More about Church Stewardship

Church is not a business but when "money" is involved, we do business transactions therefore the Church falls under "non-profit" business catagory. Size of the church should not be the issue but rather the "love of money" and "godly stewardship" should be focused. How the money is being brought in and how the money is being spent. Do they fall under the Bible's criteria rather than human's criteria? People are confused when setting up a budget and how to steward funds when they don't know what God is expecting them to do it. The elders are to work with those with accountants and attorneys who have biblical knowledge of what God wanted rather than what they learned in schools to obtain their career. The main job for the elders is the "stewardship" of the local church especially under the "gift of administration". Everything belongs to God, the elders are to live in faithful stewardship of all that God has entrusted to them. In regarding to elders "considering" members' requests, they must consider whether the recommendations would benefit the church or not. They would have to consider the manpower, the costs and many other factors before they make their decisions. Elders are our spiritual stewardship who are looking for members spiritual needs and to look at their lives spiritually in from God's perspective. Christians, especially the elders, are to submit in accordance with the Word of God (I Cor. 6:1-8), not engaging in carnal strife but showing a Christ-like attitude toward all men (Rom. 12:7-21), exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), and maintaining a life of prayer (Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6), including the privilege, when sick, of calling for the elders of the church to pray and to anoint with oil in the name of the Lord (James 5:13-18). Pastor/Elder qualifications: Titus 1:6-9 ".....must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless-not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. Financial responsibility is very important. Churches are to set up good financial ethics and have their financial records audited. The bible clearly teaches that every church are to be healthy in every aspect of their activities such as their spiritual health, financial health, ministry health, and other church-related ministries health. The over-all package. In 2 Corinthians 7:2 says that we "make room for others in our hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one." This is where "accountability" comes in. In 1 Timothy 3:1-3: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. Colossians 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders. Churches, Elders and Pastors (teachers) are to "set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12). One example is excessive longing for wealth and gaining money to live in luxury. We are not to covet with Faith. Jesus gave us wonderful examples and one of His great example is "By THEIR FRUITS you shall know them" Christians are too look at the WHOLE package of a Church being. Do not have a tunnel vision" based on specific area of stewardship but rather ALL aspects of stewardship. You need to look at their whole being. By THEIR fruits, you shall know them. In concept of Stewardship along with the mission of the Gospel and having a local Church, there must be deacons and elders to manage them while the pastors are to spread the gospel. At the same time, pastors are also stewards of the church as husbands are stewards for the home. In Greek: Strong's Number: 3623 Original Word: oijkonovmoß Transliterated Word: Oikonomos Means: the manager of household or of household affairs 1. esp. a steward, manager, superintendent (whether free-born or as was usually the case, a freed-man or a slave) to whom the head of the house or proprietor has intrusted the management of his affairs, the care of receipts and expenditures, and the duty of dealing out the proper portion to every servant and even to the children not yet of age 2. the manager of a farm or landed estate, an overseer 3. the superintendent of the city's finances, the treasurer of a city (or of treasurers or quaestors of kings) 4. the apostles and other Christian teachers and bishops and overseers 1 Corinthians 9:17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money 1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. The main issue when I was involved in a Church administration is this: People are different and people have different needs. Leaders should break down to different cultures in each of those services. Nation from the greek word "Ethnos". Strongs defines Ethnos as a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together as a company, troop, swarm. A multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus the human family a tribe, nation, people group (Culture). Christian's accountability involves "one anothers" that every members are encouraged to be actively serving and ministering their gifts. The Scriptures teach every believers to be committed to a local church where he or she is loved and cared for, instructed in the things Christ commanded, encouraged to grow spiritually, and serving Christ effectively. Every believer who attends a Church of faith, commitment, and fruitfulness. The primary reason to become a participating member is not to gain a personal advantage, but to identify with the characteristics of biblical maturity and commitment to the mission and future of a local church.