OGUN BAPTIST
CONFERENCE WORKERS’ SEMINAR FOR 2009.
Good Stewardship: A basis for effectiveness in the Vineyard. Prepared by
Rev Segun Jayesimi. Ogun
Baptist Conference Secretary.
Introduction.
The Lord calls every Officer of
the Church, Association, Conference to be good and faithful Steward of Him in
the Office held in the ministry. The Lord Jesus Christ owns the Church through
creation and His death on the cross at Calvary.
He is the head of the Church and thus allows Christians to be put in position
of authority as His Stewards.
The Lord expects every Officer to
be effective in the discharge of the duties assigned in the Lord. An effective
Steward is an Officer who is able to produce the desired result in the Lord.
The Person is able to accomplish God’s purposes for the office held in the
vineyard of the Lord.
Baptist Confession Of Faith
On Stewardship.
“God is the source of all
blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are, we owe to Him.
Christians have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship
in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in their possessions. They are
therefore under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material
possessions: and should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the
glory of God and for helping others. According to the Scriptures, Christians
should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically,
proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer’s causes on
earth.”
Definition of Christian
Stewardship.
“Christian stewardship is the
practice of systematic and proportionate giving of time, abilities and material
possessions, based upon the conviction that these are a trust from God, to be
used in His service for the benefit of all mankind in grateful acknowledgement
of Christ’s redeeming love.”
BIBLICAL BASIS FOR
STEWARDSHIP.
a. God is the Creator, Owner, Upholder and giver of
all things. Gen. 1:1. Psalm 24:1;2. Hag.2:8. James 1:17. God owns
through creation and through redemption. Everyone was a sinner who could not
pay the penalty of sins.Romans3:23, 24; Jesus bought us with a price I Cor. 6:19, 20). We are bought with the
blood of Jesus I Peter 1:18, 19.
b. We are stewards, all we are and have is a trust
from God. Gen. 1:27-28; Deut. 8:18 I Chron.29: 14 Rom. 14: 7-8. The story
of the rich fool is an example that Man does not own anything. God can take
both the man and the properties away. Lk. 12: 16-20.
God gave man a special place in His creation by giving Him
dominion over the rest of the World. But man forgets that God owns and that our
possessions of God’s property is temporary.
c. We must
acknowledge our stewardship. All that we are and have belong to
God. This acknowledgement concerns every area of our lives. We will give all
and have right attitude to God. Lev. 27:30-32; Ps. 96:8. I Cor. 16:2.
d. We
must render an account of our stewardship to God. Rom.14: 12; Gen. 3:9-11; Ecc. 12: 14. Lk. 16:
Talents represent whatever God gives us to
use and improve upon for the glory of God.
a. Servant
With One Talent: A bad and ineffective Steward.
Characteristics vs. 18-19,24-28
- Unfaithfulness
- Neglect of duty
- Slothfulness
- Lost opportunity
- Murmuring v. 24.
- Excuses
- Unfruitfulness
- Sin rebuked
- Spiritual loss
- Accountability
- Eternal punishment.
b. The Faithful
Servants
Characteristics
vs20-23.
Spiritual progress
Fruitfulness
Talent cultivation
Fidelity
Commendation
Saints exalted
Faithful Service
Humble Service
Joy in Service
c. Summary of
Findings
God gives Talents to
everyone.
God gives men
different talents Mt. 25:15.
Man’s talents and
opportunities are from God according to his ability. Ability is capacity for preserving and increasing the
resources entrusted.
God Expects us to be
good stewards of our Talents.
The Bible Warns
Against Neglecting or Misusing of Talents.
The man who is
punished is the man who will not try.
Talents used for
God’s work are Multiplied.
The only way to keep
a talent is to use it in the service of God and in the service of fellow-men.
God gave Talents to
His own v.15. They are those that belonged to him, from whom He might require
and expect care for His interests.
Conclusion.
You
are a Steward in the Office held in the Vineyard.
Your
Office is a trust from God.
The
Lord expects you to effectively serve and represent Him well in your Office.
You
are going to give account of your stewardship to the Congregation you are
serving and the Lord.
Therefore,
be a good and effective Steward of the Lord.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Locke, Veda and Russell. Total Christian Stewardship.
Ibadan: Baptist Press, 1986.
Locke, Veda, ed. Stewardship Plan Book for Churches.
Ibadan: Baptist Press, 1986.
Lumpkin, William L. Baptist
Confessions of Faith.
Valley Forge:Judson Press, 1983.
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