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October 26, 2009
The difference between "stewardship" and "generosity"
The Church rightfully owns the word "stewardship," and the Church rightfully owns the word "generosity." BUT I think many Christians (a.k.a people who should know better) have little understanding of the difference between the two.
Let me give you a hint: THEY DON'T MEAN THE SAME THING!
(I guess this reaction is what my English teacher was talking about when she used to get frustrated and say, "just because it sounds right to the ear doesn't mean it IS right grammatically.)
Stewardship is a Lordship issue. It has been stolen from the Christian's vocabulary and practice by just about everyone else. Passing the Plate calls the average American Christian's posture to church giving "discretionary obligation" (i.e. "I'll decide how much of God's money to give Him.) Further, The Bible (Jesus had "a few" things to say on the subject), money, and the Horatio Alger American myth presents a point of tension that the Church has yet to deal with strategically.
We, as Americans, pride ourselves in our ability to make something of ourselves. And when we do, we take all the glory. This is inherently inconsistent with a Biblical worldview of money and success, yet it is woven into the fabric of American Christianity.
Therefore:
1. We must address stewardship before we can even begin the conversation of generosity.
2. We must practice the Gospel we profess - that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of our lives - before we can begin to think about being generous.
Those who misunderstand stewardship will also misunderstand generosity. We must practice stewardship BEFORE we can be generous. We must exhibit a rule of life that says all that we have, are, and will ever become is God's and has been given to us in the form of assets to be managed for the Kingdom. Only then can we begin the conversation of generosity.
The trend and conversation that believes "generosity" is the new, improved, and "cooler" version of the "old" word stewardship is flawed.
Perhaps the strongest evidence of our lack of stewardship understanding and practice is our inability to be self-sustaining as individuals and churches in the midst of uncertain (really any) economic times.
Posted by bstroup at October 26, 2009 8:15 AM
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