LCMS: Denomination Stewardship Statement

“Christian stewardship is the free and joyous activity of the child of God and God’s family, the church, in managing all of life and life’s resources for God’s purposes.”

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod official stewardship statement in Biblical Stewardship Principles (adopted at 1998 convention).

“According to the New Testament, greed qualifies as one of the most serious of sins. The earliest Christians were told not just to avoid greed, but to watch out for it (Luke 12:15), to flee from it (1 Tim 6:10-11) or to kill it (Col 3:5). Greed is described in most unflattering terms. It is “a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Tim 6:10), one of the twelve things which come out of individuals and defile them (Mark 7:20-22), and evidence of a darkened understanding or a depraved mind (Eph 4:18-19; Rom 1:28-29). Worst of all, greed is said to be a form of idolatry. Jesus went so far as to tell a parable which is directed specifically against greed, in which God chastises the protagonist with the word, “Fool!” (Luke 12:16-20). Furthermore, greed is thought to lead to other sins, including theft, pride and sexual immorality.”

Brian Rosner in Beyond Greed (Kingsford, Australia: Matthias Media, 2004) 23.

“It doesn’t matter how much you have. What matters is how much you are willing to give from what you have…The key to giving is remembering Who gives you what you have.” (Cf. Mark 12:41-44)

Dan L. White in God’s Plan for Economic Freedom (Los Angeles: WND Books, 2009) 31-32.

“We often think that, if God is not doing what I want when I want it, then either He is not God or He is not loving. But, He has demonstrated just how important we are to Him by lavishing His gifts on us…If we don’t have something we need today, it’s not because God isn’t capable of meeting our need, or that He is unconcerned about it. He always has a purpose in how He responds to our needs…God’s actions in the past–His generosity to us–prove that He loves us and cares about us.”

Joel Bruce in Our Generous God (Bloomington: WestBow Press 2011) 4.

“God isn’t looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him.” (cf. Mark 10:21)

Hudson Taylor (1832-1905) missionary to China, as recounted by Wayne Vleck in Dakota Martyrs (Bunyan Family Books, 2004) 40.

“The heart of a Christian, who believes and feels, cannot pass by the hardships and deprivations of the poor without helping them.” (cf. 1 John 3:17)

Louis Guanella (1842-1915) as recounted by Jill Haak Adels in The Wisdom of the Saints (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987) 128.

“A detached man should always be looking to see what he can do without.” (Cf. 1 John 2:15-17)

Henry Suso (1295-1365) spiritual director and preacher, as recounted by Jill Haak Adels in The Wisdom of the Saints (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987) 127.

“The Christian…must keep in mind, that the value of his good works, fasting, almsgiving…and prayers, does not depend on their number and nature, but on the love which moves him to perform them for God; and that they are then most perfect when they are wrought in the most pure and sincere love of God, and with the least regard to our own present and future interests, to joy and sweetness, consolation and praise.”

John of the Cross (1542-1591) in The Ascent of Mount Carmel (London: Thomas Baker, 1906) 323.

“The superfluous riches which thou didst hoard and suffer to become rotten when thou shouldst have given them in alms to the poor, the superfluous garments which though didst possess and preferred to see eaten by moths rather than clothing the poor, and the gold and silver which thou didst choose to see lie in idleness rather than spend on food for the poor, all these things, I say, will bear testimony against thee in the Day of Judgement.” (Cf. James 5:1-3).

Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) scholar and lecturer, as recounted by Jill Haak Adels in The Wisdom of the Saints (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987) 124.

“If you truly want to help the soul of your neighbor, you should approach God first with all your heart. Ask him simply to fill you with charity, the greatest of all virtues; with it you can accomplish what you desire.”

Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419) missionary, as recounted by Jill Haak Adels in The Wisdom of the Saints (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987) 124.