October 10, 2016

Radical Ideas

It’s the time of year when, in many churches, lay people encourage us to participate generously in the annual giving campaign. As we listen to their “stewardship minutes,” our thoughts may wander from, “Where did I put that pledge card?” to, “Wow, what a beautiful faith story,” to, “I’m so glad I wasn’t asked to speak!”

On the surface, stewardship messages remind us to find, complete and return that pledge card. More deeply, they are invitations to prayerfully consider our own response to God’s abundance.
Episcopal priest and author Gerald W. Keucher words his invitation like this: “Put your money where you want your heart to be.” In his book, Remember the Future: Financial Leadership and Asset Management for Congregations (2006), Keucher challenges:

"If you really want your heart to be with God - and I believe you do - then you might want to change how you give to your parish and to God's work accomplished by other charities.

"...Make your gift a first fruits offering. Fix a percentage in your heart and in your head, and give that percentage off the top to God every time money goes into your bank. ...if you get money once a month, then give your percentage off the top once a month. If you get paid twice a month or every other week, then give at those times. Give weekly only if you received money weekly." (page 143)

Keucher knows this is a “radical” idea, to stop giving once a week and start giving when you receive. He follows it up with another one: “give back to God a percentage of what God has given you.”

"If you want to try putting your money where you want your heart to rest, I strongly suggest you try giving at least 5 percent off the top back to God whenever God gives you anything. Giving God off the top a percentage of what God has given you is good, strong medicince for the heart. Ten percent is the recommmended dose. Five percent is a therapeutic dose, but giving back to God any percentage off the top - 2.5 percent or 3 percent or 4 percent - is better for your heart than giving any set amount that is not off the top and that has no relationship to your income.

"This will change your life. You may think that paying your bills is the least religious thing you do. Percentage giving off the top begins to change all of that, because each time you sit down to deal with your money, the first thing you do is to make a thank offering to God that is in proportion to what God has just given you." (page 143-144)

Keucher asserts that the transformation that results from proportional giving is deeper faith and peace as it “helps us really trust God with our whole life.”

Consider offering these radical ideas in a stewardship message this fall, then follow up on what happens. Keucher writes about one priest who invited parishioners who committed to proportional giving to meet together occasionally to share their experiences. Their journeys included less anxiousness, new blessings, greater trust in God, and deeper faith.

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