Managing the Gifts God Gives
What Scripture says about our time, our abilities and our money, and why Christians give.
Stewardship is how Christians care for everything God has given them. A steward is a manager, someone trusted with something that belongs to another. Scripture says that is exactly our place in the world. Our time, our abilities, our families, our homes and our money all belong to God. He has put them in our hands for a while.
Many people hear the word and think only of money. Money is part of it, and we say so plainly on this page. But Christian stewardship starts somewhere else. It starts with what God has already given us in Jesus Christ.
Visiting us? You are our guest. Nobody expects you to put anything in the offering plate. This page is written mainly for the members of Immanuel, who support this ministry together. You are welcome to read it, and you are welcome at worship any Sunday.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1 (ESV)
What Scripture teaches about stewardship
Everything belongs to God
“The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof.” (Psalm 24:1)
We do not own our lives or the things in them. We hold them on loan.
We are managers, not owners
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” (1 Peter 4:10)
God’s gifts are meant to be used for others.
We give because He gave first
“Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)
Giving answers a gift we already have.
The order of those three matters to Lutherans. We do not give to earn God’s favor or to pay Him back. We already have His favor, freely, because Jesus died and rose for us. Giving is a response to that gift, never a way to get it. That is why the Lutheran Church describes stewardship as the free and joyous activity of people who have been baptized into Christ.
God also calls every Christian to particular roles, which Lutherans call vocations: in the home, in the church, at work and in the community. In each one, Martin Luther said, we serve as “masks of God,” the hands through which He cares for our neighbors. Each of those callings makes a claim on our time and our resources. Stewardship ministry at Immanuel helps our members live those callings well.
Time, Talents and Treasure
Three ways to put the gifts God gives to work.
Time
Worship, prayer and time in God’s Word come first. So does time given to the people God has placed around you. Join us for Sunday worship and Bible class between the services.
Talents
Every member has abilities that can serve others here: teaching, music, cooking, fixing, welcoming. Tell us yours in the Time and Talent Survey. It takes about five minutes.
Treasure
Our offerings support weekly worship, Martin Luther School, youth ministry and mission work near and far.
How Christians have learned to give
Scripture does not hand Christians a price list. It does give a pattern, and three words describe it.
- First. Give from the top, before other spending, not from whatever is left over. Proverbs 3:9 calls this giving the “firstfruits.”
- In proportion. Give as God has blessed you, a share of what you receive (1 Corinthians 16:2). Many Christians use the tithe, one tenth, as a guide or a goal to grow toward.
- Cheerfully. Give freely, not out of guilt or pressure.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV)
Ways to give at Immanuel
- Online, every week. Through Givelify, you can set up a gift that comes out automatically each week. It keeps going when you travel or miss a Sunday.
- In worship. Place your offering or envelope in the plate during the service.
- By mail. Immanuel Lutheran Church, 2616 S Connecticut Ave, Joplin, MO 64804.
- Through your Missouri taxes. Missouri taxpayers can direct up to 50% of their state taxes into scholarships for children at Lutheran schools, including Martin Luther School, and receive a tax credit for the full amount. Here is how MOScholars works.
- In your will. Some members remember Immanuel or Martin Luther School in their estate plans. The church office can help you start that conversation, and the LCMS Foundation offers gift-planning help to members of our church body.
Faith in Action this fall
Simple Gifts devotions
“Simple Gifts” is a 22-part series of short devotions on stewardship from our national church body, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Topics include “Stewards of the gift of peace” and “Gifts for the generations to come.” Read them at home or with your family.
Questions about stewardship
Does stewardship only mean money?
No. Stewardship covers everything God has entrusted to us: our time, our abilities, our relationships, our bodies and our money. Money is part of it, but it is not the whole of it, and it is not where it starts.
I’m visiting. Am I expected to give?
No. You are our guest. When the offering plate comes by, simply pass it along. Nobody will notice or mind.
Does Immanuel require members to tithe?
No. Giving is never a condition of God’s grace or of belonging here. Many Christians use the tithe, one tenth, as a guide, and some grow toward it over time. What Scripture asks is that we give first, in proportion to what we receive, and cheerfully.
How do I set up weekly online giving?
Open our online giving page or the Givelify app and choose Immanuel Lutheran Church in Joplin. Enter your amount, then choose to make it a recurring weekly gift. If you would like help, call the church office during the week.
Can I give to Martin Luther School specifically?
Yes. In Givelify, choose Martin Luther School as the purpose of your gift. The school’s Support Our School page lists other ways to help.
Who leads stewardship ministry at Immanuel?
Immanuel’s Stewardship Board, a group of members elected by the congregation. They meet monthly and plan the teaching and events that help our members grow as stewards. To reach them, contact the church office.
Put Your Gifts to Work
Give online, or tell us how you would like to serve.
Learn More
- What We Believe
- Who Is Jesus?
- Mission Prayer and Vision Statement
- What to Expect on a Sunday
- Stewardship resources from the LCMS
Immanuel Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, 2616 S Connecticut Ave, Joplin, Missouri, and the home of Martin Luther School.