|
|
|
An Affirmation
| |
We give Thee but Thine own,
Whate'er the gift may be;
All that we have is Thine alone,
A trust, O Lord, from Thee.
May we Thy bounties thus
As stewards true receive
And gladly, as Thou blessest us,
To Thee our first-fruits give!
William W. How (1823-1897)
|
| Join Our List | 
This e-resource
is a ministry of
American Baptist Churches USA
|
|
|
Greetings!
Welcome to the late summer issue of GENERO$ITY, an American Baptist e-resource for pastors and church leaders who are involved in the important ministry of nurturing generous disciples to serve as the hands and feet of Christ. In June 2010, The Giving Pledge was formally announced. Two of America's wealthiest individuals, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, pledged to give away at least half of their fortunes and challenged others like them to do the same. The Pledge is an invitation for wealthy families to have conversations about their resources and how those fortunes will be used for philanthropic causes, both now and beyond their lifetimes. In August, Gates announced sixty-nine couples or individuals had signed The Pledge. They have varying motivations for giving, yet the passion for their causes is both commendable and inspiring, seeking solutions to a vast array of societal ills and world issues. (This page provides the personal response of those who have signed The Giving Pledge.) In North America prior to the late 19th century, John Wesley's injunction to "gain all you can, save all you can, give all you can" characterized the Christian's approach to wealth and resources. It was generally acknowledged that God was the source of the blessings of life and that together believers shared the responsibility to assist those who were suffering. This understanding of stewardship began a subtle shift following the publication of Andrew Carnegie's "The Gospel of Wealth," in 1889, in which he offered, in part, that one's motive for giving to the less fortunate should be directed towards those worthy of charity. Implicit within Carnegie's philanthropic thought was the assumption that those with resources had the authority to disperse them as they desired to deserving individuals, institutions and society as a whole for the betterment of humankind. While there are similarities, there are also fundamental differences* between biblical stewardship and philanthropy. One of those differences relates to ownership and, for the biblical steward desiring to be generous with all of their life, the issue of ownership always begins with God and God's gracious gift of Jesus, whose birth we have just celebrated. May William How's words (see the upper-left column above) be our prayer and song as we enter these early days of 2012. Soozi Whitten Ford, Stewardship Facilitator
Mission Resource Development
American Baptist Churches USA
*I have previously shared a few thoughts regarding the language of giving.
|
Book Review
|
| When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back In The Box, by John Ortberg. Reviewed by Linda S. Cassel, Planned Giving Consultant with the American Baptist Foundation. Using the simple concepts found in many family board games, Ortberg asks a thought-provoking question, "What in your life is going to last forever and what in the end will go back in the box?"...Ortberg emphasizes playing by God's rules, choosing the right trophies and being rich toward God. All that we possess and value should be under the control of the "Master of the Board."...(read more) |
Explore Generosity in Scripture
| |  Did You Resolve to Read the Bible in 2012?
Sometimes we make New Year's resolutions - sometimes we even keep them. Usually it's easier to maintain our progress in keeping a resolution if we have a plan. If one of your resolutions involved Bible reading and you're looking for a way to begin, consider using YouVersion's 30-Day guide to delve into the theme of generosity in scripture, beginning with the early pages in Genesis. Click here for an overview and, if you decide to do it, hit "reply" and let us know! (Note: YouVersion also offers apps for all your devices.)
|
| Thoughts on Stewardship |
| A Guest Article by Pastor Jim Widmer, Kenmore Baptist Church, Kenmore NY.
It was my day off and I had a long list of chores. Some were outdoor jobs, including cutting the grass. Some were indoor jobs, including repairing a toilet. The weather report said there was an increasing chance of rain as the day progressed. What should I do? As soon as it was "neighborly" I cut the grass! There were some chores I could do regardless of the weather, so I put them off to later  in the day. It wasn't a complicated process, but I had to set priorities and do first what had to be done first. That is an essential skill of stewardship. A steward knows what's important and makes sure it gets done first. Over the years I've often heard people say that when it comes to their financial support of the church, there never seems to be as much available as they would like to give. I understand the stresses of making a family budget work. It's hard work, and doesn't seem to be getting any easier. But there is a stewardship skill that needs to be developed. The first dollar is always there...(read more) |
|
|
|
"This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God,wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God."
(2 Corinthians9:10-11, The Message)
With Joy & Gratitude,
Soozi Whitten Ford, Stewardship Facilitator
Mission Resource Development
American Baptist Churches USA
© 2012 Mission Resource Development, American Baptist Churches USA
This resource is provided to you as a ministry of American Baptist Churches USA
because American Baptists are united in mission through United Mission.
Thank you for your gifts to United Mission! |
|
|
|
|
|
