Giving

We believe that the giving of money is

an important aspect of worship. We

believe that giving should be motivated

by love and described as generous.

The term stewardship relates to various phases of Christian responsibility such as the ​giving of time, ability, and money. We believe that stewardship through the giving of ​money is an important aspect of worship. First, the giving of money to God ​demonstrates one’s recognition that everything belongs to God. Second, Christians ​are called to be wise stewards of God’s money (since God owns everything) and are ​thus to handle money in such a way as to please God. Third, God demonstrates his ​own radical generosity by giving us his most precious son, Jesus. Consequently, God ​has set an example of radical generosity that we should take seriously. God’s ​blessings are always commensurate with our responsibilities and God has never ​required people to give God other than what God has first blessed people with. The ​standard giving amount in the Old Testament was called a tithe, which is 10%, and ​was collected at various times for various reasons throughout the year. Rather than ​the Old Testament standard of giving a ten percent, we believe that giving is a grace ​associated with worship and prompted by one’s love. Professor Denver Sizemore ​concludes about giving that “it is a grace or Christian attainment that God develops in ​our lives, not an incidental Christian experience, but a definite act of obedience ​springing from the love of God.”