This week's story is from Pastor Earl Feddersen, LCMS Foundation Webmaster, manager of the Giving Catalog and author of the weekly mission devotion, Edit-O-Earl. The story is based on one of those devotions and refers to the current one on the World Mission site..
A very old story that many have already heard goes like this: One day a pastor stepped into the pulpit, determined to get his congregation fired up and working hard for the Lord. He began, "Before this church can run, we're going to have to learn to crawl -- we'll have to come to church and Sunday school every week and feed on God's Word." Someone in the back responded: "Let it crawl, Rev; let it crawl!" The pastor continued. "And before we run, we're gonna have to walk. We'll have to work for the Lord every day, at work, at home and in the church." The voice in the back added, "Let it walk, Rev; let it walk!" So the preacher went on: "And before this church can run we're going to have to give our money..." The voice interrupted: "Let it crawl, Rev, let it crawl."
A longer story comes from Feddersen's Fables (a fictitious collection of stories). A young pastor, serving his first call, traveled way across town to the office of a well-seasoned preacher where he poured out his soul. He was concerned that his preaching was driving people away from the church. Everything had gone well for the first few months -- the three ladies who sat in the front pew every Sunday (two spinster sisters and their neighbor) and the head deacon, who always sat in the back, had lauded and verbally applauded every sermon until last week. About four weeks earlier, he started a sermon series on the great Biblical commands: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind; and you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself."
The first week he taught that putting God first in our lives meant dropping everything to be in God's house every Sunday for worship and Bible study. Nothing else should come first in our heart, soul or mind. The ladies and deacon shouted their "Amens." But one woman cornered the young preacher and said, "I always thought that church attendance was just between me and God. I was angry when you started today because you were meddling in my business. I've always figured that God would understand that I had to make my real estate appointments most Sunday mornings when people are not at work. Now I know that I must put Him first and make my appointments for a different time."
The next week, his sermon topic was "Loving God with your whole heart means leading a chaste and decent life in word and deed." The "Amens," front and rear, were loud and clear. But one young woman, who had a shady reputation, confronted the poor pastor: "I was angry with you today because I always thought that what a person did in private was her own business. After all, a person has to make a living. Now I see that loving God means putting Him first, even if I have to work harder for less pay and lower my standard of living."
The third week the pastor continued with, "Loving your neighbor starts at home by giving a rich proportion of your time to your spouse and children." Front and rear pews vibrated with "Amens," but a middle-aged business executive scowled through the sermon. After worship the executive shared his anger over the pastor poking his nose into private affairs: "After all, how a man raises his children is his own concern and nobody should tell him how to do it! I've always tried to give my kids the best in life, even it meant staying late at the office and working weekends. Now I see that the most important thing I can give them is me...my love and my time."
Then, last week, the young pastor ventured into forbidden territory: "Loving God with your whole heart means tithing a suitable proportion of the first fruits of your money, not just giving the leftovers." For 17 minutes, only the preacher's voice was heard. After worship, the ladies and deacon warned him never to preach about money again. "Offerings are a personal matter between each person and God. Money sermons drive people away from the church. If you want people to keep coming you'll never do that again!"
The senior pastor said "My son, I've never heard you preach, but I can tell that people are hearing what you say. The longer you are in the ministry the more you will see that we probably learn more from our preaching than our people do. For four weeks people have been showing you that you can believe the Bible." The young pastor didn't know what to say. His anxious face showed only questions and a yearning for his mentor to continue. The gray-haired pastor's eyes sparkled and his lips smiled as he said, "The love of money is the root of all evil."
As honest, committed Christians, we ought to be aware of a couple things about present-day stewardship. First, Jesus challenges us to serve God with every aspect of our lives and leaves no part untouched. Anyone who says, "Don't preach about money; just preach the Bible," is Biblically ignorant. The three subjects Jesus covered most were wealth, hypocrisy and the kingdom of God. Three of the Ten Commandments deal with money. Sixteen of Jesus' 38 parables deal with money and stewardship. One verse of every six in the Gospels deals with stewardship.
The second thing we must know is that this has been a low giving year for congregations, ministries, God' mission and virtually every charitable institution. Some would blame one thing...some another...I just ask, "Did God really give us less this year than last?" We are chosen to bear good fruits of giving...proportionate to what we have been given...first fruits and not leftovers.
I wrote a devotion this week and mentioned the problems that about a $3 million decrease has caused in many LCMS ministries--cutbacks in staff and even stopping mission work in some countries. I also said, "Don't give because there is a problem! Take the problem to God in prayer...He is very good at forgiving debts and saving debtors."
I firmly believe that. God will take care of our problems and then what? Do we stop giving? No, we give because God has first given to us. Slide your mouse across this page to the button that says, "give now." Try it...you'll like it!