Stewardship

APAD Day 14

by Daniel Owino Ogweno
03/02/17
Not For Sale
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Summary of the Scope of Stewardship

 We Ourselves

The starting point is ourselves. We belong to God. Whatever we do with the body, we will give an account. This means that we may not ‘interfere’ with how God made us. In this regard, I wouldn’t be surprised if people who change their skin complexion are called upon to account over the matter. I am also worried about believers who take tattoos on their body. I would also advice against Rastafari and dreadlocks.

 Material resources

This is where there has been lots of emphases. Anytime we talk about stewardship, we think almost exclusively about management of material resources. As this scope shows, stewardship covers every area of life. Everything we will be required to give an account on is an area of management.

Time

We operate within time. All we do, we do in accordance to assigned time. We schedule and programme—there is a time for everything (Eccl. 3). This means that we have to manage time in a way that we will account for how we use our time.

Talents and Giftings

People have different abilities. These were given so that we can serve God with them. Part of service to God is by helping one another. We shouldn’t use our talents selfishly neither do we need to look down upon those who are not as gifted.

Knowledge and Information

Adage goes. Knowledge is power. It is important that we know the value of knowledge and the importance of passing it along. The Lord God lamented how His people are being destroyed due to lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). Knowledge must be preserved by passing it from one generation to the next.

Spiritual Resources

Jesus had called His twelve disciples to commission them for a mission. They were going to preach about the kingdom; heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out evil spirits, etc. (Math. 10:7-8). He had entrusted them with spiritual authority. At the end of the mission, they came back and gave a report (account) of what they did.

Note that these people were not expected to make fortune out of the wonderful things they went out there to do. Today, many stewards minister spiritual things in exchange for ‘planting a seed.’ We must desist from making it look like we are ‘buying’ the spiritual ministrations.

Reflections and Questions to Ponder

1. What is the most important thing you have learnt in this introductory chapter?

 2. The following statement was noted above: “Jesus died our death that we may live His life.” What does this mean in both attitude and practice?

3. If you have been given an assignment, know for sure that you will be called to give an account. What is your assignment both specific and general? Can you give an account anytime you are called upon to do so?

 4. “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Pet. 4:10). ‘Each of you’ means that everybody has got something with which to serve others.

a)    Have you identified the gift(s) that you have been given to serve others with?

 b)    What are some of the ways one can get to know his/her gifting?

 5. In this age, there is a lot of competition for your time.

a) How do you manage your time?

b)  How much of your time do you spend, and how much do you invest? What is the difference?

c) How much of your time do you share? What does it mean to share your time?

6. What channels do you use to pass on the precious information you have about life here and the hope of eternity?

 7. Is there something special that God has done or promised you? How are you passing the information about it to your children (if you have kids)? Is it a generational promise or personal?