Stewardship Scriptures

I have often challenged pastors and ministry leaders with the question of whether they emphasize Old Testament or New Testament giving. in their teaching; this assumes they teach Christian stewardship at all. Similarly, I question whether they rely on Old Testament numerical scriptures as opposed to New Testament non-numerical scriptures. It has been my observation that pastors and ministry leaders who lack confidence in their teaching will be especially reliant on Old Testament scriptures. It is also my observation that pastors and ministry leaders who are confident in their teaching will consistently teach the New Testament message of generous giving. The following are six examples of the most often referenced scriptures when teaching Christian stewardship.

Leviticus 27:30 : All tithes of the land, whether in grain from the fields or in fruit from the trees, belong to the Lord, as sacred to him.

Deuteronomy 14:22-29:  Each year you shall tithe all the produce that grows in the field you have sown; then in the place which the Lord, your God, chooses as the dwelling place of his name you shall eat in his presence your tithe of the grain, wine and oil, as well as the firstlings of your herd and flock, that you may learn always to fear the Lord, your God. If, however, the journey is too much for you and you are not able to bring your tithe, because the place which the Lord, your God, chooses for the abode of his name is too far for you, considering how the Lord has blessed you, you may exchange the tithe for money and, with the purse of money in hand, go to the place which the Lord, your God, chooses.

You may then exchange the money for whatever you desire, oxen or sheep, wine or strong drink, or anything else you would enjoy, and there before the Lord, your God, you shall partake of it and make merry with your family. But do not neglect the Levite who belongs to your community, for he has no share in the heritage with you.

At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithes of your produce for that year and deposit them in community stores, that the Levite who has no share in the heritage with you, and also the alien, the orphan and the widow who belong to your community, may come and eat their fill; so that the Lord, your God, may bless you in all that you undertake.

Malachi 3:8-10: Dare a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me! And you say, “How do we rob you?” In tithes and in offerings you are indeed accursed, for you, the whole nation, rob me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and try me in this, says the Lord of hosts: Shall I not open for you the floodgates of heaven, to pour down blessing upon you without measure?

Matthew 6:19-21: Do not store up for your-selves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

Luke 6:38: Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.

2 Corinthians 9:6-12: Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have abundance for every good work. As it is written: “He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You are being enriched in every way for all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God, for the administration of this public service is not only supplying the needs of the holy ones but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God.