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If You Need A Reason To Join In!!!
Ten
Reasons Why We're So Excited
For
"The 33 Days Of Stewardship!"
Our 33 Days of Stewardship is nearly upon us! Kickoff Sunday is September 19 and the first of the 33 Days, the first day of our reading and devotion, is Wednesday the 22nd. Should you participate? I'll give you ten reasons why I believe you should!
Everything!
I've heard it before, but Cory reminded me the other day, "Everything for a Christian is stewardship!" It's really true, if you think about it. Stewardship[ is about making choices, every day, every hour. Choices about words. That's stewardship of the mouth. Choices about food. That's stewardship of these wonderful bodies God has given us. Choices about money, certainly, but we are making choices about hundreds of different things every day.
Once we have faith in Christ, the eternal matters are settled for us. By his great gift of forgiveness and love through his sacrifice on the cross (that was some stewardship on his part, wasn't it?) heaven is ours. The eternal things are secure and set. there is a place in heaven for all who believe.
The only questions for Christians who are still walking by faith this side of heaven are stewardship questions: How shall we live? What shall we do?
And the faith questions we'll wrestle with in the 33 Days of Stewardship are all about daily living by faith in Jesus. Everything is stewardship. Let's learn to make the most of every day and every opportunity God gives to live as his people!
Solid!
There are a lot of Christian programs and books and resources out there these days, and some of them stand on pretty shaky ground doctrinally. And while the authors of the 33 Days materials are not Lutheran (nobody's perfect!) I've found very little to argue with. the stories and topics are all biblically grounded and very much in keeping with the teachings of our church body.
Most of what you read will sound just like the things I've been teaching in my years as your pastor. They're just presented a little better! the book is fun and simple reading. The devotional guide is insightful and meditative and should start some great discussion if you're doing the 33 Days with others, or reflection if you're doing it alone.
Joyful!
Some stewardship materials can be drudgery. I love the attitude of these writers and the way it shows through in their materials. Paul reminded us that God loves a cheerful giver, in all the offerings we make, and the joy of living as extraordinary servants shines through the 33 Days materials. I know you will be uplifted as you learn and grow, and often with a smile of a laugh as you read some of the wonderful stories.
Someone once told me that the true test of extraordinary servanthood is joy. If you take out the garbage as a kindness to someone else, but without a joyful heart, it's not a good deed at all, but an obligation. Joy is always the mark of loving service. You'll see that shining through in the 33 Days.
Unity!
"Let's do more things together as a family!" What a great idea. We all need to spend more time together in our family and in our friendship groups. Serving, playing and also growing. I'm excited about the whole congregation working through the same topical materials together at the same time. I love what happens in our Bible classes and ChristCare groups. We grow and mature with those we feel especially close to.
It's been a while since we've had a concerted effort to have a spiritual growth experience all together as an entire congregation. that's another reason we need you to participate fully. I hope you'll consider the Sunday Bible class that goes with the 33 Days. Why not? It's only for six weeks, and I'd love to have a great majority of us go through it together!
Mission!
The 33 Days fits so well, as you've already seen, with our mission to share the saving love of Christ that transforms ordinary people into extraordinary servants. We're all still in the process of being transformed by Christ's saving love. As we study and grow together, God is at work fulfilling the mission.
And as we grow more willing to follow God's will in our lives of service, sacrifice and sharing with others, we're in mission. We will make a difference in our community as we follow faithfully where he leads in this process.
Gift-Oriented
Ministry!
Stewardship is about using the special gifts that God has given us that make each of us unique. Our special emphasis on Gift-Oriented Ministry in recent months now leads us to this study and one more call to service. We as individuals and as a congregation will be living out our calling when we participate and follow.
Fun!
I love this stuff! I became a pastor because of God's calling to make a difference in the lives of others. When I see the way God calls people out of a life of hum-drum, day to day existence, just going through the motions of living, into a life of committed discipleship, I have such a great time. there's nothing more fun than watching God at work. Keep your eyes open during our 33 Days. Have some fun!
Spiritual Growth!
God is at work. the story of the Bible is the story of God calling ordinary people into extraordinary service. They were never the same after. they were changed. they became more and more the people who God created them and redeemed them to be. That's what we call spiritual growth. The 33 Days of stewardship is not about money. It's about spiritual growth. Stewardship is always a faith issue, not a financial one.
Cheap!
What a bargain! The 33 Laws of Stewardship book and the ## Days of Stewardship devotional guide are yours for only ten bucks. When the Board of Stewardship and I read through the materials, we were immediately impressed with how much everyone would benefit from these wonderful devotional guides. As you make them part of your regular rotation of devotional reading, I know you'll agree. We got a lot of great material for $10!
Jesus!
the Lord himself is all over this process. His words, his wisdom, his calling to you will ring loud and clear in your heart as you prayerfully come to him each day and seek his guidance. From his first calling to the disciples, "Follow me!" to his departing words, the Great Commission, "Go and make disciples of all nations," Jesus was always a teacher of stewardship.
Join us in the adventure. Jesus is at work, teaching, shaping, correcting, forgiving, calling, filling and using us as his extraordinary servants. Let's all pray together for a momentous work of his Holy Spirit among us, in the 33 Days and always!