Similarly, not many of us will fess-up to hating stewardship, but many of us hate what we wrongly believe stewardship to be. It can be seen in the eyes-glazing-over response when the topic is discussed, and even in the direct challenge, “Stewardship is a gimmick. It's just a code word for getting more of my money. When the church needs money, then you tell me I need stewardship.”
Below is a short list of misconceptions about stewardship. As you read these, try to hear what I am saying about stewardship, not what you think I really mean.
The Church Just Needs My Money – This is partially true. Our parish does need money to operate. We have a beautiful building and vibrant ministries, both of which require monetary resources to maintain. In the coming weeks, St. Joan of Arc will be kicking off a capital campaign with a goal of paying off this facility, and the financial support of our parishioners will be needed if we are to reach that goal. But beyond our basic needs, the Church provides a way for individuals to maximize their charitable contributions through the power of consolidated effort. Many small gifts can have the impact of one large gift. By financially supporting the parish, we are able to reach others through educational opportunities, help care for the needy, attend to the hurting, and facilitate the ultimate mission of the church – the salvation of souls. In all of this, it isn't a faceless, bureaucratic church that requires money, rather it is support of our continual effort to reach others. Each of us benefits from the ministries of our parish, and – more importantly – many outside our immediate church family also feel the loving embrace of Christ through the work we do as His hands, His feet, and His mouth.
The Church Just Wants Free Labor – Often this is said when someone wants to focus only on monetary giving, and ignore the Time and Talent sides of the stewardship triangle. The thinking is, “If I give enough money, I can be exempt from the other.” As Catholics we do not have an “either/or” faith; rather it is a “both/and” religion. Just as we don't say “faith or works”, neither do we say “treasure or time”. We are called to give of our talent and time because in doing so, we give in a way that helps us balance our lives. We all know that “time is money”. When we give of our money – even if we are genuinely tithing – we are personally seeing a 90% return on our investment of time. When we give of our time also, we are giving God 100%, and in doing so, insuring that we keep our focus properly balanced.
If I'm Not Giving, Someone Else Will Take Up The Slack – It is easy to selectively hear. Most spouses do it on occasion. Children do it often. Lawyers and political pundits have made it an art form. Parishioners are good at it as well. We selectively listen to announcements, selectively read the bulletin, and selectively choose to participate in the life of the parish. More often than not, we assume that God is speaking to someone else; that if I fail to step up, someone else will take up my slack. Often times, that is the case. But every time I fail to act, I am contributing to the lost potential of what St. Joan of Arc could really be. When my priorities are not grounded in the Great Commission, I am injuring the work of the church. Granted, not every program offered here is right for every parishioner, not every cause is one that sparks interest, and it isn't necessary to put an envelope in the basket every weekend. We are accountable, however, to guard against a lax and irresponsible tendency to expect others to do what we as individuals are called to do. Stewardship is a method of helping us avoid that kind of lethargic Christianity.