Stewardship is a lifestyle. It is "what we do after we say we believe." It is discipleship in action. We can say it a thousand ways, but every way we say it, stewardship boils down to our commitment to Jesus Christ.

Writing that commitment on a card also makes a difference. Wayne C. Barrett points out that in congregations that have some kind of estimate of giving (pledge), members who fill out a card, give twice as much as those who don't. In congregations where members estimate their giving based on a percentage of their income, they give three times as much as those who don't fill out a card. He points out that the phrase, "I'll give, but I won't commit" usually means, "I won't give much." There are exceptions of course. But those exceptions represent very few of our members.

Likewise, "I'll give, but I won't use an envelope" usually means "I won't give much." Yes, there are tithers who decline to give by envelop because they don't want a record, but they too are the exception. Add up the loose offering your church receives in a year. If you have called up our ELCA web page at www.elca.org, check to see if all the loose offering you receive in a year equals one tithe from your primary zip code.

But There's Another and Better Reason
Growing in our giving helps us grow spiritually. The primary goal of doing a stewardship program is to help members grow spiritually. Even if there were no need to grow financially, growing in one's giving is a vehicle that helps members grow spiritually.

Growing in grace and knowledge of the truth is a goal for all Christians. We accomplish that in a number of ways.