Stewardship
STEWARDSHIP QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
1. What is the basis for the tithe?
In the Old Testament, believers were required to give a tenth of their income to support the ministry and meet the needs of the poor. The New Testament teaches that we should give as we are “able and even beyond (our) ability” (2 Cor 8:3). Therefore, the tithe (10%) is seen as a kind of minimum guideline for giving.
2. Do I give 10% of my gross or net income?
(Do I tithe on my base salary AND my bonus?) Scripture teaches that we are to give back to God our “firstfruit” (Exodus 23:16, 19). Proverbs 3:9 encourages us “honor the LORD with (our) wealth, with the firstfruits of our crops.” This is consistent with our understanding that we are first and foremost citizens of God’s kingdom, seeking to invest our resources (time, talents, money) in ways that are consistent with His values and priorities. Therefore, at the very least, each person should prayerfully consider their annual giving in relation to these passages.
3. What if I am unable to give 10% right now?
There are seasons to economic life. There are economic responsibilities to our families and our debts. In many cases, good planning over time will be necessary to increase our giving to be a larger portion of our income without reneging on legal and personal financial obligations.
4. Should I give all of my tithe/offering to The Vail Church?
The answer to this is a qualified “no.” Your gift is an act of personal worship to God in response to his grace in your life. The allocation of your time and money to God’s service should be a byproduct of prayer and consultation with other Christians to whom you are accountable. However, if you consider TVC your “home church,” you might consider allocating a significant portion of your tithe and offering to the community where you invest most of your time, and where others are investing in you.
WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP?
A steward is a person who has been entrusted with another’s resources, and who seeks to manage those resources according to the owner’s vision and values. To believe the gospel is to recognize that everything we have is a gift from God, and that those gifts are to be used for his glory and to further his kingdom. The Psalms call us ‘rulers of the works of (God’s) hands’ (Ps 8:6).
The New Testament calls Christians caretakers of God’s truth and gifts (1 Cor. 4:1, 1Peter 4:10).
We at The Vail Church recognize that in addition to acting as responsible stewards of our talents and skills, we must also be stewards of our financial resources.
HOW DOES THE VAIL CHURCH REACH OUR VISION?
The Vail Church’s vision is to be a community of believers….devoted to Christ….engaged in the world. The ministries of TVC are focused to help people grow deeper in Christ, to grow closer in Community, to participate in God’s redemptive Cause. We do this because we believe the ‘gospel’ is the good news that through Christ He brings personal and community transformation.
