Church newsletter pastoral column for St. Peter Lutheran Church, Greene, Iowa, for October, 2019.
Reformation Stewardship
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
– 1 Timothy 6:10
Warning: This month’s column talks about money. Stop reading now if you feel that’s not an appropriate church topic! (And if that’s you, keep in mind the Bible talks about money a lot – over 40% of Jesus’ parables and 2,000 verses deal with money or possessions—for comparison, there are around 500 verses on prayer!)
There was a time when raising money for the church was simple. In some periods, the institutional church was a higher authority than the secular government, so it simply took what it wanted. Sometimes, the church owned the land and collected rent from tenants. Some countries still today have “state churches” (including Lutheran ones) where the government collects a “church tax” from citizens to fund church operations. As an American who believes churches should be free of government coercion (separation of church and state), I find this system hard to comprehend, but for many, it’s perfectly normal.
Today, we’re stuck with more modern tactics for funding ministry. I heard of a church stewardship campaign where at the climax of a stewardship sermon, the pastor called for everyone who would make a new financial pledge to stand up – right as the organist broke into The Star-Spangled Banner!
There have also been far too many times in history where churches have abused power by demanding money in exchange for forgiveness and mercy from God. At the end of October, we commemorate Reformation Day, celebrating Martin Luther’s reforms of the church. One of Luther’s objections to the church of his day was the corrupt practice of the church selling indulgences (promises of forgiveness). (#28 of his famous 95 Thesesread “It is certain that when a coin clinks in the money chest profits and avarice may well be increased, but the intercession of the church rests on God’s choice alone.”)
As a church born of the Reformation, as a church that holds firmly to God’s grace, we must not confuse the reasons we give offerings to the church. We give out of gratitude for what God has done for us. We love because God first loved us. (1 John 4:19) You cannot buy your way into heaven by giving money or by doing any other good works – we are saved by God’s grace alone through Jesus Christ.
Despite the potential for corruption, the church cannot avoid talking about money. For one thing, we need money to do our ministry. Everything we do as a church is done with donations. Each year our congregation votes on a budget – we call it a “Ministry Plan” because that’s what it is: A plan for how we’ll share our resources to do ministry together in ways none of us can do on our own.
More importantly, we must talk about money because the way we use money reflects faith, just like the way we use our time and abilities. Everything we have ultimately belongs to God—we are caretakers. Our faithful stewardship involves everything we do with all our resources, including time, talents, and yes, money. In fact, every confirmed member of this congregation is constitutionally expected to make at least one financial contribution each year, along with taking the time to come receive at the Lord’s table.
Followers of Jesus cannot ignore the priorities he sets. Jesus calls us to use the resources trusted to us to serve our neighbors, to bless those in need, and to build God’s kingdom. Each month as you consider what to do with your money, remember: It’s all a gift from God trusted to you—in fact, your very ability to earn it comes ultimately from God! Thank you for sharing what God has trusted to you with the rest of your church congregation so we can continue making a difference in the world in Jesus’ name.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Daniel Flucke