Really, What is Stewardship? by Melanie Larson

The Lord told us that a house (or life) built upon sand would fall when the storms come, but one built upon the Rock would survive. We are in the midst of a materialistic storm today, and every Christian must decide whether to build upon the solid rock of God's Word or the shifting sands of society. "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Luke 16:13). 

Is anyone confused about what Stewardship really means?  I have briefly, in conversation, asked a few Church Members what stewardship is.  I have gotten a multitude of responses, some positive, some negative, and some blank looks.  I’m talking about people who have been going to church all of their lives, including myself.  I heard “oh, its giving” and “its being a church leader” and “ stewardship is when the church asks for your money and you feel guilty if you don’t give.”  I was one of those “blank stare people” until about 2 years ago when God laid it heavy on my heart to educate myself and obey his commands about Stewardship.  Part of that calling has been a strong desire to educate my fellow Christian FPC goers about the true meaning of stewardship.

By all means, I am not an authority and I realize I am going to be preaching to the choir for some people.  For others who are “old-timers” I might offend you, with my youth and idealistic approach (my husband often calls me a dreamer), but let me assure you all that I am coming from a place of love, compassion and desire to help everyone to experience more blessings in their lives through Christ’s love for you. 

I was told in the Exploration class that Stewardship was the “Three T’s” - time, talents and tithing.  I thought to myself, I have time that I can give - I enjoy that.  And I have talents that I can share also.  By all means, there is no shortage of giving of time and talents at FPC Petaluma whatsoever.  I have never been around a more giving group of people.

But tithing?  What did that really mean for me?  As I sought more answers, I realized that stewardship entailed the giving of time, talents, and it meant giving 10% of my income back to the work of God.  Wow, was that scary.  I thought to myself “we can’t afford that, there is not enough.”  I became really convicted about it, asking myself “if I can afford a $50.00 dinner here and there and a new outfit or a haircut and color, who am I to say I can’t afford to tithe?”  Don’t misinterpret me here.  This was not guilt.  This was God pushing me out of my comfort zone and promising me that if I took a leap of faith, he would take care of me.  It was him molding me and shaping me more into his image.

 Tithing doesn’t make sense on paper, and it has not necessarily paid off in terms of tangibly being “financially taken care of”, but I can tell you this, the financial stress was there before I started tithing and it is still there.  However, I deal more peacefully with the money concerns and my desire for more worldly things has diminished.  I no longer get the same kind of fulfillment from the “things” that I used to think I needed.  All in all, I have a stronger Faith. The definition of "faith," according to Hebrews 11, is trusting God totally. It means trusting God for things you cannot see or manipulate into happening. Most of us truly desire to be able to exercise this faith, but the world around us tells us to do just the opposite.   In my heart, I know I am doing the right thing by tithing.  I now see tithing as a requirement that I need to figure out how to make happen instead of this far out concept that I will make happen when we have more money.  God had given me this life and he is watching how I am spending it.  It really has involved changing my behavior – the way I think, but it has been easier than most changes because God is really guiding me.

From a more absolute perspective, the definition of Stewardship according to the dictionary is the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care. For the next month, take this opportunity to ask yourself:

How are you carefully and responsibly managing all that God has entrusted to your care?

Thank you for your all being good stewards and leaders and inspiring me to want to do more.  I look forward to sharing more of my own educational experience around stewardship with you.

           

Steps to Creating a Thankful and Generous Life, by Melanie Larson

1.  Make a list of everything you are grateful for.  This can be as detailed as you want it from the broadness of family, friends, health, to the details of the sheets on my bed to the coffee in my cupboard. These can be things, people, experiences, attributes, characteristics, personality traits, any and everything God has blessed you with in this life, the longer the better.

2.  Make 4-6 copies and keep them with you in places you are throughout your day.  Home, car, your Bible, work, day planner or calendar. 

3.  Create a time each day to read your gratitude list. 

4.  Train yourself to take it out and read it when things go wrong or you are frustrated, irritated, depressed, anxious, sad, and of course happy. 

5.  Try to add something from the current emotional state to the list.  An example might be: You are tired, just off work, have to pick up the kids, go grocery shopping, fix dinner etc… and you are feeling overwhelmed.  Read your list and add something like I am grateful for the gift of children that I have to cook for and the car I have for transportation to get to the grocery store to purchase food for my family.  I am also grateful for the hands that prepare the food. 

6.  Feel the shift in your energy as you go through this process.  You will like it.  I promise. 

This may look time consuming, but the initial investment is in the gratitude list.  Otherwise, it is training your self to stop the cycle of despair and make gratitude automatic.  The ultimate goal is that the shift in your thinking and attitude will lead to a more generous spirit within you.  I believe that God gave the most generous gift one could ever give  - his only Son, to teach us his will for this world.  It is our responsibility as Christians to serve and manage his kingdom with a loving, kind, and generous spirit. The best way to move into that place is trough eternal gratitude.

Count Your Blessings - by Melanie Larson

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed.

When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings Name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened, with a load of care,

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear.

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the day goes by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.

Count your many blessings money cannot buy,

Your reward in heaven Nor your home on high.

So amid the conflict Whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all.

Count your many blessings, Angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

I found this hymn in the book, Then Sings My Soul – 150 of the world’s greatest hymn stories, while I was in Georgia visiting my parents last month.  It was interesting to see something written in 1897 so applicable over a century later.  

The “story” behind the hymn tells us that Johnson Oatman, Jr, the author, wanted to convey the message that it is impossible to be thankful and  grumpy, ill-tempered, critical or  cantankerous at the same time. He was an ordained minister who wrote over 5000 hymns and specifically published this one in a hymnal for young people.

I feel that from a Stewardship perspective we could all benefit from counting our blessings as a regular practice.  I consider myself a grateful person, but I am the first to admit that life’s pressures, unexpected twists and turns and every day multitasking can leave me pretty depleted on a daily basis.  I have found that if I do not make it a practice to express gratitude, my day turns south much easier and sooner than when I am prepared with a grateful attitude. 

The Bible has told us numerous times to be grateful.   Specifically,  I Thessalonians 5:18 tells us In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 Isn’t it incredible that the Bible, for over 2000 years has encouraged the same thing that “mainstream, new age” gurus are trying to teach us now? 

I would like to take this opportunity with the Thanks-Giving season upon us to offer you an exercise that is quite simplistic, but has been “scientifically”, but above and beyond all, “Biblically” proven to change your ability to cope with life as we know it.

Reformation Sunday, Part 2

So, Who is John Calvin?

John Calvin is considered the forerunner of the Presbyterian Church and related "reformed" churches. Calvin was a second generation reformer, born in France, 1509. 2009 is the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth. Like the early reformer, Martin Luther, Calvin studied for the priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church, after beginning his studies in law. Calvin described his conversion briefly: "by a sudden conversion God turned my heart and made it teachable."

Calvin began following the teachings of Luther and Zwingli and published the first edition of his best-seller, Institutes of the Christian Religion at the age of twenty-six. He wrote that he would have continued his life of "literary ease," but for a detour that led him through Geneva and the reformer, William Farel. Farel prevailed on young Calvin to stay in the up and coming city of 10,000 to help Farel lead the young, growing church there. "So God thrust me into the game," Calvin said. He studied and preached in Geneva's Cathedral of St. Pierre, where more than a thousand would crowd in to hear his sermons. All the while, he continued writing. He wrote a commentary on nearly every book of the Bible and revised his Institutes eleven times. "Geneva became the center of a thriving publishing trade that spawned a network of clandestine colporteurs, book smugglers who took Bibles and religious tracts into every corner of Europe." 

Calvin is best known for the five doctrines that were much debated by Calvinists and Arminians, after Calvin had died.The acrostic TULIP identifies those teachings, expounded by Calvinists in their debates: Total depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistable Grace and Perserverence of the Saints. Despite Calvin's reputation as an expounder of predestination, he wrote more on devotional topics like faith, prayer, Bible study and interpretation.

Calvin on worship:

By piety I mean that union of reverence and love to God which the knowledge of his benefits inspires. For, until men feel that they owe everything to God, that they are cherished by his paternal care, and that he is the author of all their blessings, so that nought is to be looked for away from him, they will never submit to him in voluntary obedience; nay, unless they place their entire happiness in him, they will never yield up their whole selves to him in truth and sincerity. . (Institutes of the Christian religion. I, ii, 1)

The Presbyterian Hymnal has one hymn that is thought to have been written by John Calvin. The tune was borrowed from the Genevan Psalter. The hymn (The Presbyterian Hymnal, #457, "I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art") is a rich and beautiful prayer. Here is a newer translation of the hymn

We Greet You Sure Redeemer
by John Calvin, translated by Donald Keith Priest

We greet You sure Redeemer from all strife

Our only Trust and Saviour of our life

Who pain did undergo for our poor sake

We pray You from our hearts all cares to take

You are the King of mercy and of grace

Reigning omnipotent in every place

So come O King and our whole being sway

Shine on us with the light of Your pure day

You are the life in which we do believe

From You all substance and all strength receive

Sustain us by Your faith and by Your power

And give us strength in every trying hour

You have the true and perfect gentleness

You have no harshness and no bitterness

O grant to us the grace in You we see

That we may dwell in perfect unity

Our hope is in no other save in You

Our faith is built upon Your promise true

Lord give us peace and make us calm and sure

That in Your strength we evermore endure

© 1995 Donald Keith Priest, CCLI License No. 1254251

Reformation Sunday - Martin Luther

The Protestant Reformation began when individuals within the Roman Catholic Church realized the Church had fallen into disrepair. Some popes' actions were far from the teachings and example of Jesus. People who opposed them were persecuted and killed. Many Church practices were clearly wrong and basic Bible doctrines were being ignored. The common people were not even allowed to read the Bible.

The beginnings of the Lutheran Church: Martin Luther (AKA Martin Luther NOT King Jr), a young German studying for the priesthood, did read the Bible and was struck by Paul's letter to the Romans. "The just," he read, "will live by faith." The assurance of salvation that had thus far escaped him became reality when Luther accepted, by faith, God's gift of salvation through Jesus Christ's death on the cross. Propelled by this confident assurance, Luther used his teaching position to influence many others. His teaching might not have raised eyebrows in Rome if Luther had been content to teach doctrine, unrelated to everyday life. But Luther applied his theology to Rome's Building Fund when he publicly denounced the Catholic church for selling indulgences in order to raise funds for the building of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Peasants, who purchased these indulgences, were promised they were purchasing freedom from Purgatory for their relatives. In 1517 Martin Luther, nailed his "95 Theses" to the Church door in Wittenberg, challenging indulgences and many other positions and teachings of the Church. 

Luther's preaching was wildly popular as he simplified his teachings with slogans, like Sola Fide, Latin for "Faith Alone," and Sola Scriptura, which means "Scripture Alone" is authoritative, even over the Pope and the Church. The Roman Catholic Church opposed Luther, first trying to get him to change, then excommunicating him from the Church. Luther, with his followers, then established the Lutheran Church in Germany.

The hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God", has been around almost 500 years. That's a pretty good shelf life in our day, when "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" is considered an oldy moldy. Luther had a vivid awareness of the Devil and the everyday reality of spiritual warfare, as we see and sing in this hymn of praise to God, our Mighty Fortress.

A Mighty Fortress

By Martin Luther

A mighty fortress is our God

A bulwark never failing

Our helper He amid the flood

Of mortal ills prevailing

For still our ancient foe

Doth seek to work us woe

His craft and pow'r are great

And armed with cruel hate

On earth is not His equal

Did we in our own strength confide

Our striving would be losing

Were not the right man on our side

The man of God's own choosing

Dost ask who that may be

Christ Jesus it is He

Lord Sabaoth His name

From age to age the same

And He must win the battle

And tho' this world with devils filled

Should threaten to undo us

We will not fear for God hath willed

His truth to triumph through us

The prince of darkness grim

We tremble not for him

His rage we can endure

For lo his doom is sure

One little word shall fell him

That word above all earthly pow'rs

No thanks to them abideth

The Spirit and the gifts are ours

Thro' Him who with us sideth

Let goods and kindred go

This mortal life also

The body they may kill

God's truth abideth still

His kingdom is forever

Praying for Spiritual Growth

This week, we are talking about the church’s purpose – spiritual growth. Let's pray for our friends and relatives for their spiritual growth. Here are some prayers from the Bible.

1.       Ephesians 3:18,19 Living
“I pray that you’ll be able to feel and understand how long, wide, deep and high Christ’s love really is” and to experience this love for yourselves. 

2.      Hebrews 13:21 CEV
“I pray that you’ll always be eager to do what is right.” 

3.      Romans 15:13 NCV
“I pray God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him.”   

4.      Ephesians 1:17
“I pray God would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation.”  

5.      Second Thessalonians 3:5 CEV
“I pray the Lord will guide you to be as loving as God and as patient as Christ.”

6.      Ephesians 3:16 NIV
“I pray that God may strengthen you with power through his spirit.”

What's Wrong with the Church?

That's the question asked in a recent article in the magazine, Christianity Today. The author was writing about the once vibrant Protestant Christian church in America. (In the Beginning, Grace)

Experts rush in with answers, in the form of books and magazine articles:

Those with pietistic leanings say the problem is we are not bathing our ministries in prayer. The solution, they say, is to hold prayer meetings, pray for revival, pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit with visible signs and wonders.

Those with teaching gifts say the problem is Biblical and theological illiteracy. To solve the problem, we need to teach the historic faith of the church more effectively. One prominent pastor wrote, "we have never encountered a problem in our church that we cannot teach our way out of."

Others say the problem is we have strayed from the forms of leadership and governing that worked so well in the 1960s and 1970s, when denominations and churches were growing. The solution, they say, is to return to the leadership style, committees and rules that worked in the church's heyday.

The problem with all these proposed solutions, says the article, is they focus on what we men and women must do. We must pray. We must learn. We must organize. If these efforts were to succeed - and sometimes they bring us success in the eyes of our peers - we would credit gifted leaders and organizers, great teachers and learners, humble pray-ers. Glory would go to men and women, not to God. That's a problem in any church that claims as their mission to bring glory to God.

So, our questions need to begin, not with what we are doing or failing to do, but with God. Where is the move of God among us? What is God trying to say to his church?

What's wrong with our church? The question is asked, not only of organized Christianity in America, but of many individual churches, like ours. The problems identified and the solutions prescribed are similar to those of the national church.

The Apostle Paul describes the church as a human body. "So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others…" Romans 12:5.

I sometimes think of our church as a symphony orchestra. In the minutes before the concert is to begin, each musician focuses on their individual selves, finding their place, assembling their instrument, arranging their music on the stand, playing a few riffs, perhaps reviewing a tricky piece in the music.  Everyone is working individually. It's a wonderful thing to see, but an awful thing to hear. The audience bears with this cacaphony, but it is not the music they came to hear.

Before long, a musician stands and there is silence. She plays a note - one long, clear musical note. A row of musicians tunes their own instrument to play that same note.  Group after group of musicians tune to the same note.  The audience bears with this music too. It is more pleasant than the individualistic vamping before, but not very interesting.

Finally, the whole orchestra plays just one note.  When the leader determines that the one note sounds just right, a signal is given and there is a welcome, silence. All are still.

The conductor then bounds on to the stage, with the applause of the grateful audience.  He holds his baton in the air and, again, silence prevails.  Taking a deep breath, he glances down at the music on his stand and with a clear wave of the baton, he motions for the orchestra to begin playing one song. Different instruments are played with different notes and tones, but all playing in the same key. The sound is jubilant, triumphant. That's the music the audience came to hear!

Sometimes, in the church, we focus on our own needs and that is necessary.  We work on our riffs, our gifts, we express our individual opinions and assert our needs. All that is necessary.  But, there must come that time, when we are sufficiently prepared, when we lay down our opinions and needs, we stop blowing our individual horns and we fix our eyes on our conductor, Jesus.

We need those times of stillness and silence before God when we cease our frenzied activities and we wait for the word of our conductor.  When the conductor indicates the time is right, all of us will join in, according to our individual giftedness, spiritual maturity, and availability, responding to the needs that are presented, and we will all join in one beautiful song of praise to God through our words and our actions and at times through our silence and our waiting.  That's the music God lives to hear! And it is the music we long to play.

But, we can't seem to play it. We know what it feels like; we've experienced it before. We long to feel, again, that sense of unity, camradery, fulfillment. Why can't we experience it again? It seems that the more we long for it, the more we disagree, provoke and strive with each other. Sometimes, our striving must sound, to God, like the cacaphony of an orchestra, preparing their instruments for the concert. What is wrong with the church?

I have become convinced that we are in a time in which our conductor, Jesus Christ, stands before us with baton suspended in air. We have expressed our individuality until we're exhausted, we have attempted to tune our hearts and our relationships as best we can. We are eager to launch into the music that brought all together. But before we can make the victorious music of the church, we must still our many activities and wait. We must await the signal of our conductor.

"Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act."
Psalm 37:7 NLT