brown on green, A Regular column about finances

by David Brown

Stewardship: It's Not Just About the Money

Often, when we hear the word stewardship, the first thing we think about is giving money to a particular ministry. Stewardship is much more than giving money, however, although that is included. Stewardship starts by giving ourselves to Him—everything we have and everything we are.

When we consider our income, God is interested in 100%, not just the 10% He requires us to give back. God is not just interested in our tithe, but also in what we do with the rest of our income. He wants us to manage our income in a way that all of it will be pleasing to Him. The tithe may go to our church so it can minister to us and reach the lost, but we must spend wisely, save, and invest the rest if we are to be good stewards of God’s blessings.

Stewardship is also about assets. Over our lifetimes we accumulate material possessions of varying value. Our estates usually consist of a home, insurance proceeds, retirement accounts, and other savings. It is very important that we remember the scriptural principal of tithing on our estates just as we do with our income.

The impact on our denomination could be huge. The illustration to the right demonstrates the potential impact. If every Free Will Baptist household (approximately 60,000) left 10% of their assets to ministries the results would be staggering. By my calculations, we could fully fund every ministry through endowment income. Endowment income to ministries would be more than $30 million a year if we only tithed on our estates. And most heirs will not be upset that they did not receive 100%. Leaving a bequest to ministry will be a final testimony to everyone about how much we loved the Lord.

Using a planned gift may be a good way to tithe on your estate. You can choose an asset equal to your tithe as a planned gift. In addition to ultimately benefiting the ministry, you also receive income for your lifetime.

We have a big job to do to reach the world for Christ. Income from both the living and those who have gone to be with the Lord are needed to accomplish the task. Please remember that stewardship does not end when we die. Make plans to leave a bequest or planned gift to ministry. Contact the Foundation for more information on a planned gift or a free Wills Guide.

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The Potential of Planned Giving

What if every Free Will Baptist tithed on their estate? The numbers are staggering.

Free Will Baptist households: 60,000

Average estate: $100,000

Total value of FWB estates: $6,000,000,000 ($6 billion)

Tithe (10%): $600,000,000 ($600 million)

5% perpetual endowment income: $30,000,000 ($30 million)

About the Writer: David Brown became director of the Free Will Baptist Foundation in 2007. Send your questions to David at david@nafwb.org. To learn how the Foundation can help you become a more effective giver, call 877-336-7575.