As a youngster I was given payment by a neighbor for work my brother and I had done. We didn't work expecting pay but merely to assist our older neighbor. So after she forced me to accept her gift, I headed jubilantly home thinking, "It is only a couple of dollars, and neither of us did it for the money; why tell my brother anything?" I'm not sure to this day he knows there was a reward for our good deed.

I was reminded of this while preparing for this stewardship article. What Christian knows of something valuable and withholds the information - for whatever reason? Yet thousands of pastors do so by refusing to talk about the Biblical connection between stewardship and discipleship. Despite studying scripture and hearing Jesus' word about a disciple's use of possessions they resist teaching stewardship as unspiritual, believing talk about money is not biblical. It seems to me Jesus makes it clear, a fully devoted disciple allows God full ownership of his life, including possessions!

Results of a 1978 poll have changed little. Brian Kluth found only 10% of churches taught stewardship, only 4% of seminaries taught it, and as a result 30-50% of church attendees donate nothing to ministry. Recently Barna and Gallup found similar results. A few months ago the Barna Group found that "The percentage of Americans donating at least 10% of their income to churches and charities appears to have declined." Small wonder the giving of Christians reflects more the world's perspective of giving that the scriptural concept of sharing God's resources. Non-Christians donate as much as Christians - about 2%. Are we cheating God's work in our world (Mal 3:8-10)?

I wonder whether fear or unease of talking about money causes church leaders to teach less than a clear message that discipleship is really stewardship. Are we allowing Christians we lead to be content with less than full discipleship by withholding from God? Are church leaders stunting the growth of disciples? Are we buying into the world's concept that there is not enough money to carry out the ministry God has given us, forgetting that God has all the resources He needs to carry out His mission?

In recent years CCCC leaders heard a call from God: launch out in faith to accomplish His mission. Some were hesitant, but believed fully that God can provide the needed resources for His purposes in His time. Since then we have seen God's amazing provision while wondering where the next supply of resources will arise. In an economic era of world recession the support of the CCCC has increased! God is at work confirming the call of church planting and renewal placed on our hearts. Meanwhile, some congregations tell us, "We can't give more as we don't have the resources." Agreed, you don't; but God does! We are seeing it happen. Is declining funding in a congregation due to limited resources or limited teaching?

Recently reviewing a book on stewardship I heard a challenge from God: "It is time to take stewardship seriously as a CCCC family!" In the introduction of Maximum Generosity Nelson Searcy said, "You will never have a healthy church until you have a healthy stewardship system...If disciples are not spiritually healthy, it's impossible for the church to be healthy. A proper understanding of stewardship and it's application are essential elements of every believer's spiritual growth...If we don't disciple our people (in stewardship principles) we stunt their spiritual development - which ultimately stunts the growth and ministry of the church."

Is our hesitancy to teach stewardship principles infecting church health? If God is calling the CCCC to move forward in church planting and redevelopment, can it happen to its fullest without our congregations taking stewardship seriously as churches and as disciples?

Randy Alcorn reminds us in The Treasure Principle, "I've never seen a mature Christian who was not also a mature steward. Giving is part of growing." Is God seeking to wake up our CCCC family to a new way of approaching the resources God has given each of us? How have you used the Stewardship Manual and 12-Month Stewardship Calendar sent over the past couple of years? Building disciples means building stewards!

Rev. J. Loring Carpenter is Chairman of the Finance Committee of the CCCC and Executive Director of Seafarer's Friend, a mission to international merchant mariners visiting the ports of Boston (MA), Portland (ME) and Portsmouth (NH).