STEWARDSHIP
I promise I did NOT choose to summarize this section the week before Harvest Sunday!! God has a sense of humor... 🤣
Everything belongs to God. We are called to manage all of our resources for the one true Owner, and he gives us guidelines for how to do so in his Word.
Here are the survey questions and our responses!
Q: Our church helps me find ways to use all of my resources to honor God and serve others.
A: Average 79% agreement
Q: I actively serve in a ministry capacity that i enjoy and that is aligned with my gifts and talents.
A: Average 75% agreement
Q: How often do you serve or volunteer at our church?
Q: What percentage of your income do you give financially to our church?
Q: Regarding stewardship, what else would you like us to know?
"We are working on increasing our tithe."
"A class on stewardship would be great - lay it out clearly and completely."
"I am pleased with the transparent way our church handles our finances."
"I must admit that my tithe is diluted to some extent by other giving and my own selfishness."
"I feel like I can't do my volunteering jobs well because I've been asked to do too many things."
"Tithing is new to us. We are working on getting to a biblical tithe."
"I think it would be worth having a vision of what the church should look like or wants to do in the future and know what that amount is as a goal to get there."
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PURPOSE
The Bible says God has prepared good works for believers to do (Eph 2:10) and that he has a purpose for our lives (Rom 8:28). When we asked what you thought about your unique purpose, here is what you said:
Q: Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?
A: Average 82%
Q: I understand my unique purpose in life.
A: Average 81% agreement
Q: If you knew you couldn't fail, what big thing would you attempt to do with your life?
"Start my own business."
"Write a book."
"Write curriculum."
"I'm not free to do so, so it doesn't matter."
"Move to the Pacific Northwest to reach communities there with the gospel."
"Eliminate half truths, lies, and deception from public communication."
"Travel the world as part of a music ministry."
"Lead my grandchildren to the Lord."
"Bring a Celebrate Recovery ministry to WRBC."
"Be a full-time missionary."
"Mentor children."
"Open a missions-centered coffee shop."
Q: Regarding purpose, what else would you like us to know?
"Many don't know their gift or how to use it."
"I have for a long time felt a pull towards teaching biblical literacy."
"My purpose is in caregiving."
"I've always just wanted to sit in a rough part of town with my dog and get to know people - hear their stories and tell them about Jesus."
GOING DEEPER
What are your thoughts? Do any of these results or comments resonate with you? What other questions come to mind?
We want to hear from you! Leave a Reply below!
Blessings, Waterloo family - we love you!
Pastor Ron
Here is a great explanation of a biblical tithe that Pastor Heath just shared with me:
The tithe is a timeless principle, established before the Old Covenant when Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20), showing it wasn’t just a law-based practice. Jesus affirmed the tithe in Matthew 23:23, emphasizing its continued value alongside justice and mercy. Hebrews 7 connects this act to Christ, our eternal High Priest. While the New Testament stresses cheerful, generous giving (2 Corinthians 9:7), the tithe remains a solid foundation. Those who argue it’s no longer relevant often seek reasons to give less, rather than embracing God’s call to honor Him with our first and best.