Stewardship.

It’s a word we hear often in church or ministry settings, usually when we’re discussing how to financially support our church and other ministries. We often hear that we need to be good stewards and, down deep, we really want to be. After all, Scripture gives many examples of the foolish behavior of bad stewards, and we don’t want to be found in their ranks. But when it comes to stewardship, all God is concerned with is our tithes and offerings, right? After we’ve given those, does it really matter what happens to the rest of what I own? Scripture tells us it does matter. Even though our first inclination is to think of our possessions and wealth as being our own, Scripture reminds us that all we have comes from God (Psalm 24:1). A simple definition of a steward is someone who manages someone else’s wealth. Affirming the truth in Psalm 24:1, as followers of Christ, we recognize we’re simply managers of the wealth God has placed in our lives.

The Thanksgiving season is a time when, as a nation, we’re reminded to pause and consider the blessings in our lives. As believers, it’s a reminder to take inventory of the many ways in which God has blessed us. Of course, there are many things for which we’re thankful—family, friends, health—but as a financial ministry serving Baptists in Tennessee, the Foundation also encourages folks to consider the blessings of the resources over which God has made them a steward. We challenge ourselves to reflect personally on the question, “Does the way in which I manage my possessions reveal the heart of a faithful steward?”

We believe that one of the most powerful and impactful avenues of stewardship is through an estate plan that supports the work of the Kingdom even after we’re gone. At the Foundation, we would welcome the opportunity to talk about how to do that. Please contact us if you’d like to learn how to get started.

We hope that you enjoy a blessed Thanksgiving!