Although Jesus tells us his “yoke is easy and burden light” the path of Christian stewardship can be a difficult one for most of us. It is easy to join together in some Hard Rock Café theology of stewardship of “Love All, Serve All”. We can feel we have loved and served by giving a few dollars to a worthy cause to ease suffering or make a social statement. This is fine and good but stewardship for a Christian runs much deeper.

The Church is not a merely a socially acceptable non-profit benevolent organization.  Although tempting, it does not base its theology by checking the latest marketing strategy or opinion poll. It bases itself in Jesus Christ. It does not join the secular world in ignoring and possibly contributing to the crises that can overwhelm us all. It is a partner in the Resurrection.

Jesus is very clear on what challenges we face and fully expects his people, the Church, to confront them. As such, the Church, especially Redeemer, is an outpost of His Kingdom. Joined together in the Church we exist to join in God’s transformation of the world, not merely the healing of its’ cuts and bruises.  Stewardship in this sense tends to be countercultural in that we give in defiance of much of what the secular world has to say.

It is up to us to maintain the church as a high priority in our lives within the secular culture in which we are immersed. As we follow the command to go and make disciples of Christ and to be His Hands and Feet in the world it takes resources of time, talent, and treasure.  All this becomes al lighter burden and an easier yoke for us if we focus on building his Kingdom.

-Steve Bunt