Sharon Epps: Grateful recipients

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“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

“Scripture employs many different images when speaking about generosity and giving, but traditional financial ministries focus almost exclusively on one — the steward. They emphasize God’s ownership of everything and our stewardship of His property.

This idea is solidly biblical and helpful. We wonder if this metaphor is popular because it fits with the business mindset and good management principles that have come to dominate contemporary ministry culture. If we view the church as a factory, then the metaphor of managers makes perfect sense.

While acknowledging the usefulness of stewardship language, Whole-Life Generosity focuses on the more intimate language of God as Provider. He ensures that we have all that we need (2 Corinthians 9:8). He is our generous Father in heaven who provides for His children every good thing (James 1:17) and gives us our daily bread (Matthew 6:11).

Viewing God as the Provider, and not just the Owner, fundamentally changes how we view ourselves and our relationship to God. Rather than fearful stewards who must give an account for how we’ve managed God’s property, we can see ourselves as grateful recipients of God’s blessings, called to share everything with others. It exchanges the sterile owner-employee relationship for the more intimate father-child relationship emphasized by Jesus Himself.”

Sharon Epps with Skye Jethani, Patrick Johnson, and Amy Sherman in “Generosity Reset: From Fundraising to Disciple-Making in the Local Church” a free ebook from Generous Church (10). This is one of many Generous Church resources I commend to meditations readers as well as my students.

In championing “Whole-Life Generosity” to churches, Epps (and company) help recover the biblical view of God that surrounds faithful stewardship with His fatherly love and provision. God not only owns everything but provides richly and cares for us as a loving Father.

In addition to each of us having to give an account for everything entrusted to us, Epps (and company) are rightly emphasizing that obedient stewardship, when viewed in light of God’s rich provision, is no longer frozen by fear, but instead, flows and even overflows from a deep well of faith and gratitude.

My family has personally found this to be true! For example, many people ignore the critical teaching of Jesus to not store up treasures on earth (Matthew 6:19). Why? They hold on to money in fear thinking they will end up empty because they are forgetting who provides all things richly. Fear locks them up. It locked us up for years.

When we instead focus by faith on what is true, that God is our loving Father who provides everything we need, and has given us the kingdom, we stop clinging to money. Only then do we fully and experientially learn how faithful God is and how lovingly He provides.

Don’t be afraid any longer! Disciples are free of fear, because they have taken hold of life in the kingdom.