Missional Stewardship: Our Primary Business

We live in troubling times. No need to write a commentary on the recent developments in the United States and the potential negative impact on all of us north of the 49th. For those living on the margins, for those already struggling with food insecurity, there is an underlying fear and anxiety. Yet there seems to be more unity within our country as never before. People who have been divided mysteriously seem to be coming together. So, for all that seems to be going sideways, there appears to be a real opportunity for the Church to be a source of love and support for an increasingly broken and fragmented world. I would go so far as to say our communities need the Church now more than ever.

I have heard myself proclaim as I preach across the diocese, that we need to realize [and deeply believe] that the Church is arguably one of the most relevant institutions in our modern society. We exist in virtually every local community and have the missional mandate to bring the Good News of love, kindness, and reconciliation to people who are feeling isolated and more alone than ever before.

As the stewardship advisor for the diocese, we need to realize that our stewardship is in fact primarily ‘missional.’ In my experience, I rarely hear these two words put together, but they are profoundly intertwined. In fact, effective stewardship must follow vision and mission. For example, each parish [and parishioner – certainly, the leadership team] needs to be able to answer some simple but significant questions. Who are we? What has God called us to do? Do we have a strong sense of our purpose or mission? Can we communicate our purpose or mission effectively? Once again this is why Bishop Susan Bell and staff like Emily Hill have spent so much energy, time, and resources in helping every local congregation develop a clear Mission Action Plan (MAP). I can’t emphasize enough how foundational this work is.

So, for clarity, stewardship is not merely about financial giving or the responsible care of resources; it is a holistic, biblical principle that encompasses our entire lives. In my travels from parish to parish, I am struck by how few really realize how radical this biblical perspective is.

Briefly, we must understand from the beginning of creation God called humankind to ‘work it [creation] and take care of it’ [Genesis 2:15]. We must recognize that as stewards we actually don’t own anything, God does. A steward by definition is someone who looks after someone else’s property. Given the nature of our capitalist culture and our notions of private property, we mistakenly think we actually own things. Yet, the Christian and biblical mandate turns all of this radically on its head. We give to God, as a response to all that God has provided us. For those who may still remember when using the Book of Common Prayer, we would make our offering to God with these profound and significant words:

“Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel, for ever and ever. All that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine. All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. 1 Chronicles 29: 10,11,14. [BCP page 74]

Jesus compounds the concept when we read from Matthew 25:14 the Parable of the Talents. One of the many lessons that can be taken from this passage is that each servant was entrusted with property. Some were given a lot and others less. Nonetheless, none of them owned the property but were meant to be stewards of it and missional in their management of it. Two of the three stewards responsibly doubled their portion to the great pleasure of the Master. I wonder if God is actually entrepreneurial. Regardless, it is clear that God expects us to be Missional with our resources.

If taken seriously, these biblical concepts are not just radical but transformational. When I realized that God was the source of all my blessings, I found stewardship to become a joy. My home, my property, my car, my education— everything is God’s regardless of what the tax man thinks. Suddenly, I started to see what it meant in part: ‘For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God’ —even my very life is God’s. Now there is a discussion topic for your next bible study or parish council meeting!

So given the perilous state of the nation and yes, economic insecurity, the Kingdom of God and the Missional work of the Church really should be our Primary Business. Good stewardship, worthwhile stewardship, and responsible stewardship always follows mission and vision. The stronger and more vital the congregation the clearer the mission [or MAP] and the increased likelihood that our stewardship dollars, stewardship time, and talent will be generously directed to the Kingdom Work of the Church.

Maybe a radical idea for some, but possibly, we need to recognize that the only type of stewardship is missional stewardship. These two words need to be put together. I’d go so far as to say, ‘Missional Stewardship’ is the only kind of stewardship. Once we understand this biblical perspective—it changes everything— our very lives.