Fifth: We follow a specific set of priorities when it comes to how
we budget and spend our monies.
People: The personnel who do ministry and the people we
help.
Proclamation: Gospel work in evangelism, mission and outreach.
Programs: The 7 ministry departments at work.
Plant: The facilities and grounds that make up our “house.”
When we give $1.00 of our tithe to Christ Covenant, here’s what the
$1.00 does through our general budget:
52%
20%
17%
12%
goes
goes
goes
goes
to people: salaries and benefits.
toward programs of both in-reach and out-reach.
toward plant: both facilities and debt service.
toward miscellaneous expenses.
We are in a people business: ministry. People are our
“product” and “process.”
Our ministry is a life-on-life task that prepares people for eternal life
with God. People are both our #1 priority and our #1 asset.
If we look at our budget and spending in a more distributive
manner, then where your dollar goes looks like this:
19
18
10
8
10
12
14
cents for Campus Outreach, Outreach and Missions.
cents to administration and facilities.
cents toward worship and music.
cents for Children’s Ministry.
cents for Christian Education and CDS (gifts).
cents toward Youth Ministry (students).
cents used to shepherd people, counseling, women’s ministry,
officer training, etc.
9 cents toward our mortgage.
CONCLUSION:
Sermon Notes
November 4, 2012 AM
Pastor Mike Ross
“An Honorable Stewardship”
2 Corinthians 8:16-24
Our Stewardship Series for November:
November 4—”An Honorable Stewardship”
November 11—”A Call to Sacrifice”
November 18—”The Storehouse of God”
November 25—”A Spiritual House”
INTRODUCTION: This morning Pastor Ross will begin a four-part series
on stewardship and giving.
Third: Our stewardship has one major objective—the Glory of
God.
He will speak to us about a key element of discipleship and our growth
as a community of faith: our financial stewardship.
Fourth: Our stewardship reflects our own goodwill toward the
church, our community and mankind around the world.
According to Jesus Christ, money is a power (a god called “Mammon,
an idol) which can hold us back from growing in grace and developing
mature disciples.
We want Christ Covenant Church to be known as a generous
people of goodwill toward all men.
A compassionate conservatism and a winsome faith.
Paul clearly says that the love of money will hurt us and perhaps even
cause us to forsake Christ and the faith.
I.
FIVE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES OF AN HONORABLE STEWARDSHIP
Fifth: There is nothing to blame your Pastor and Elders for in
keeping before you your sacred calling as Biblical stewards.
The bottom line is “an honorable stewardship.”
Paul was sent on his first, second, and third missionary journeys by
the apostles and elders of the Jerusalem church, with a sacred
task…
In God’s sight.
In the sight of men.
...To collect monies from the mission churches for the mother
church, Jerusalem, during days of famine and financial
hardship.
He instructed the mission churches to give generously and regularly
to this benevolent cause.
He sets forth five principles of honorable stewardship ministry.
First: Entrust stewardship ministry into the hands of men of
integrity, well-known and appointed by the church.
Our Elders and Deacons are elected by us, as well as our
Pastors. And they appoint Staff to come alongside them to
help in ministry.
This ministry includes budgeting, spending, and giving of
monies to planned ministries and needy people.
The point: The men who lead our church and handle our
money have a proven track record of integrity.
Second: The ministry of stewardship is an “act of grace.”
The grace of God, in caring for others, is mediated through
our stewardship ministry.
Our Pastors and Deacons are using your giving to bless the
lives of hundreds of people each year.
II. FIVE CHRIST COVENANT PRINCIPLES OF AN HONORABLE
STEWARDSHIP
How do we manage this sacred trust of so much money? We follow
Five Basic Biblical Principles of stewardship.
First: We are bringing our spending into alignment with our
vision and purpose as a church, and entrusting this management
to the officers of the church.
We call this Focus and Alignment.
Focus in missions, mercy ministries, programs and
personnel, even in facilities.
Second: We don’t spend what we don’t have. We burn lean.
Third: We manage our debt and have a formula we follow that
limits our borrowing.
Limited to no more than 20% of our cash flow at any
time.
Fourth: We are audited each year, holding to the standards of
the ECFA...Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability.
Congregation is invited to the Auditor’s Report to the Session
on November 26, 2012.