Panel Discussion on "Stewarding Life Biblically"

In this series of teaching on stewardship, John Cole revised and taught from a published course made available without copyright by local church pastors shared for churches like ours. This is a panel discussion from the first 12 lessons taught so far, with a focus on the financial topics. Read the handout notes here...

TEACHING IN THIS SERIES SO FAR

1.   Stewardship Reveals Your Faith

2.  Faithful Stewardship Shows Off the Goodness of God

3.  Why Should Christians Give?

4.  What Should Christians Give?

5.  Where and How Should Christians Give?

6.  How Should Christians Make & Spend Their Money?

7.   Wise Principles & Tools for Finances

8.  Stewarding Our Citizenship & Government

9.  How Should Christians Utilize Debt?

10. How Much Should Christians Save?

11.  Don’t Worship the god of Materialism

12. How Should Christians View & Steward Rest?

All in Attendance: After or while each question is discussed by the panel members, we will give an opportunity for you to ask any remaining questions that are related the question at hand. You may also share a recommendation or tool for us all. Please stay on topic.

SUBMITTED RESPONSES TO THE TEACHING

“It has edified our family to understand that stewardship is much more than giving monetarily to the church. It has grown us to know that nothing we have is exempt from stewardship to God’s glory.”

Panel #1: How has teaching on biblical stewardship changed and blessed your life over your years of following Christ within church community? How have you applied it? What have you seen God do through it for Christ’s sake and the Gospel? How has it be a source of blessing for you and your family?

“It was very illuminating from several perspectives never addressed in any church prior to RHBC! That series should be represented periodically, every 2 or 4 years!”

Panel #2: Take any one or two principles from these past twelve weeks on stewardship, and share how it helped you today. Even if you already knew it and applied it, what were you encouraged, convicted, or reminded of concerning your stewardship?

REQUESTED TOPICS TO COVER

“What is the Biblical view on inheritance to children?”

Initial Summary: God’s wisdom gives us a balance of parents leaving an inheritance to their children and also the importance of each person laboring to earn their own resources. Whatever we do, we need to balance these two. 

We also need to keep in mind that the Old Covenant maintained a focus on blessing the convenant-keepers with material goods as a witness to the nations around them. If they obeyed, they were exalted for the nations to see the glory of God that they might come and follow under His rule. Where Israel failed, Jesus obeyed and is exalted to the glory of God and the witness of God’s salvation and rule.

The New Covenant continues God’s wisdom of balancing inheritance with personal labor, suffering, and perseverance. All united to Christ by faith are adopted into His inheritance, but we are also called to follow in His sufferings. Our witness to the nations is not material wealth but rather being made new creations in Christ who are led by the Spirit as visible and vocal witnesses of the Gospel.

Proverbs 13:11  Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: But he that gathereth by labour shall increase.

Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

Romans 8:16–18 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Panel #3: What would you advise us in regards to applying this healthy tension between giving inheritance to our children and leading them to personally labor in their own stewardship? How have you sought to balance this? What other Scriptures might instruct us on this topic?

“What would be considered to be ‘generous’ giving? Where does ‘sacrificial’ giving fit in?”

Initial Summary: Scripture gives a beautiful balance and, again, a healthy tension between sacrificial giving (v1-9), urgency and accountibility to give for the needs of the church and churches (v10-11), and giving from what God has provided us without being over-burdened (v12-15). All of this must be factored as we seek to give sacrificially while also being wise in all God has entrusted us to steward.

2 Corinthians 8:1–15 1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. 7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. 8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. 11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. 12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: 14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: 15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

Panel #4: Share what you have learned, how you have grown, and what blessings of God you have seen for yourself and others through this balance of both sacrificial giving and faithful stewardship. How might you caution us? How might you spur us on toward greater giving?

“What best practices have you learned in communicating with your spouse about financial and stewardship matters?”

Initial Summary: Husbands and wives in the Lord share together as fellow-heirs of all the “grace of life” that salvation brings—which includes stewardship. Even if only one spouse is in Christ, marriage still binds the two together in the original creation mandate to multiply and to subdue the earth as image-bearers of God. Therefore, sharing in stewardship is a necessary part of marriage.

Genesis 1:27–28 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Panel #5: What principles would you recommend to other couples in how they communicate and share in their stewardship? Any pitfalls to avoid? What would you strongly recommend?

“What principles and practices would you recommend for equipping our children to be good stewards now and in the future?”

Initial Summary: Parents are to be training their children in the way they should go from the very beginning. Part of our stewardship is investing in this training of our children, and part of our training is involving them in our own stewardship. Wise parents are training their children for the day they leave the home and beyond.

Proverbs 23:19–26 19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And guide thine heart in the way. 20 Be not among winebibbers; Among riotous eaters of flesh: 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: And drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. 22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she is old. 23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; Also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. 24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: And he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. 25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, And she that bare thee shall rejoice. 26 My son, give me thine heart, And let thine eyes observe my ways.

Panel #6: What wise practices would you commend as it relates to how we train our children in stewardship? How might we teach them to give, make money, budget, save, and spend?

“How should we respond to those in need? What about if we do not know them? What about when we do know them? What if they are Christians?”

Initial Summary: Scripture instructs us to both give to the poor and to wisely avoid enabling people in their sin. We are warned that if we turn our eyes and ears from the poor, God will do the same to us. We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourself. The church is instructed to share and provide for one another’s needs. At the same time, we are instructed to not enable “brothers and sisters” to continue in laziness and and irresponsibility. We are also admonished to use righteous judgment and to consider wisdom more valuable than gold. Sometimes the very thing someone needs is an urgent problem to wake them up to obedience or greater wisdom. It is not always wise to remove the problem.

Proverbs 28:27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

Proverbs 21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, He also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Acts 2:44–45 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

2 Thessalonians 3:9–15 9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. 10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. 13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. 14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

1 Timothy 5:3–5 3 Honour widows that are widows indeed. 4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. 5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

Proverbs 2:1–5 1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, And liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, And searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 3:11–15 11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; Neither be weary of his correction: 12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. 13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, And the man that getteth understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, And the gain thereof than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies: And all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Recommended Process: Give an ear, say a prayer, offer a test of wisdom, possibly reward the proven seeker with “gold” that helps them follow the wisdom, and sometimes just give because God has freely given mercy and grace to you.

Panel #7: How have you seen God honored and others truly helped by giving to those in need? How has giving to others blessed you? What might you caution about giving to someone in need? What might you encourage us to do?

FINAL REMARKS

Panel #8: Share any final principles, tips, or tools you want to recommend as we seek to honor the Lord in our stewardship.

Panel #9: What final Scripture might you like to share with us on this topic of stewardship? It could be one that has remained meaningful and instructive to you.