Stewardship: One Incredible Adventure!

By George Haynes

StewardshipOne Incredible Adventure! invites its readers to immerse themselves in an energetically motivated, biblically grounded, and eminently practical exploration of stewardship. The author, George Haynes, tapping into years of service as a Lutheran pastor and a respected authority on stewardship ministry, notes that stewardship means so much more than just focusing on money, although that is what many people commonly hold to be the truth. As he writes, That is like holding one piece of a 1,500-piece jigsaw puzzle and exclaiming with great authority, Here is the whole picture, the complete puzzle!

In a series of six brief sections that combine Bible study and meditation, leavened with thought-provokers and discussion-starters, StewardshipOne Incredible Adventure! keeps its focus on one single purpose: empowering and encouraging the reader to embark on a life-changing adventure, living as the kind of steward God desires.

When you spend time in the pages of StewardshipOne Incredible Adventure!, you will find new insights into stewardship, you will will develop a firmer grasp of its meaning for your life, and you will grow increasingly appreciative of the incredible power of biblically informed stewardship to broaden your vision both of Gods plans for his creation and of your place in it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 16, 2016
• ISBN: 9781491791295

George Haynes

George Haynes, an ordained Lutheran pastor, serves a growing congregation in Rockport, Texas. He has worked with both small and large churches, providing stewardship resources and one-on-one assistance. He leads capital-fund ventures.

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Copyright © 2016 George Haynes.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture quotations are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-9128-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-9129-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016903794

iUniverse rev. date: 06/15/2016

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 Stewardship of Self

Chapter 2 Stewardship of Earth, Water, and Air

Chapter 3 When Stewardship Marries Evangelism

Chapter 4 Giving

Chapter 5 What Giving Means To Me

In this book, I have included Bible studies, personal

reflections, provocative thoughts, and possible discussion starters that have to do with the concept and practice of stewardship.

Introduction

It is my observation that a rather rigid tunnel vision of stewardship has put the whole concept, understanding, and practice in a mental straightjacket. Too many people believe stewardship is about money, period! It’s like holding one piece of a jigsaw puzzle that has thousands more and exclaiming with great authority, Here is the whole completed picture.

Stewardship is about so much more than money—a whole bunch more! We who are God’s people need to wade right in and discover what stewardship really is.

The Bible studies, meditations, thought-provoking questions, and discussion starters I have included in this book are for one purpose—to expand your insight of, your grasp of, and your appreciation for the thrilling concept and incredible truth of stewardship. The whole purpose of this book is to broaden your vision and to deepen your understanding of stewardship.

I have one word of caution. Be prepared for change. You will find that this book is both stimulating and exciting. You may find yourself threatened by it. You may even be inclined to change some of your present patterns of living and giving or both.

Does this sound interesting? How about challenging? You bet it is! So let’s get right to it.

Before and After

Before we go any further, let’s take a moment or two to complete this sentence:

Stewardship is__________________________________________

Good! Now, this one:

A steward is___________________________________________

Now forget this page and what you’ve written. We will come back to it later. When we do, write your new definitions below without looking at your previous answers. Then compare your answers from before with your new ones.

Stewardship is__________________________________________

A steward is___________________________________________

Let’s Begin with a Story from the Bible

For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the