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The young couples' Sunday school class was studying the story of Abraham and Sarah, who in their 90s were blessed with a child, Isaac.
"What lesson," the teacher asked, "do we learn from this story?"
A young mother blurted out, "They waited until they could afford it."
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-Gary Langness
It takes persistence, prodding and patience to grow a congregation
composed of strong stewards.
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“If we give any less, we'll just
spend the next year mired in the idea that we don't have enough.
“Instead, we intend to spend the next year marveling
at just how much we have.”
--Nate Loer
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A little boy pulls on the preacher's hand to get his attention. Then says, "I'm going to give you money when I grow up."
The preacher says, "Thank you very much but why do you want to give me money when you grow up?"
The little boy replies, "My dad says that you are the ‘poorest’ preacher we have ever had."
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-Edward F. Markquart
You cannot be a generous giver if
you have not given yourself to
God first.
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The reason God gave
Adam and Eve no clothes to wear was because God
knew that once they had clothes,
they would want pockets.
Once they had pockets, they would want money.
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"People who
have little often have the greatest
capacity to teach us about
giving."
--Gary Langness
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A Texas millionaire stipulated in his will that he be buried in his favorite
possession: his $350,000 Rolls Royce.
When the time came, two laborers were shoveling the last bit of dirt onto the
now buried luxury car. One finally turned to the other and said, “Boy!
That's living!"
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Arnold Flaten, art department at St. Olaf College, made a carving of a needle and a camel.
The needle was stationary and fastened to the frame of the carving.
The camel was moveable. It had a full pack of goods on its back.
However the pack of goods on its back was removable.
With the goods on its back, the camel could not pass through the eye of the needle.
However, when the pack was removed, it could.
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Pastor Schmitt answers the phone:Pastor Schmitt answers the phone:
““Hello, is this Rev. Schmitt?“Hello, is this Rev. Schmitt?“ "It is.""It is."
"This is the IRS. Can you help us?“"This is the IRS. Can you help us?“ "I can.""I can."
"Do you know a David Anderson?“"Do you know a David Anderson?“ "I do.""I do."
"Is he a member of your congregation?“"Is he a member of your congregation?“ "He is.""He is."
"Did he donate $10,000 to the church?“"Did he donate $10,000 to the church?“ ""He will."He will."
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"Anyone--regardless "Anyone--regardless
of their net worth--of their net worth--
who believes that they who believes that they must be rich, that must be rich, that
more is always better,more is always better,
is a self-condemned is a self-condemned prisoner prisoner
of the ‘golden ghetto.’"of the ‘golden ghetto.’"
-- Jessie H. O'Neill-- Jessie H. O'Neill
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"A funny thing "A funny thing about moneyabout money
and and possessions, possessions,
no matter how no matter how much we much we
have, have, it is never quite it is never quite
enough."enough." --Gary Langness--Gary Langness
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"Is exciting a "Is exciting a word that word that describesdescribes
the time of the time of offering in offering in
worship and worship and most Sunday most Sunday
School School classes?"classes?"
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PROPORTIONAL GIVING begins with
the question, “How has God blessed
me?" rather than “What does the
church need?"
Then the decision is made to return a
proportion or percentage to God in obedience and
gratitude.
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Excellence is about giving; Excellence is about giving; Ambition is about taking. Ambition is about taking.
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A little girl A little girl became restless became restless as the preacher's as the preacher's sermon dragged sermon dragged on and on. on and on.
Finally, she Finally, she leaned over to leaned over to her mother and her mother and whispered, whispered, "Mommy, if we "Mommy, if we give him the give him the money now, will money now, will he let us go?" he let us go?"
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"Money was meant "Money was meant to be our servant. to be our servant.
But when we But when we depend on servants depend on servants
too much they too much they gradually become gradually become
our masters, our masters, because we have because we have surrendered to surrendered to
them our ability to them our ability to run our own lives."run our own lives."
Philip Slater, Wealth AddictionsPhilip Slater, Wealth Addictions
1818
The Sunday School teacher was just finishing a lesson on honesty.
"Do you know where little boys go if they don't put their money in the collection plate?", the teacher asked.
"Yes ma'am," a boy blurted out. "They go to the movies."
1919
“The Sabbath, the one day
in seven dedicated to rest
by divine command, has become the holiday
Americans are most likely never
to take.” -Judith Schulevitz-Judith Schulevitz
2020
Japanese proverbJapanese proverb
He is poor He is poor who does who does not feel not feel content.content.
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Stewardship Stewardship begins with an begins with an awareness of awareness of
God. Without that God. Without that awareness, we awareness, we
act as though we act as though we are God and are God and everything is everything is
here for our use here for our use and satisfaction and satisfaction
alone.alone.
Gary F. Anderson
2222
Oh, and it's hard to imagine
the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind.
--From the lyrics of --From the lyrics of Things We Leave BehindThings We Leave Behind
By Michael Card By Michael Card
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Rev. Dr. Frank A. ThomasRev. Dr. Frank A. Thomas
Privilege is an Privilege is an enemy of enemy of
stewardship. stewardship.
Stewardship is Stewardship is the willingness the willingness to give up your to give up your
privilege privilege so that others so that others
might be saved.might be saved.
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-- Yoggi Berra-- Yoggi Berra
A nickel A nickel ain't worth a ain't worth a
dime dime anymore.anymore.
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Stewardship Stewardship rightly rightly
understood understood
is equivalent tois equivalent to
a program for a program for putting Christ putting Christ
into all aspects into all aspects of daily life.of daily life.-- Bishop Hanns Lilje-- Bishop Hanns Lilje
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In Scotland, where the In Scotland, where the collection plate is rarely full, collection plate is rarely full, a pastor in a small church a pastor in a small church was taking the offering. was taking the offering.
When the plate came back to When the plate came back to the pastor to pray over the the pastor to pray over the offering, he saw that the few offering, he saw that the few pennies in it were even less pennies in it were even less than usual.than usual.
He held the plate up in front He held the plate up in front of him and said, of him and said, "Well Lord, "Well Lord, we thank you for the safe we thank you for the safe return of the plate."return of the plate."
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ARE YOU RICH? ARE YOU RICH?
Most respond Most respond by saying. by saying.
““I am not rich. I am not rich. I am just average.”I am just average.”
Before you answerView the following
Stats calculated from GLOBAL RICH
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If you make $25,000/ If you make $25,000/ year you are in the top year you are in the top
10% richest people10% richest people
in the world. in the world.
There are There are 5,398,344,113 5,398,344,113
people poorer than people poorer than you.you. Stats calculated from GLOBAL RICH
2929
If you make $36,000, you rank in the top 4.33% richest people in
the world.
There are 5,740,000,000
people poorer than you. Stats calculated from GLOBAL RICH
3030
If you make $50,000/ year you are
in the top 0.899% richest
people in the world.
There are There are 5,946,042,435 5,946,042,435
people poorer people poorer
than you. than you.
Stats calculated from GLOBAL RICH
3131
If you make If you make $100,000/year$100,000/year
you are you are in the top 0.6% richest in the top 0.6% richest
people in the world. people in the world.
There are 5,963,992,435 people poorer
than you.
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If you make If you make $200,000/year you $200,000/year you
are in the are in the
top 0.001% richest top 0.001% richest people in the world. people in the world.
There are There are 5,999,892,435 5,999,892,435
people poorer people poorer
than you.than you.
Stats calculated from GLOBAL RICH
3333
Oh, and in case Oh, and in case you’re interested you’re interested
you are one of you are one of the 107,565 the 107,565
richest persons richest persons
in the world in the world if you make if you make
more than 200 more than 200 grand a yeargrand a year. .
Stats calculated from GLOBAL RICH
