PERCENTAGE
LIVING
An Annual Stewardship Process to
Grow and Foster Discipleship, Health
and Vitality in the Local Church
By Gary T. Marsh
Director of Stewardship
Moravian Church | Northern Province
Copyright © 2010 Gary T. Marsh
Gary T. Marsh is Director of Stewardship, Moravian Church Northern Province,
PO Box 1245, Bethlehem, PA 18016-1245
www.mcnp.org/stewardship
All Rights Reserved
Layout and design by Colleen Marsh
Printed in the United States of America
CONTENTS
2 Introduction: Biblical Foundation
4
4
4
5
Putting Percentage Living into Action
The Leadership Team
Publicity & Announcements
Creativity
6 The General Outline for Each Week
7
7
9
11
14
17
The Specifics for Each Sunday of the Series
Sunday One: Giving God a Percentage of My Day: Devotional Prayer
Sunday Two: Giving God a Percentage of My Sabbath: Worship & Learning
Sunday Three: Giving God a Percentage of My Time: Serving, Witnessing, & Inviting
Sunday Four: Glorifying God in What I Earn: Percentage Saving & Spending
Sunday Five: Giving God a Percentage of My Income: Generosity
19 A Final Word from Scripture
20 Be a Five-for-Five Congregation
21 Appendix A – The Biblical Foundation
23 Appendix B – Personal Financial Assessment
24 Appendix C – Budget & Spending Plan Suggestions
25 Appendix D – Percentage Giving Step Chart
26 Appendix E – Creative Acts of Generosity for Missional Service & Advocacy
27 Appendix F – Characteristics of a Healthy Congregation
28 Appendix G – Sample Commitment Card
INTRODUCTION: BIBLICAL FOUNDATION
Percentage Living? Is not all of my life to be committed to
God? Isn’t it to be more than a percentage? Taking a look
at the texts noted to the right, it would certainly seem that
should be the case. God gets it all, all of my living, not just a
percentage.
God does deserve all. But, to be honest, life happens. Each of
us lives in a world with complex demands of our time, energy,
focus, and attention. So, rather than feel guilty that God does
not get more of “me,” we can find security and experience
growth in our faith and walk with the Lord through the
practice of Percentage Living, giving to God a specific and
intentional portion of my day, week, and life.
Percentage Living will help each person of faith grow in
discipleship formation and be a more committed follower
of Christ. Percentage Living will help the church become
increasingly healthy, an expressed goal of every church I have
ever been a member of, served, and worked with. How do
individuals and congregations become all that God intended?
Such can and will happen through teaching, encouraging,
and modeling Percentage Living.
At the Northern Province Synod of the Moravian Church
held in June 2010, seven “Characteristics of a Healthy
Congregation” were presented. (See Appendix E.) Healthy
congregations teach, encourage, live, and model worship,
community, purpose, spiritual formation, mission and service,
stewardship, and leadership. Each characteristic is needed for
growth and vitality in the local church. Each is needed for
health and vitality in the life of every individual of faith.
Without these in place, people and churches struggle. With
these in place, people and churches thrive.The goal, embraced
by all at Synod, is to help each congregation be a healthy
congregation. This will happen as all believers practice the
disciplines of Percentage Living.
As Moravians it is good for us to remember our history—
not to stare, but to look! The outpouring of the Holy
Spirit on August 13, 1727 did not just happen. Long before
August 13, it was recognized by many in leadership that the
Herrnhut congregation was not spiritually healthy. It was
also recognized that individual members were not spiritually
healthy. Before August 13, they chose to participate in a
process to become healthy.Throughout the summer of 1727,
people of that faith community gathered for prayer, Bible
study, and worship. Daniel Crews, archivist of the Moravian
Church, Southern Province has written, “Members of that
2
THAT IS THE HEART
church spent hours wrestling with their calling and what
it meant to be a living Church of Jesus Christ” (Moravian
worship bulletin cover, August 15, 2010).
AN EFFORT
August 13 was the fruit of that process, an anointing of many
individuals who said yes to the disciplines of faithful living.
Each was renewed in their understanding and practice of core
characteristics of faith. A spiritual birthday was celebrated.
Lives and Church were renewed. Persons became spiritually
healthy. The church became vibrant. The disciplines of
Percentage Living became vital and made all the difference.
OF THIS SERIES,
TO FOSTER
AND
DEVELOP
IN EACH PERSON OF FAITH
WITHIN OUR CHURCH
WHAT WILL
BRING US
TO THE
OF
PINNACLE
INDIVIDUAL
AND
CONGREGATIONAL
SPIRITUAL HEALTH
AND VITALITY.
Derek French, pastor of East Hills Moravian Church,
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has written, “When we bemoan
the lack of faith, health and vibrancy in the Church today,
we need look no further than the nearest mirror to see
both the source of the problem and its ultimate solution”
(August 2010 “The Star” newsletter). Becoming a healthy,
vibrant and vital church begins with what our forebears did
so well: embracing and living core tenets and characteristics
of the Christian faith. We would do well to teach, learn of,
and embrace them each year. That is the heart of this series,
an effort to foster and develop in each person of faith within
our Church what brings us to the pinnacle of individual and
congregational spiritual health and vitality. It can happen
through Percentage Living.
3
PUTTING PERCENTAGE LIVING INTO ACTION
THE LEADERSHIP TEAM
Vital to the success of any program or educational process
is a Leadership Team that will pray, plan, and organize the
materials and information that will be used for presentation.
These people may be members of an already established
Stewardship Ministry Team, perhaps representatives from
the Boards of Elders and Trustees and selected members of
the congregation at large. It can also serve well to secure a
short-term service team for this specific series, a group of
committed folk to oversee this short-term process. The Joint Governing Board will select the chair
of this Team, working with that individual to secure others who have the skills, passion, and proven
commitment to individual and congregational growth. The Joint Governing Board will then offer
guidance, receive reports and updates, and work to support this Team to ensure success.
Members of the Percentage Living Leadership Team must be persons who understand the importance of
faith formation and who have shown their desire to grow as disciples, committed to the values, goals,
and mission of the church. They are people able to model well what will be asked of all members.
It is the task of the pastor, as the primary individual who will preach and teach, to offer both theological
and methodological leadership to all that will be presented to the congregation throughout this series.
I suggest the pastor also be an active member of this Leadership Team as biblical stewardship is among
the most important ministries of any congregation.
PUBLICITY AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Many congregations have tried to “camouflage” a stewardship
ANNOUNCE
series, planning one but not letting people in the pews know
it is coming.They believe that if people know that stewardship
is the theme for a single Sunday or series of Sundays, they will
not attend. To be honest, this is not the case if the process is
INVITE
publicized and announced well. As members read and listen
about the Percentage Living stewardship series for a few weeks
prior to the start, they will understand that this is not just a
way to get into their wallet or checkbook. Percentage Living
ENCOURAGE
is an opportunity to grow as believers in Jesus Christ and
members of his Church. They will feel invited to engage in a
process of mature learning that will allow them to make better personal decisions. They will welcome
the chance to take individual steps of faith formation, knowing that through Percentage Living they will
be blessed and together will develop a more healthy, vital, and vibrant church.
Four to six weeks before the first Sunday of this series, the Leadership Team should have fully planned
the details of the series to be presented. The pastor will have decided upon biblical passages to be used
as the textual focus for worship planning. The pastor will have shared these and other guiding thoughts
with other worship leaders, such as musicians and those leading the children’s message, who will also
need to plan well in advance.
4
Through brief newsletter articles over two months, a brief letter
to the congregation written three weeks before the beginning
of the series, and special announcements made during services
of worship for each of three Sundays prior to the first Sunday of the
series, every member will be invited to attend and prepare to make a
covenant promise—a decision to consider Percentage Living in each of
five very important aspects of the Christian faith.
THE GOAL
IS TO HAVE
AS MANY MEMBERS
AS POSSIBLE
BE PRESENT
FOR EACH OF THESE
SUNDAY SERVICES
It will also be important for the Leadership Team to decide
how best to communicate and invite those members
(generally) less active in the worship life of the congregation.
Communication with these people needs to be targeted and
intentional. Leaders may choose to include others in these
efforts, reaching out in ways that will prove most effective.
I would suggest not sending less active members a letter. A
phone call or brief visit can be perfect, followed up with a
card of thanks and invitation to be present at the series. The
goal is to have as many members as possible be present for
each of these Sunday services, a chance for all to receive great
instruction, prayerfully consider the opportunities before
them, and make a faith promise regarding Percentage Living in
ways God is inviting.
CREATIVITY
Each church has members and other interested people who have specific artistic gifts and talents.
“Percentage Giving” invites these to be used as the series is promoted, developed, and presented. The
Leadership Team has the opportunity of asking people young and old to create engaging presentations
that will accentuate the themes for each Sunday. This may include colorful and eye-catching theme
posters for display; logos for newsletter, letter, and Percentage Living Response Card; special music; and
brief skits to bring a smile to the congregation and deeper meaning to the topic. An incredible number
of free resources for creative use are available on the worldwide Web at such sites at YouTube. Do a
web search regarding each point of this series.You will be amazed at what will surface that can be used,
adapted, purchased, or borrowed with permission.
5
THE GENERAL OUTLINE FOR EACH WEEK OF THE SERIES
The theme for each Sunday will developed in the following four ways.
A lay person secured by the Leadership Team will offer a
three-to-five-minute personal witness about the theme
as part of the worship service. It is not a time to preach
and challenge people to do more. It is not a time to have
anyone feel guilty for what they do or do not do. It is a
time to share a personal story, to touch the hearts, and to
share what is meaningful to the one giving the witness.Those
listening will be inspired to consider the same for themselves,
growing in their understanding and practice of that aspect of
Percentage Living.
The pastor will present a sermon on the theme for the day.
This will not be a personal testimony, although the pastor
may share a personal story about what that aspect of Percentage
Living means to him or her. This will be a time to preach
the biblical text, allow it to come alive with new meaning,
and help listeners consider how to apply this to their lives.
Preaching is a skill that every Pastor takes seriously, thus this
material will not offer a specific sermon to be preached.
Rather, in the next sections of this process you will find
an outline of a suggested biblical passage for teaching and
preaching, a sample of exegetical content and its development.
(Additional biblical texts may be found in Appendix A.)
A member of the Leadership Team will invite all in attendance
to consider this point of Percentage Living during the week,
to allow God to encourage each individual to practice more fully
this faith discipline. In addition, that member of the Leadership
Team will tell those in attendance that on the final Sunday
of this series, each person in attendance will be invited to
complete a “My Personal Commitment to Percentage Living
Response Card.”
A brief letter may be mailed or e-mailed to all members on
the Monday following worship, offering a brief review of
what took place that day. It will be a reminder to some and
an invitation for others.
… A TIME TO SHARE A PERSONAL STORY
AND TO TOUCH THE HEART…
6
THE SPECIFICS FOR EACH SUNDAY OF THE SERIES
SUNDAY ONE:
GIVING GOD A PERCENTAGE OF MY DAY: DEVOTIONAL PRAYER
Worship today will be designed and planned to convey the biblical understanding of giving to God a
specific portion of my day through devotional prayer. Devotional prayer means to be present before
God each day, to use some means to be quiet and still, to speak and listen, to feel and understand. This
may include praise, thanksgiving, petition, and confession; the use of music; journaling.This time should
include reading biblical passages.
Devotional prayer is very personal, but it is always to be practiced with discipline. Devotional prayer is
an active expression of one’s desire to commune with God, daily to come before God, to be given words
and thoughts to reflect on throughout the day. This is part of one’s desire to grow in faith, to offer to
God a portion of the day, that God may give what will serve as a point of focus and blessing. Devotional
prayer is a practice essential for the spiritual health of each believer and the Church.
It will be vital for the Pastor to present a few ways through which a
person may begin to grow in the practice of daily devotional prayer. One
devotional tool that the Moravian Church offers is the Moravian Daily
Texts, published annually by the Interprovincial Board of Communication
of the Moravian Church in North America. Every congregation has a
great opportunity to teach how this book can be used for daily devotions
and, as a part of this series, to invite members to purchase this book for
daily use. Perhaps your church could aim at increasing the purchase and
regular use of the Moravian Daily Texts by 10 percent in each of the next
five years. This devotional was an outgrowth of the spiritual renewal of
1727 noted earlier. The book also suggests daily themes for prayer: the
church at worship, the church at work, home and school, those in need,
our nation and world, our own church fellowship, and our personal witness
as Christians.
Loving Hearts United—a Moravian Guide for Family Living, also published
by the Interprovincial Board of Communication, is a family devotional tool.
This publication is built around six formational elements of a family’s day:
greeting the day, mealtime, gathering, serving, on the road, and closing the
day. Each week outlined in this excellent resource includes these elements
and age-appropriate liturgies, special seasonal celebrations, and activities,
with a CD of recorded music for children young and old.
Of course, there are many other devotional materials that can be used to
guide daily devotional prayer.The goal is to have people not only hear about
and know about these tools, but be taught how to use them and the benefit of
having daily quiet time with God. This is Percentage Living, giving to God a
portion of my day.
A healthy congregation is fully engaged in the lifelong process of forming disciples in Christian faith
so that people of all ages know the biblical story, understand God’s invitation to discipleship, and have
multiple opportunities to respond to God’s call to daily living as disciples of Jesus.
7
FOR PREACHING AND TEACHING: PSALM 46:10,
“BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.”
The command in this psalm to be still comes from the Hebrew word
rapha, which means to let go, release, and give up. To do that, you
must be willing to value solitude and have a personal and quiet time
with God. Turn off your IPod, radio, TV, pager, and cell phone. The
sign of a well-ordered mind and life is the ability to sit quietly in one
place and linger in the company of yourself and God.
GOD
SPEAKS
EVERY DAY!
WHAT IS THE
QUALITY
OF YOUR
ANTENNA?
Jesus stated, as recorded in John 10:27, “My sheep (followers) hear my voice.”
How good it is to place ourselves in a place and a time each day to “hear” the
very whisper of God. God puts thoughts into our minds. God invites us to hear
and respond to these “promptings.” God invites us to live closer to the center of
life than the ragged edge. Spending time with God each day allows us to know
that God is at the center of our lives and that we are living at the center of life
with God. As I heard one person say at a conference I attended, “God speaks
every day! What is the quality of your antenna?”
To spend time with God each day allows us to know, taste, and feel that we are treasured children of the
most high God. Devotional prayer allows us to … listen, speak, forgive, accept the gift of forgiveness,
take a risk, apologize, make the tough decision, get help, slow down, stop running, feed the soul, show
our heart, ask, accept, speak the truth, love, care, reach out.The list of possibilities for that day is limitless,
but most importantly, to practice devotional prayer allows us to be … just be with God and ourselves.
8
SUNDAY TWO:
GIVING GOD A PERCENTAGE OF MY SABBATH:
WORSHIP AND LEARNING
Worship today will be designed and planned to develop
the biblical understanding of giving to God a percentage
of my Sabbath through participation in worship and
some form of group learning during the week.
Sabbath includes worship within the household of the
faithful to celebrate one’s faith with others, participating
in the act of praising God through song, prayer, liturgy,
fellowship, and proclamation.Worship is the single most
important corporate activity of the local church. To
worship is to take time to rest and reflect, actively to
pull away, much as one does each day for devotional
prayer—and to take very intentional time to be in the
presence of God within the church setting and with the
people of the church.
The anonymous author of Hebrews writes in 10:24, “And let us consider how to provoke one another
to love and do good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging
one another, and all the more to see the Day approaching.” People may relax as they walk in the woods,
take a stroll with their dog, swing in the hammock, or tee off on the first hole. People may be so busy
that Sunday is the only day left to cut the grass, wash the clothes, purchase what is needed at the store,
and be with the spouse and kids. Such activities are each important. But it is also essential for believers,
those who have said yes to God as Lord of their lives, to remember the value of meeting together. To
forget this can become a habit, a habit hard to break.
The most vibrant and healthy people and churches worship
God with joy and vitality, offering praise and thanksgiving to God
through Word and Sacrament.
Sabbath also includes listening to, reading, studying, and discussing
the Scripture in ways that will offer challenge to live life in
accordance with that Word of God.Yes, Sabbath means study. This
may take place on any day of the week; it does not need to take
place only on a Sunday. Bible study groups may be held during
the week before work, at the end of a day, during a lunch hour,
during a Sunday school class, as part of a Saturday morning
fellowship gathering.
WORSHIP
IS THE
SINGLE
MOST IMPORTANT
CORPORATE ACTIVITY
OF THE
LOCAL CHURCH
In a healthy and vibrant congregation, the people of God participate in worship, using a variety of
liturgical and musical expressions of style. The people of God participate in learning, weekly gathering
around a table to engage in the Word, digging into the texts and gaining a better understanding of its
application in their daily lives.
9
FOR PREACHING AND TEACHING: PSALM 99:5,
“EXALT THE LORD OUR GOD AND WORSHIP.”
It is good that we never lose our sense of wonder. If we did, we would
also lose our desire and motivation to worship and learn. God is allpowerful. God is ever-present,
God fashioned all of creation. God formed each drop of salty water
in the ocean deep and the tear running down the human cheek. God
crafted each ray of light from bright burning sun and candle soft. God
intended the gentle touch of an afternoon’s warm breeze and child’s
tender hand.
To worship and learn of God’s Word allows us to know that God is
with us, always, thus the psalmist encourages us to, “Exalt the Lord our
God and Worship.”
The Psalmist seems to understand how easy it is to be cynical, how easy it is to doubt and no longer
marvel at the goodness of God.Yet the author seems to also understand that each person aches for God
and a relationship with God. Because each person is made in the image of God, to worship and to learn
is part of our hard wiring. We can turn away from God and choose not to have any sense of awe; but
when it comes right down to it, awe, wonder, and worship are part of who we are. As we need air, water,
and food to live, we also benefit as the heart, mind, and soul are fed. We benefit as we live the Sabbath,
embracing all that God’s love has in store for us through Christ and his Church. We live better from
Sabbath day to Sabbath day as we come before the Lord for a significant and intentional block of time
each week.
THE
BIBLE
IS ALIVE,
IT SPEAKS TO ME;
IT HAS FEET,
IT RUNS AFTER ME;
IT HAS HANDS,
IT LAYS HOLD OF ME.
10
Without worship and study, our perception of God is incomplete,
and we plod through life with blinders on. We become selfreliant, proud, even stubborn. How we look at life changes,
and not for the better. Rather than allow ourselves to use the
Scripture as the primary lens through which to decide what
to think, do, and say, we allow others to serve in that role. We
easily become influenced by the “loud” voices all around us …
columnists, pundits, advertisers, and many who would invite us
to embrace their understanding of truth.To find truth, real truth
to live, means that we put ourselves in places to worship, study,
learn, and become all that God has in mind.
Martin Luther said, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has
feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.” We are
changed as we worship during a service fully based upon the
Word of God.We are further changed as we read and discuss that
Word.The answers to the big questions of life are to be found in
worship and the intentional study of the Bible.
SUNDAY THREE:
GIVING GOD A PERCENTAGE OF MY TIME:
SERVING, WITNESSING, INVITING
Worship today will be designed and planned around the
invitation for people of faith to embrace the unique spiritual
gifts that God has entrusted to each of us. Each of us has
talents and abilities to be used to bless our own life, to bless
lives of others, and to bless the ministry of the Church. To
bless means to bring joy and to strengthen.Worship will help
people realize that each of us is called upon to consider these
abilities, discover these abilities, and use these abilities, each
intended to be a blessing.
Volunteering and serving are best done when they are consistent with one’s interests and abilities.There
are many “grunt” jobs that people can do, but to align a task with a proven ability adds joy, satisfaction,
and a deeper feeling of accomplishment to that effort.
A healthy congregation serves God’s people both within and beyond the congregation.These ministries
include everything from serving those in need to spreading the Good News, beginning with the
neighborhood where the congregation is located and moving outward to those around the world.
Healthy congregations recognize that both spiritual formation and mission service are essential to
faithful discipleship.
Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision, once prayed, “Let my heart be broken
by the things that break the heart of God.” Richard Stearns, president of World
Vision in the United States, later wrote, “But who really wants his heart broken?
Is this something to ask of God? Jesus’ heart was continually moved to compassion
as He encountered the lame, the sick, the widow, and the orphan. I try to picture
God’s heart broken as He looks today upon the broken world for which He died”
(The Hole in Our Gospel [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009], p. 9).
Teresa of Avila said, “Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours.Yours
are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion for the world is to look out; yours are the feet with
which He is to go about doing good; and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.”
The 2006 Synod of the Moravian Church, Northern Province unanimously
said yes to supporting the Millennium Development Goals developed by
the United Nations in 2000:
Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger;
Achieve universal primary education;
Promote gender equality and empower women;
Reduce child mortality; improve maternal health;
Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases;
Ensure environmental stability;
Develop a global partnership for development.
…And to halve absolute global poverty by 2015
11
What will it take to achieve these goals? What will it take to create stability
in city neighborhoods, a renewed passion for learning in public schools, and
housing for the homeless on cold winter nights? What will it take to help those
near and far who have needs that often go unnoticed … of food, hospitality, a
visit, and a caring smile?
It would take service in the name of Jesus, each person of faith extending to
others what they have … the gifts of time and talent. It would mean taking up
the towel of service, reaching out to others with the gospel that has touched, can
touch, and will touch lives … blessing as we serve, volunteer, witness, and invite.
Advocacy is an extension of the call to service and acts of charity. Bill Clinton,
former president of the United States, has written Giving—How Each of Us Can
Change the World (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2007). Throughout the book he
urges advocacy, compassionate response to the needs of many fellow citizens of
our world. Beyond giving of money, time, things, and skills, he refers to groups
and agencies that advocate for those whose voices are often kept silent, those who
have few speaking for them, those who live each day in ways we rarely see and can
hardly believe.
Referring to the Fourth United Nations Conference on Women that met in Beijing, China, Clinton
writes, “Hillary [Clinton] and Secretary of State Madeline Albright established the ‘Vital Voices of
Democracy Initiative’ to promote the advancement of women’s rights as an explicit goal of United
States foreign policy . . . and formed a new non-governmental organization (NGO), ‘Vital Voices Global
Partnership’ and aligned with other women around the world who began their chapters” (pp. 93-94).Vital
Voices has led to Irish Catholics in the United States helping to create greater economic opportunity
for Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland. It has helped Rwandans create reconciliation villages
in which Hutus and Tutsis live side by side, tribes that in 1994 experienced the slaughter of some
800,000 Tutsis and their Hutu sympathizers in ninety days. It has helped to change the way people live
with one another around the globe . . . Greeks and Turks, Serbs and Croats, Jews and Arabs, “all active in
efforts to give troubled places new beginnings” (p.96).
There are many examples of groups and agencies that work
on behalf of those for whom God certainly does weep. To SUCH IS STEWARDSHIP,
combat the hurts that people experience both near and far, LIVING AS CHRIST LIVED.
Christ’s followers have opportunities to be what Christ calls
us to be. We can be and need to be those through whom Christ today has eyes to see, ears to hear, feet
to approach, hands to touch, hearts to feel, and souls drawn to respond. To take up the towel of service
means more than we may fully understand or have yet experienced. It may mean that as servants we
will also advocate, work toward reconciliation, and invite people toward a new way of living that is
consistent with all that Christ came to model. Such is stewardship, living as Christ lived. The call to
live as such goes beyond a cast of twelve. It goes to all people of faith—men and women, talented and
untalented, graceful and klutzy, rich and poor, wise and silly, broken-hearted and joyful, quiet and shy.
It goes to us.
12
FOR PREACHING AND TEACHING: MATTHEW 25:31-40,
“YOU DID IT UNTO ME”
This is one of the most vivid parables Jesus ever told. The lesson
is clear. God will judge us in accord with our reaction and
response to human need and suffering. In other words, we will
be judged on how well we serve, witness, and invite. Judgment is
not related to how much we have or what we have accomplished.
It has little to do with baking cookies for the PTA or serving as
treasurer for the Boy Scout troop, as good and as important as
these activities are. It has everything to do with serving those for
whom God weeps.
It is helping in simple things, like feeding one who is hungry, giving a drink to one who is thirsty,
welcoming a stranger, and visiting one who is sick. It is giving help to those around us, those we meet
each day, or those we learn of each day. It can mean bending the knee and extending the towel. It can
mean providing financial resources to help another extend the towel. It means helping as help is needed.
Service in Jesus’ name must mean helping in a way that is uncalculating and has nothing to do with
what will be returned. It has nothing to do with the cost. It is done just because it needs to be done …
serving solely for sake of helping.
Serving, giving witness, and inviting are vital for the spiritual health of the believer and congregation.
There are countless ways to serve within the church itself and the community. The wonderful thing
about this parable is that Jesus makes it very clear that as we serve another, we also serve Jesus. We do so
as we serve a man or woman, boy or girl, each made in the image of God. As we serve, give witness, and
invite, we become the hands, feet, voice, and touch of Jesus.
For some ideas of creative acts of generosity for missional service and advocacy, see Appendix D.
13
SUNDAY FOUR:
GLORIFY GOD IN WHAT I EARN:
PERCENTAGE SAVING AND SPENDING
The first three weeks of this series have been very important
as it comes to giving God specific and vital parts of our lives.
But we all know that no stewardship series worth its salt
avoids talk of money. It is an important part of the Christian
life, perhaps more difficult to “live” than any other aspect of
Percentage Living.
I recently listened to a sermon about financial stewardship.
As the pastor concluded his message, he paused, looked at
the people in the congregation, and said, “You know, I think
it would have been far easier for me to talk to you about
prayer, worship, and service. After all, we know we are to pray,
worship, and serve, but when it comes to money, well, we
tend to think, ‘I want you to talk about prayer, worship, and
service. As for money, leave it alone!’”
We can’t leave it alone, nor should we.The use of money is a core discipline of faith formation.We must
learn, understand, and decide how to use money in God-honoring ways.
Take a moment and complete the “Personal Financial Assessment.” (Appendix B)
For most Christians, the biblical use of money is a challenge, a part of life that we would prefer God
knew little about, or that God gave little advice about. The biblical material shows that God has lots
to say.
In his book A Christian View of Money—Celebrating God’s Generosity (Scottdale, PA: Herald Press,
1997), Mark Vincent wrote the following: “Money has god-like power. I think about it a lot. How and
when I might get more of it. What I will do with it once I get it. How much of it I want to share. How
much I want to keep for myself. Money consumes my waking moments and shows up in my dreams”
(p. 9).
Money is a very important part of our faith, part of what we need to “live” well. It is critical that everyone
within the church be given every possible encouragement and tool to live as an increasingly committed
follower and disciple of Jesus. That includes how we use money, part of Percentage Living. God’s grace is
the foundation. God’s abundance is the context. God’s economy encourages the discipline.
Many churches at one time or another have conducted a financial stewardship series, but usually this
has been at a moment of need or to get over a financial hump. Rarely have congregations been taught
financial stewardship each year, with the goal of helping people of faith “live” money better.
It will be a blessing to the people of God and his church when we teach about money well. Why?
Researcher and author Reggie McNeal has discovered that eight out of ten North Americans spend
more than they earn. Nine out of ten have no consistent savings plan. Eighty percent owe more than
they own. Seven out of ten people will live and die in debt. About 60 percent of failed marriages cite
money as a root problem, and many bankruptcies cite credit-card abuse as a root cause. The average
church member contributes a bit more than 2 percent of after-tax income to benevolent causes.
14
One third of all churches are severely underfunded. Our culture desperately needs to learn how to use
money wisely. What an opportunity for the church of Jesus Christ to teach!
Stewardship is recognizing that all we have is a gift from God, belongs to God, and is to be used with
compassion, wisdom, understanding, and obedience—to be a blessing to us, to bless others, and to
strengthen the mission and ministry of the Church.
With what you earn from the labor of your mind and hands, remember the principle of Percentage
Living. If one were to list how money should be used after it is earned, the order would be to give, save,
then spend. In fact, there is a “how to handle money formula” that can be well substantiated in Scripture.
The perfect “biblical recipe” for sufficiency and the use of money is “10-10-80.”
Give 10 percent of what is earned as a thank offering to the Lord to support the work of the local
church and to bless those in need. Much more about this discipline of Percentage Living will be detailed
in Sunday Five. Save 10 percent of what is earned for future need and goals, short-term needs, and longterm dreams. Save for the expected and unexpected, the hopes and future plans. Spend 80 percent on
one’s regular financial needs and obligations.
Examples for short-term saving include anticipated gifts, recreation (including dates and vacations),
unreimbursed medical bills, car repairs, pet costs, clothing purchases, and home repairs. Short-term
savings should be in a savings account that is easily accessible. In brief, short-term savings is for those
items that you know you will need to pay for in twelve months or less.
Examples of long-term savings include the down payment
on a home, auto purchase, college, and retirement. Long-term
savings may be in accounts that will generally bring a larger
return on that investment over a longer period of time, such
as mutual funds, money market, IRA, 401(k), 403(b), and
certificate of deposit. In brief, long-term savings are for those
items that you know you will need at a future date, no less
than twelve months from now and probably further in the
future. Of course, for both short-term and long-term savings,
it is good to secure the counsel of a skilled and certified
financial advisor.
Spending includes the many obligations that require regular
payment, generally monthly.These include rent, mortgage, car
payments, utilities, food, phone, cable, insurances, gasoline, etc.
The point is to spend less than one earns. A personal spending
plan is well worth creating, a listing of projected income and
how that money will be distributed. The use of a tool such as
the Good $ense Budget Course—Biblical Financial Principles
for Transforming Your Finances and Life, by Dick Towner and
John Tofilon (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishers, 2002) is
an excellent curriculum to offer every year with a goal that
more and more people over time will take this six-hour class,
learning how to use money through Percentage Living.
See Appendix C: Budget and Spending Plan Suggestions to further consider what such a plan means for you.
15
FOR PREACHING AND TEACHING: EPHESIANS 5:15,
“LIVE PURPOSEFULLY.” (AMPLIFIED BIBLE)
It is easy to be swayed by what others say about work and how we are to use the money we earn.
Perhaps the thing to keep in mind about living with real purpose in life is to consider the words of Mark
Twain:“The secret of success is to make your vocation your vacation.” This is the key to being happy in
the work you choose. Of course, you may do lots of jobs before you get to that “one.” Over my life I
have pumped gasoline, sold women’s shoes, cut grass, carried golf bags, sold ice cream, been a life guard,
and loaded trucks. None of those jobs, for me, lasted more than a season, but they were what I did to
earn money and to prepare for my “passion.” Even then, I hope I did each job as a representative of God,
serving in each capacity to the best of my ability.
God’s Word seems to condemn complacency, indifference, and lack of effort when it comes to work of
any kind. Whether it is a volunteer role or a paid position, our goal is to live that job with purpose. A
worker is to be worthy of his or her hire.The amount earned is not the issue. How we work and earn is.
When it comes to what we do with the money that is earned, it is good to base those decisions on
Scripture. As it comes to saving a percentage, remember what is written in Proverbs 21:20: “Precious
treasure remains in the house of the wise, but the fool devours it.” When it comes to spending what we
earn, remember the words of the Lord found in Luke 12:15: “Take care! Be on your guard against all
kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”
16
SUNDAY FIVE:
GIVING GOD A PERCENTAGE OF MY INCOME:
GENEROSITY
In the previous section I suggested saving with a goal of
10 percent for short-term obligations and long-term goals. I
suggested spending less than you earn, a goal of 80 percent
for monthly consumer needs and obligations. That leaves
another 10 percent. Where does that go?
A biblical understanding of Percentage Living is the goal of this
series. That includes the spiritual disciplines of giving and
generosity. A phrase regarding generosity that often appears
in the Bible is “first fruits” giving. Now what does that mean?
Early Semitic peoples held that, inasmuch as God is the creator of all living things, all belonged to God
… vegetable, animal, and human. Therefore, each is “holy.” The idea is that one’s sacrifice to God, the
giving back to God, required a portion of what God created and gave people to use, the best portion.
This giving of the best and first was further defined as the giving of the first tenth of these fruits. That
tenth is also known as the “tithe” (another form of the word “tenth”). The tithe was instituted by God
as a means to give of one’s produce and income for the support of the priesthood and purposes related
to that religious organization. Compassion for the poor and destitute is closely connected with what
believers do in response to their faith and in connection to the religious community. In its early days,
the church was often also the “storehouse” for what would be made available to the poor and needy.
EACH
OF YOU
MUST
Even though there are discrepancies about the exact meaning of tithe, it is
consistently connected with giving to God a portion or percentage of what
God has first given. All comes from God. Such contributions are expressions
of devotion to God, a means to support the work of the church, and ways to
create pools of sufficiency for all.
AS YOU HAVE
Paul writes, “We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of
God … in order that there may be a fair balance. As it is written,‘The one who
had much did not have too much, that the one who had little did not have too
little.’” (2 Corinthians 8:1, 14-15).
YOUR MIND.
Paul further writes, “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind,
not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God
is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always
having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work”
(2 Corinthians 9:7-8).
GIVE
MADE
UP
The message is clear throughout the Bible that God is Creator and Giver. God gives that we may give.
Through the Church, people come to know God, worship God, commit their lives to God, serve God,
and help God to be known. The success in all of this has to do with faithful biblical stewardship.
Percentage giving, with the goal of 10 percent of one’s income, is not a form of legalism. It is a faith
commitment that God “commands” and makes possible. By giving a percentage of income, with the
goal of 10 percent, we create pools of sufficiency. We provide for the practical financial ministry needs
of the church and for the needs of the poor and suffering.
17
Is my entire financial gift to be contributed to the local congregation?
This is a common question. My wife and I contribute a tithe of our
income, but a portion goes to the local church and a portion goes to
other agencies that care for the needs of the poor and suffering. So,
in my understanding of “storehouse,” it is OK to give a percentage
of your tithe to your local church and a percentage to other faithbased helping agencies.
Also, for anyone who is just beginning or even considering percentage
giving, I recommend doing so after taxes and other contributions
to retirement savings plans are taken from your income. Budgeting
is a key aspect of biblical percentage giving. Most people make a
budget based upon net income, or income after taxes are taken
from the gross (full) income. Most people who are percentage
givers will continue to practice percentage giving when they retire,
so percentage giving will come from the anticipated income from retirement savings plans. Lastly,
if choosing to be a percentage giver with the goal of a tithe of income is easier “to wrap your head
around” after taxes and retirement contributions are taken from your pay, I celebrate that decision and
believe that God will bless that decision and all future decisions also. (Again refer to Appendix C. Note also
Appendix D)
A healthy congregation understands the reality that God has provided all it needs to fulfill, with
excellence, the ministries to which it has been called. The people of God respond generously to God’s
abundance with joy and thanksgiving, contributing with discipline a percentage of income with the
goal of the tithe.
18
FOR PREACHING AND TEACHING: 2 CORINTHIANS 9: 7-8,
“SHARE ABUNDANTLY.”
This practice of devotional prayer, complemented by regular worship and
Bible study, helps a person to discern the will of God for his or her life. As God
“whispers” to the human spirit, as God “prompts” the human soul, God will
guide each person to do and to be what God has in mind.
AS
GOD
PROMPTS
THE
HUMAN SOUL,
AS
GOD
WHISPERS
TO THE
HUMAN SPIRIT,
As Paul urges the Christians in Corinth to understand, God will be with
them as they embrace the freedom to make up their own minds. Response
to God is a personal activity. Paul knows that when it comes to giving of
one’s finances, this must not be done reluctantly or under any compulsion.
God literally loves, enjoys, smiles over, and celebrates a person who gives
with cheer and joy.
Much financial giving is spontaneous, selective, and sporadic. It comes when a
heart is tugged following a disaster. It comes when the church boiler fails and
major repairs are needed. It comes during the seasons of Christmas and Easter.
It comes when one takes the time to see and feel. It comes when one agrees
with what the cause and request are all about.
Financial giving is not often disciplined and scheduled. It is not often budgeted
or calculated. It is not often a regular percentage of income. Giving is generally
not regular but more driven by a knee-jerk reaction to a need or feeling
of obligation.
GOD
WILL
GUIDE
EACH PERSON
TO DO
AND
TO BE
WHAT GOD
HAS IN MIND
Paul uses one strong word: “must.”This does not give much leeway.What Paul writes is that each person
of faith must give as defined in 2 Corinthians 9:7-8. Paul implies that such giving must be a percentage
of income, disciplined and planned, regular and generous. Exactly how much is a matter of personal
discernment, but he goes on to write that God will make possible what should be possible. God will
make it possible for all to “share abundantly.” It may be two coins. It may be an amount never before
considered and even scary to think about. It begins with percentage giving.
Review the sample “Budget and Spending Plan.” (Appendix C)
A FINAL WORD FROM SCRIPTURE
“Live generously. Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do
for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! … Help and give without expecting a return.You’ll
never—I promise—never regret it. … Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.”
(Luke 6:30b, 31, 35, 38-The Message)
19
BE A FIVE-FOR-FIVE CONGREGATION
Present each of these five points of Percentage Living in such
a way as to engage members and others who attend your
congregation to consider these aspects of faith formation.
Invite each person of faith to take a step forward in ways that
God will make possible.
Help and encourage those who make decisions regarding the
five points of Percentage Living. Create regular opportunities
throughout the year to learn of and intentionally practice
these disciplines.
Lead and model Percentage Living, especially Pastor and Joint
Governing Boards, giving visible witness and testimony.
Expect all members and those who attend your congregation
during the days of this series to complete the “My Personal
Commitment to Percentage Living Response Card” on the
final Sunday of the series.The card is to be distributed before
the end of the service. Instruction is given to complete the
card, guiding them on how to check off each of the five
points taught over the five Sundays of the series. The card
is collected as part of a special offering and placed on the
communion table as an offering. Prayer is offered for
these people and their decisions toward Percentage Living.
See sample commitment card in Appendix G.
20
APPENDIX A: THE BIBLICAL FOUNDATION
Here are additional related passages from Scripture for each theme of this series.
DEVOTIONAL PRAYER
Matthew 6:9-13: “Give us this day our daily bread.”
Colossians 4:2: “Devote yourselves to prayer.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18: “Pray without ceasing.”
James 5:16: “The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.”
WORSHIP
2 Kings 17:36: “Bow yourselves to God, and to God you shall offer sacrifice.”
Psalm 66:4: “All the earth worships you; they sing praises to you.”
Matthew 2:11: “They knelt down and paid [Jesus] homage.”
Philippians 2:9-11: “At the name of Jesus every knee should bend…and every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
LEARN
Deuteronomy 6:6-9: “Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.”
Psalm 143: 8, 10: “Teach me the way I should go.”
Proverbs 22:6: “Train children in the right way.”
Matthew 5:1: “[Jesus] began to speak, and taught them.”
SERVE
Mark 10:43-45:“The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.”
John 12:26: “Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.”
John 13:12-17:“You also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
James 2:14-17: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but
do not have works?”
21
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
Romans 12:5-6: “We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.”
1 Corinthians 12: 4-7: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 14:1: “Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts.”
Ephesians 4:11-13: “The gifts God gave . . . for building up the body of Christ.”
EARN
Colossians 3:23: “Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord.”
Deuteronomy 8:18: “Remember the LORD your God, for it is God who gives you the
power to get wealth.”
Ecclesiastes 5:18-19: “Find enjoyment in toil—this is the gift from God.”
Ephesians 4:28: “Let them labor and work honestly with their hands.”
GIVE
James 1:17: “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above.”
2 Corinthians 8:13-14: “Their abundance may be for your need.”
1 Timothy 6:18: “Be generous, rich in good works, and ready to share.”
Genesis 1:26-27: “God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image.’”
SAVE AND SPEND
22
Luke 12:15: “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.”
Proverbs 22:7:“The borrower is the slave of the lender.”
Philippians 4:11-13: “I have learned to be content with whatever I have.”
Romans 13:8:“Owe no one anything, except to love one another.
APPENDIX B: PERSONAL FINANCIAL ASSESSMENT
1. Are you living on a budget?
2. Do you know within $1,000 how much debt you have?
3. Are you saving on a regular basis?
4. Do you balance your checkbook monthly?
5. Are you happy with your level of giving?
6. Do you pay off your credit cards balance each month?
7. Do you make all your loan payments on time?
8. Do you know how much cash you spend every week?
If you answered no to any of these questions, this is an area to work on using helpful tools and
biblical guides.
23
APPENDIX C: BUDGET AND SPENDING PLAN SUGGESTION
Giving
Obligations
18-20%
(Goal to reduce this
amount) Credit card
payments, other loan
payments.
Recreation
5-10%
(Goal to reach a tithe …
10% of after-tax income …
or more) Includes church
and other benevolent
agencies.
Saving
5-10%
Includes short-term needs
and long-term dreams.
4-6%
Includes outside
entertainment, dining,
vacations.
Transportation
9-12%
Includes car payments,
insurance, fuel, repairs,
licensing, parking.
Housing
Living Expenses
27-35%
Includes all items that need
to be regularly purchased
or replaced.
* Each category will need to be adjusted as the total cannot exceed 100%.
24
32-35% if you own
and 15-20% if you
rent. Includes mortgage,
rent, insurance, utilities,
repairs.
APPENDIX D: PERCENTAGE GIVING STEP CHART
Weekly
Income
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
$1000
$1100
$2000
$3000
Challenge
Giving
Discipleship
Giving
Growth
Giving
Entry Level
Giving
15%
12%
10%
9%
8%
7%
6%
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
30.00
24.00
20.00
18.00
16.00
14.00
12.00
10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
45.00
36.00
30.00
27.00
24.00
21.00
18.00
15.00
12.00
9.00
6.00
3.00
60.00
48.00
40.00
36.00
32.00
28.00
24.00
20.00
16.00
12.00
8.00
4.00
75.00
60.00
50.00
45.00
40.00
35.00
30.00
25.00
20.00
15.00
10.00
5.00
90.00
72.00
60.00
54.00
48.00
42.00
36.00
30.00
24.00
18.00
12.00
6.00
105.00
84.00
70.00
63.00
56.00
49.00
42.00
35.00
28.00
21.00
14.00
7.00
120.00
96.00
80.00
72.00
64.00
56.00
48.00
40.00
32.00
24.00
16.00
8.00
135.00 108.00
90.00
81.00
72.00
63.00
54.00
45.00
36.00
27.00
18.00
9.00
150.00 120.00 100.00
90.00
80.00
70.00
60.00
50.00
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
165.00 132.00 110.00
99.00
88.00
77.00
66.00
55.00
44.00
33.00
22.00
11.00
300.00 240.00 200.00 180.00 160.00 140.00 120.00 100.00
80.00
60.00
40.00
20.00
450.00 360.00 300.00 270.00 240.00 210.00 180.00 150.00 120.00
90.00
60.00
30.00
1. Find where YOU are on the chart (your weekly income/giving).
2. Take one step forward toward the next level of giving in the coming year.
25
APPENDIX E: CREATIVE ACTS OF GENEROSITY
FOR MISSIONAL SERVICE AND ADVOCACY
1. “Adopt-a-Block” to clean up a neighborhood.
2. Begin or support an “Angel Food Sponsorship.”
3. Write thank-you notes to those in public or military service.
4. Provide trees for planting.
5. Share Thanksgiving or Christmas Day at a shelter or soup kitchen.
6. Provide a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal in June or July.
7. Take a vacation at a Habitat for Humanity work site.
8. Be an adult volunteer at a summer youth camp.
9. Provide car repair for a single mom.
10. Hire someone out of work or in need of extra cash.
11. Make a stuffed animal for a pediatric unit or nursing home.
12. Bike or walk for a cause.
13. Volunteer to read or tutor in a neighborhood school.
14. Give clothing for specific weather needs.
15. Provide shelter to victims of natural disasters.
16. “Sell and Share” … your own or neighborhood yard sale for a cause.
17. Join an advocacy group to promote efforts of peace and justice.
18. Be involved in the public debate and solution regarding heath care.
19. Encourage and invite diversity of culture and race in your church.
20. Support efforts to increase the quantity of affordable housing in your area.
26
APPENDIX F: CHARACTERISTICS OF A HEALTHY CONGREGATION
CHARACTERISTICS OF A HEALTHY CONGREGATION
Moravian Church, Northern Province
The Triune God — Creator, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit — as revealed in the Holy Scripture of the Old
and New Testaments — is the core of who we are and why we are the church. Every aspect of a
healthy congregation is grounded in scripture and rooted in prayer. God’s Word informs how we live,
and prayer connects us with God and all God’s people. Healthy congregations frame their life together
in the Ground of Unity and the Moravian Covenant for Christian Living. Within this environment,
a healthy congregation exhibits these seven basic characteristics:
PURPOSE
A healthy congregation has a clear understanding of
its identity, purpose and vision as a Moravian
congregation. Members have a shared ownership
of how “who we are” and “what we do”
gives life and direction to every facet
of ministry in and around
the congregation.
SPIRITUAL
F O R M AT I O N
A healthy congregation is
fully engaged in the lifelong
process of forming disciples in
Christian faith so that people of all ages
know the Biblical story, understand God’s
invitation to discipleship and have
multiple opportunities to respond
to God’s call to daily living as a
Christian disciple. Healthy
congregations recognize that
both spiritual formation and
mission service are essential
to faithful discipleship.
WORSHIP
A healthy congregation gathers regularly
to worship God with joy and vitality,
offering praise and thanksgiving to God
through Word and Sacrament. The people
of God participate in worship, using a
variety of liturgical and musical
expressions and styles.
COMMUNITY
A healthy congregation
extends God’s welcome to
everyone as an expression of the
grace we have received through
Jesus Christ. It celebrates diversity
within the unity of faith by living the
Moravian Motto: “In Essentials Unity,
in Non-Essentials Liberty
and in all things Love.” We
offer hospitality to all, as
congregations and as partners
in our ecumenical witness.
S T E WA R D S H I P
A healthy congregation understands
the reality that God has provided all it
LEADERSHIP
needs to fulfill, with excellence, the
A healthy congregation
ministries to which it is called.
equips and empowers its
The people of God respond
leaders, both lay and clergy, to
generously to God’s abundance
further God’s mission through the
with joy and thanksgiving.
ministry of the congregation. Healthy
congregations support and encourage all
leaders as they learn and grow in their
ministries, and work toward partnership with
and accountability to God and to one another.
MISSION AND SERVICE
A healthy congregation serves God’s
people within and beyond the
congregation. These ministries include
everything from serving those in
need to spreading the Good
News, beginning within the
neighborhood where the
congregation is located and
moving outward to those
around the world.
27
MY
PERSONAL COMMITMENT
TO
PERCENTAGE LIVING RESPONSE CARD
I, (print name)_________________________ commit to Percentage Living in each area checked below,
realizing that this church and congregation will support me in these efforts through modeling, teaching, and
offering regular opportunities to help me grow in each faith discipline.
_____ Giving God a Percentage of My Day through Devotional Prayer
_____ I would like to order a copy of the Moravian Daily Texts
_____ Giving God a Percentage of My Sabbath
through Worship and Learning
_____ Giving God a Percentage of My Time and Abilities
through Service and Witness
_____ Glorifying God through Percentage Saving and Spending
_____ Giving God a Percentage of My Income
28
I estimate to contribute _______ each month to support
the financial demands of our congregational ministries.
_____ I tithe or will take a step toward tithing.