Last week INTERNATIONAL STEWARD returned from Benin, a country in West
Africa. In addition to a fruitful workshop with ministry leaders, we
had the privilege of meeting with 40 of the top business/civic leaders
in this small country. There we discussed a few questions:
1) Is money the root of all evil?
2) Is it more spiritual to be a ministry leader than a business leader?
3) If the Holy Spirit is truly moving in our lives shouldn’t
we all be moving toward full-time work in the ministry?
You may be surprised to hear that the overwhelming response to all
of these questions was YES!
Of course, you and I know that money is not the root of all evil…but,
as Paul says to Timothy, it is the love of money that is problematic.
And if everyone aspired to follow “God’s leading”
into full-time ministry how would His kingdom be financed?
You see, these are deep-seeded symptoms of a much larger problem. That
problem is the absence of teaching on the Biblical principles of stewardship.
When Christian leaders avoid teaching about stewardship…the practical
conclusions are:
1) an incomplete understanding that God owns everything…including
our resources
2) no understanding of how God has chosen to finance the spread of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ…through the faithful stewardship
of His people
3) no incentive to create wealth for the purpose of being generous
and willing to share
4) whole Christian communities not only deprived of the opportunity
to grow in the grace of giving, but stuck in a helpless and hopeless
mindset of poverty and dependence.
Your giving to INTERNATIONAL STEWARD is strategic and crucial to the
growth of His church around the world. Just this year, over 500 influential
ministry and business leaders in countries around the world have been
introduced to stewardship. As a result, ministries are beginning to
be funded locally for God’s glory.
If you haven’t made all your year-end giving decisions, we would
be appreciative if you would consider an additional gift to this ministry.
Since most giving is done in the final months of the year, the financial
strength of INTERNATIONAL STEWARD at year-end will determine the pace
we are able to address this critical void in leadership development.
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