Principles of Stewardship

As stewards who are to be held accountable, we must prayerfully seek to exercise our stewardship in a manner that is consistent with and obedient to God’s Word. Click Here for a PDF download of PCPC’s Principles of Stewardship.

1. God is sovereign and we recognize Him as exercising divine ownership over all things. We are only stewards, entrusted by God. Our fiduciary responsibility is to Him alone. The fruits of good stewardship are for God’s pleasure and not for our selfish purpose.

   Matthew 25:14-30
   Isaiah 45:6-7
   1 Timothy 6:17
   Genesis 1:28-30
   Romans 8:28
   Exodus 19:5
   Deuteronomy 10:14
   Leviticus 27:30
   Psalm 50:10-11
   1 Chronicles 29:11-14
   Job 41:11
   1 Samuel 2:7
   Daniel 4:34-35
   Psalm 24:1-2
   Read Scripture

2. By His indwelling Spirit, Christ enables us to follow Him in being a servant to all. As servants, we are charged to be faithful in handling all the money entrusted to us, not just ten percent. When we acknowledge God’s ownership, every financial decision becomes a spiritual decision.

   Mark 10:35-45
   1 Chronicles 29:16
   Romans 12:1
   Philippians 2:4-11
   John 12:24-26
   1 Timothy 6:6-10
   Luke 16:1-13
   Read Scripture

3. God is concerned with the heart of the giver as opposed to the amount of the gift. God does not need our money, nor are God’s ultimate purposes contingent upon our gifts. Generous giving is a grace given by God which He provides us the opportunity to participate in His work. As we give sacrificially, we grow in our sanctification.

   Matthew 6:1-4
   Matthew 23:23-26
   2 Corinthians 8:1-7
   Matthew 6:19-21
   2 Corinthians 9:7
   Mark 12:41-44
   1 Corinthians 13:3
   Luke 19:1-9
   Read Scripture

4. Gifts are given to the Lord Himself even though they are for the benefit of other people.

   Numbers 18:24
   Matthew 25:35-40
   Read Scripture

5. God richly provides us with everything to enjoy. We are to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up heavenly treasure beyond our comprehension as a good foundation for the future so that we may take hold of that which is truly life.

   1 Timothy 6:17-19
   Matthew 6:19-21
   2 Corinthians 9:6
   2 Corinthians 8:9
   Luke 12:32-34
   Matthew 6:24
   Read Scripture

6. We are called to give regularly from our first fruits as this discipline gives us an opportunity to be consistently drawn to Christ.

   Proverbs 3:9
   Nehemiah 10:37
   1 Corinthians 16:2
   Psalm 96:8
   Read Scripture

7. Giving should be done prayerfully. It should be motivated by God’s abundant love for us and the amazing grace He has bestowed to us rather than a desire to impress people.

   Matthew 6:1-4
   1 Thessalonians 2:4
   2 Corinthians 9:7
   Read Scripture

8. Tithing has been a great blessing to many Christians. In both the Old and New Testaments, giving according to one’s prosperity is in view when considering stewardship. Giving is not limited to the tithe but is defined by grace and a response to the love of Christ. Stewardship recognizes not only a tenth; instead, everything belongs to God. Man merely acts as a trustee of God’s resources. Man should not seek to serve both God and money.

   Leviticus 27:30
   Matthew 6:24
   Matthew 23:23
   Malachi 3:8-10
   Read Scripture

9. Scripture supports giving in three areas: to the local Church, to the poor, and to extending the kingdom of God in the Church and the world. All three are important but giving to the local Church should have equal or greater importance than giving to the poor and to extending the kingdom of God in the church and the world, so long as the local church participates in the other two. Our giving, to and through the Church, is a tangible expression of our commitment to PCPC and our support of the equipping of the Saints and the protecting of our souls. As members of PCPC, we take a vow upon membership “to support the Church in its worship and work to the best of [our] ability.”

   Numbers 18:21
   Acts 4:32-37
   1 Timothy 6:17-18
   Read Scripture

10. When we share with the poor, we are sharing with Jesus Himself.

    Matthew 25:34-45
    Deuteronomy 26:12-15
    Read Scripture

11. We are responsible to use our gifts and abilities to Extend the Kingdom.

    2 Corinthians 8:1-15
    1 Timothy 6:17-18
    Matthew 28:19-20
    Read Scripture

As adopted by the PCPC Session

Supporting Documents:

• Scripture (referenced above)
• PCA Study Committee Report (1981) - Theology of Stewardship

PCA Directory for Worship, Chapter 54

54-1 The Holy Scriptures teach that God is the owner of all persons and all things and that we are but stewards of both life and possessions; that God’s ownership and our stewardship should be acknowledged; that this acknowledgement should take the form, in part, of giving at least a tithe of our income and other offerings to the work of the Lord through the Church of Jesus Christ, thus worshipping the Lord with our possessions; and that the remainder should be used as becomes Christians.

54-2 It is both a privilege and a duty, plainly enjoined in the Bible, to make regular, weekly, systematic and proportionate offerings for the support of religion and for the propagation of the Gospel in our own and foreign lands, and for the relief of the poor. This should be done as an exercise of grace and an act of worship, and at such time during the service as may be deemed expedient by the Session.

54-3 It is appropriate that the offerings be dedicated by prayer.

Supporting Sermon Series, Stewards of Grace