2023-2028 Strategic Priority: Stewardship

Each month, one of our students takes time to send a hand-written note with his tuition payment. In these letters, he has shared with me some of his financial challenges; yet, he is faithful to pay his tuition, on-time, each month. This, at its very essence, is stewardship. This student is aware of his responsibility to looks after and manages another’s property (the definition of a steward); he looks after and manages the time, talent, and treasure that is provided by God.

We strive to become more like Jesus each day. As an education at Winebrenner Theological Seminary seeks to equip leaders for service in God’s Kingdom, how focused are we on the aspect of being stewards? King David, after pledging the entirety of his private treasure to build the temple, said this in 1 Chronicles 29:11-14, “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on the earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!” (NLT) Recognizing and acknowledging, as David did, that everything has come from God is the root of being a steward. Placing the recognition and acknowledgment into practice by looking after and managing the time, talent, and treasure provided by God is stewardship. How does this look in your life? How do you prioritize time? How do you share talents? How do you use treasure?

In the New Testament, Paul shares, “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.” (Romans 11: 33-36, NLT) We glorify the Lord by looking after and managing the time, talent, and treasure that have come from Him. Indeed, ‘All glory to him forever! Amen.’

• Tom Weaver, Director of Finance