webmaster posted on March 25, 2011 11:29
As a minister/pastor for the last 58 years, I have always been amazed at the difficulties we have when the issue of being generous with the various gifts that God bestows upon us is a matter of discussion. As a youth in Sunday School at the Second Baptist Church, Los Angeles, I was taught by my teachers that all things belong to God and he requires of us an appreciation for his gifts to us. My theme is “Freely you have received, freely give!”
There is a connection between attitudes of generosity and our involvement in the teaching ministries of the church. Stewardship education is the foundation in establishing a spirit of generosity. The church has lost her direction in “training up a child in the way that they should go and they will never depart from it.”
As a member of the generosity team of our denomination, it is rewarding to see the emphasis being placed upon stewardship training in the life of the church. Stewardship education is focused on the paradigm that God has prepared a process by which His ministry shall be supported. At the very heart of God is the generous spirit. He gave freely of himself for the benefit of his creation. He requires then of all of us that same type of generosity.
Now in my latter years, the responsibility not only falls on congregations to practice a spirit of generosity but also the next generation of church leadership as we train them in our theological institutions. In a real sense we have to return to the old landmarks.
Landmarks like providing curriculums in theological institutions that focus on Christian Education, Stewardship Education and Introductions to Christian Vocations. Our seminaries must teach the next generation of leadership what it means to fund raise and to train up their leadership in areas of stewardship education.
I remember my father who was a wonderful lay leader in the congregation reminding me constantly that for every dollar I have God requires ten cents. We call this “paying God His tithe.” I will never forget Dad’s wise counsel and I follow it today. God owns everything and I am mindful of the need to acknowledge His ownership in all things.
My prayer for us today is simple,
“Remove all obstacles and let us return together to the old landmarks that have brought us so far along the way.”
Dr. Paul M. Martin, President
Professor of Pastoral Theology
American Baptist Seminary of the West
Berkeley CA