Theology of Stewardship
1. He owns it, I manage it
Contrary to the common perception of ownership, the Bible reveals a foundational truth: God is the ultimate owner of all things. As Psalm 24:1 declares, 'The earth and everything on it belong to the Lord.' This means that everything we possess—our homes, our resources, our very lives—are gifts entrusted to us by God. We are not owners, but stewards, managers of His creation. As James 1:17 reminds us, 'Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.' Some things we manage for a lifetime, others for a season, but all are held in trust. This understanding shifts our perspective from possessiveness to responsible stewardship, acknowledging that all we have comes from God and is to be used for His purposes.
2. Before we were sinners, we were stewards
Even before the fall, humanity's purpose was stewardship. As Genesis 2:15 states, God placed Adam in the garden 'to work it and take care of it.' This foundational truth reveals that stewardship is not a consequence of sin, but our original calling. Recognizing this shifts our perspective from ownership to management, freeing us to obey God's will. Just as a good manager serves the owner's interests, we are to manage God's resources according to His desires. Understanding our role as stewards empowers us to live generously and faithfully, releasing the burden of possessiveness and embracing the joy of serving the One who owns it all.
3. Giving leads my heart.
Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:21, 'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' This powerful truth reveals that giving is not merely a response to our heart's desires, but a means of directing them. Unlike the world's approach, which emphasizes giving based on emotional prompting, God's way is to give intentionally, placing our treasure where we desire our heart to be. By giving to God through the church, we actively align our hearts with His purposes. Giving is a deliberate act of stewardship that leads our hearts closer to God, demonstrating that our commitment follows our investment."