organize and plan their giving in a systematic way so that they can give generously and not respond in a grudging fashion (2 Corth. 9:5b).

IV. We are to be held accountable in our giving

Christians need to be held accountable when they make financial commitments to God's work (2 Corth. 8:6,10,11; 9:3).

V. We are to give what we have

God desires to use Christians who may not have an abundance of material possessions but who unselfishly use what they have, including their skills, to do the work of God (Acts 9:32-43).

VI. We are to support our local church

It is by divine design that local churches provide the primary context in which Christians are to use their material possessions to further the work of God's kingdom (Acts 2-6).

The local church is God's primary context for maintaining accountability in the area of material possessions.

Bible Verses Supporting A Life of Giving and Stewardship

• John 3:16 "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.
• Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
• Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
• Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
• Acts 11:29 The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea.
• 2 Corinthians 8:1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
• 2 Corinthians 8:2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
• 2 Corinthians 8:3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,
• Acts 11:29 The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea.
• 1 Corinthians 16:1 Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do.
• 1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.
• 2 Corinthians 8:12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
• 2 Corinthians 9:5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
• 2 Corinthians 8:6 So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.
• 2 Corinthians 8:10 And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.
• 2 Corinthians 8:11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.
• 2 Corinthians 9:3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.
• 2 Corinthians 9:4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we--not to say anything about you--would be ashamed of having been so confident.
• 2 Corinthians 9:5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
• Acts 9:36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas ), who was always doing good and helping the poor.
• Acts 9:39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
• 2 Corinthians 8:10 And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.
• 2 Corinthians 8:1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
• 2 Corinthians 8:18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel.
• 2 Corinthians 8:19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.
• 2 Corinthians 8:23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ.
• Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Church Guidelines For Financial Integrity

Below are guidelines that can help a church provide general direction regarding how it will handle its finances. These guidelines are communicated each year as part of the church’s budget presentation.

We believe that the way a church handles itself in the financial arena is a reflection of its integrity in every area. The Elders, therefore, have established the following policies that will guide us in the years ahead:

1. Grace Church belongs to God. It is not a monument to one man or even to this present generation that serves through its various ministries. We are all merely fellow servants in the work of the kingdom.
2. In the last ten years the Lord has apparently chosen to bless our congregation both numerically and financially. Nevertheless, He gives and sometimes takes away. If He ever closes the door to this work, we will accept His leading and yield the outcome to Him. Until then, we will devote every ounce of energy to the task at hand.
3. One of the ways we can discern the Lord’s will regarding the continuation of our church is through the support He sends (or doesn’t send) from His people. Therefore, as the overseers of this church, we feel it is our obligation to make known to you our needs. We commit ourselves, however, to do so in a Christlike manner and with the greatest sensitivity to those who are visiting our church on any given week. We will never resort to what we consider to be disrespectful and dishonorable methods of fund raising, even when the needs are serious.
4. It is our belief that as you consider your giving, your first obligation is to the local church, in our case, Grace Church. After this has been met, you should prayerfully consider where God would lead you to give...including “parachurch” ministries that support and defend the same values we do.
5. We will not operate this ministry at a deficit. Although from time to time it is necessary to borrow funds for large capital expenditures, such as for a new building.
6. We consider the contributions we receive to be “blood money”–given by families who have to sacrifice to make their gifts possible. Our obligation is to spend that money conservatively and wisely in continuing the ministry.
7. We will carefully record each contribution and provide you with a quarterly update of your giving to assist you in your planned giving and tax preparations.
8. When we make a purchase, we will pay the invoice within 30 days, if possible. We do not intend to use the vendor’s money.
9. We will not try to raise more money than we need.
10. The Senior Pastor will not be the primary fund-raiser.
11. We will never sell or rent our mailing list to those wishing to use the names and addresses of our supporters.
12. We will strive to handle money given to Grace Church in a responsible manner.

To summarize, we will try to remember always that Jesus Christ is our possessor and our dispossessor. He ordained and blessed this ministry. It belongs entirely to Him.

Penetrating A Materialistic World

As Christians, we are to impact non-Christians with our life-style, both personally and corporately. No aspect, however, is illustrated more specifically and graphically in the New Testament than the way we view and use our material possessions. How does our view of material possessions influence the way non-Christians view our relationship with Jesus Christ?I.        Encouraging Faith in ChristII.        Verifying God’s TruthChristians who are unselfish and benevolent become a unique verification to non-Christians that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God (Acts 9:32-43).III.        Practicing A Biblical Work EthicChristians should work hard to provide for their economic needs so that they are not criticized by unbelievers for being lazy and irresponsible (I Thess. 4:11-12).IV.        Breaking Fellowship With Lazy ChristiansChristians should separate themselves from other Christians who are persistently irresponsible in not providing for their own economic needs (2 Thess. 3:6).V.        Serving Employers With Diligence And Right MotivesChristian employees should work hard and serve their employers (both Christians and non-Christians) as if they are actually serving the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24).VI.        Treating Employees Fairly And With DignityChristian employers should always treat their employees fairly in every respect (Colossians 4:1).

Penetrating a Materialistic World

On a scale of one to ten, circle the number that best represents how well you believe you practice the biblical principles found in each question.1.        Are people in my community coming to know Jesus Christ because they see me demonstrating unselfish and generous use of my material possessions to further the kingdom of God?VERY LITTLE SOMEWHAT EXTENSIVELY1        2        3        4        5        6        7        8        9        102.        Do I actually reach out and help in material ways people who may actually resent me or the message of Jesus Christ?VERY LITTLE SOMEWHAT EXTENSIVELY1        2        3        4        5        6        7        8        9        103.        Are the acts of benevolence and love by me impacting the non-Christian community with the message of the gospel?VERY LITTLE SOMEWHAT EXTENSIVELY1        2        3        4        5        6        7        8        9        104.        Do I maintain a strong work ethic so as to be a good example to those in the community who do not know Christ?VERY LITTLE SOMEWHAT EXTENSIVELY1        2        3        4        5        6        7        8        9        105.        Do the leaders at Grace Church apply principles of church discipline, in this case, as it relates to Christians who are lazy and irresponsible?VERY LITTLE SOMEWHAT EXTENSIVELY1        2        3        4        5        6        7        8        9        106.        Do I perform my vocational tasks as if I were actually serving Jesus Christ?        VERY LITTLE        SOMEWHATVERY LITTLE SOMEWHAT EXTENSIVELY1        2        3        4        5        6        7        8        9        107.        Do the Christian employers in our church treat their employees in the same way they would like God to treat them?VERY LITTLE SOMEWHAT EXTENSIVELY1        2        3        4        5        6        7        8        9        10

How To Pray For Missions

Read: Ephesians 6:18-20At the present time, God has chosen to use our church as a sending church. We thank Him and praise Him for the trust He has placed in us. But a church that supports its missionaries does more than send a support check each month–a missions church covers its missionaries in prayer. This is an essential part of the responsibility God has given us. Listed below are several suggestions to help you be a better intercessor on behalf of our missionaries:1.        The Mission Field        A.        Local/National Government. Pray that they will not be resistant to Christianity, and will allow evangelizing and conversions.        B.        Unsaved Nationals. Pray that they will become dissatisfied with their present form of worship and that God will prepare the “soil” of the heart. Pray that God will keep Satan from blinding them to the truth.        C.        Saved Nationals. Pray that they will be willing to openly profess their faith in Christ and to face whatever opposition may come. Also, pray that God will raise up godly men to provide strong leadership for the Christian community.2.        The Missionaries        A.        A Prayer Covering at Home. Pray that God will raise up members from our church to form a strong prayer covering for the missionaries. At Grace, we call these groups Harvest Teams.        B.        Their Relationship with God. Pray that the missionaries would be persons after God’s own heart and that their relationship with God will remain strong and always growing.        C.        Good Health. Ask God to give the missionaries strength and the ability to withstand the pressures of living on the front lines of the “battle,” as well as a healthy emotional outlook.        D.        Sufficient Finances. Pray that God will supply their needs according to His riches.3.        The Husband and Wife Team        A.        Strong Relationships. Pray that each member will be loving, unselfish, respectful, understanding, honoring, and cooperative.        B.        Good Education. Pray that God will provide a good education for the children and give wisdom to know when and where they need to go away for further schooling.The above suggestions should place you on the road to becoming a great intercessor on behalf of our missionaries.