In the past 25 years of Christian history, teaching tithing as an important
act of worship largely has been ignored by the church, Gary Aylor said.
That has to change, he said.
In the past 25 years of Christian history, teaching tithing as an important
act of worship largely has been ignored by the church, Gary Aylor said.
That has to change, he said.
The church simply must be a strong voice for the principle of tithing, said
Aylor, former church stewardship service director for LifeWay Christian Resources
of the Southern Baptist Convention.
“Most people don’t tithe, and people are afraid others will leave the
church if they talk about money,” Aylor said. “But we have to be prophetic.
God’s people need to fund God’s work.”
Because many church members do not know what the Bible says about money, they
fail to give generously, Aylor said. However, pastors who fail to teach on the
subject also will be held accountable by God, he added.
LifeWay’s leading resource is a day-long seminar titled “Successful Christian
Financial Management.”
Various state convention and associational officials nationwide are available
to teach the course, which includes a workbook at a cost of $5. The only other
expense is paying for the speaker’s travel and an honorarium.
Usually held on a Sunday, the course begins in Sunday School with an outline
of scriptural money management principles. They include being careful about
debt, the wisdom of saving and investing and the fact that God owns everything.
During church, the seminar leader delivers a message on giving. That is followed
by a 75-minute afternoon session on putting together a 10-70-20 budget, which
refers to a person’s after-tax and tithe income. The 10 percent is for savings,
70 percent for expenses and 20 percent for paying off debt.
The day concludes with an evening teaching on “grace giving,” which
looks at giving beyond a tithe.
The sessions help people recognize that God says a lot about money, Aylor
said. Instead of getting angry or walking out, he said couples often line up
to ask more questions.
Aylor said an excellent follow-up resource is “How Much is Enough? 30
Days to Personal Revival,” a daily devotional guide that examines biblical
concepts of lifestyle stewardship. That includes time and talents as well as
finances.
Teaching is a vital component of increasing giving in a congregation, Aylor
said. This is especially significant because so many people are living on borrowed
time, he said. Statistics show the average Christian spends 117 percent of income
– meaning debt is the only way to meet all the bills.
In addition to the teaching resources cited, other LifeWay materials available
for personal or group studies include:
o “Jesus on Money” by noted financial counselor Larry Burkett, who
died in early July. This series of three books reviews money management in various
stages of life.
o “Money in Marriage,” also by Burkett. This is a workbook that
helps couples strengthen their financial position.
o Snapshot Gold CD software. The software allows users to get a quick picture
of their financial picture, develop a custom spending plan and get out (or stay
out) of debt.
LifeWay also offers materials for churches, such as:
o “The Five Phases of Stewardship Development: Sized to fit Your Church,”
by Jimmy Terrell and Eddy Oliver. This resource assists leaders to develop a
customized program to help church members become better lifestyle stewards.
o “ABCs of Church Budgeting, Promotion, and Stewardship Education.”
This is an annual plan book for churches.
o “Managing Your Church Finances … Made Easy,” by J. David Carter.
This book covers the most common financial issues that local churches face.
At the heart of giving lies a dependence on God, Aylor said.
“Are we going to trust God or not?” he asked. “Fifty percent
of the people who come to church don’t give a dime. If everyone in the church
gave like God wants them to give, the church wouldn’t need to have debt either.”
(BP)
(To schedule a Successful Christian Financial Management seminar, call 615-251-2808
or e-mail stewardship@lifeway.com.
To order resources, call 800-458-2772 or go to www.lifeway.com.)