“If we want people to give financially, the last thing to do—literally—is to ask for money. The first thing? Carry out Matthew 6:33—a stewardship program: “…strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well.” To be specific: preach the love of God for all people, time and time again. If we never preach anything else, but do it with conviction, “money” stewardship will take care of itself.
After all, God’s love is the major topic of Christianity; it is demonstrated throughout God’s creation, preservation, and salvation of His people. We have to become a God’s-love community, internalize it and live it, and then we will be the one kind of steward that the New Testament ever addresses: stewards of the gospel. As the New Testament itself shows, people who are excited about and participate in the good news will give both ministry and money.”
Kamila Blessing in “A New (Testament) Approach to Introducing Stewardship” issue of Giving: Growing Joyful Stewards in Your Congregation, Vol. 15 (Blaine: ESC, 2014) 18-19.
I love this article! It captures the heart of my lecture today and will likely produce wonderful discussion. My students are grasping that those who ask for money and seek after cash with their whole hearts become slaves to mammon and lovers of money, but those who raise up stewards and invite their participation in God’s work with the resources in their stewardship see both ministry and money deployed richly to God.