I'm thinking about doing a Bible study on stewardship.
That should kill attendance, right?
After all, in the church when we talk about stewardship, we're talking about money.
But how we use the finances we've been given is just a small piece of Biblical stewardship.
Kurt Senske, in his book, "The Calling," describes how a person can lead a life of significance.
Realizing the calling God has placed upon you and then living out that calling wherever you might be is living the life of a Christian steward.
Senske says people make three mistakes when they try to get a grasp of how to live their lives.
First, he says that asking the question, "What do I want to do with my life?" is the wrong one. Instead, the proper question for a person to consider is, "What does God want me to do with my life?"
Secondly, too much emphasis is placed on distant future goals. Instead, the better approach is to ask, "Right here and right now, what does God want me to be about?"
Finally, focus should be placed on the "how" as opposed to the "what." If we are really living in the present, then we will ask ourselves questions like, "How well have I served my spouse today?" "How have I focused on serving my neighbor?" "How well did I use my God-given talents at work today?"
I've not mentioned a word about money.
But when we recognize the calling the Lord has on our lives and as we seek to live out that calling, our ideas and attitudes about everything in our lives will change - including how we use the financial gifts God has given to us.
Anyway, that's what I'm giving some consideration to. As a pastor I want to do everything I can in my preaching and teaching to help our members strengthen their personal relationships with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Then, I believe, the money issue will take care of itself.
