Jesus Reigns Ministries
The Church that cares for you!
Jesus Reigns Ministries
811 Julio Nakpil, Corner P.H. Lim St, Malate Manila
The Church that Cares for You
Discipling the Next Generation (DnG)
New Believer’s Lesson
Six Steps to Christian Growth
Welcome to the Family of God!
Congratulations! If you are holding this small booklet in your
hands that means that you have taken a significant step
towards your continuous spiritual growth. You need to know
that your Heavenly Father is pleased by your faith!
At the first phase of your Discipleship journey, we are glad to
guide you in the “Discipling the Next Generation” (DnG)
discipleship process. The purpose of this initial lesson is to guide
you through phase one so that you will successfully move to
much helpful and exciting one.
Please feel free to contact or see any of our disciple-maker in
your respective discipleship group(DG) if you have any
questions or concerns about your new Christian and
discipleship experiences, but, more importantly I want to
encourage you of Christ’s promise to you as God’s child:
“Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
God bless you!
Bishop Vincent A. Javier
Jesus Reigns Ministries, Head Minister
New Believers Lesson: Six Steps to Christian Growth
1. Your New Life in Christ and Assurance of Salvation
2. The Word and Obedience
3. Spiritual Growth through Prayer
4. I Witness
5. Enjoying Fellowship in the Family of God
6. Christian Stewardship
Welcome to the New Believers Lesson!
These Biblical lessons have been designed for you, who have received a new
life in Christ to help you in the first steps of Christian life.
Lesson One
Your New Life in Christ and Assurance of Salvation
Your Five Immediate Benefits!
Congratulations, you have experience the love of God as you accepted Jesus
Christ to be the Lord of your life! Now, this is the wonderful things you will
experience after you have entrusted your life to God. It is important that
you begin to grow in your relationship with God! He is waiting for you to get
to know Him better!
A. There are Five wonderful things happen when you first become a
Christian: Your sins are forgiven. You got saved. You receive eternal life.
You become a child of God. You are a New Creation.
1. Your sins are forgiven.
Colossians 2:13 tells us, “You were dead because of your sins and because
your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with
Christ, for he forgave all our sins” (NLT).
How many of your sins are forgiven?
A:___________________________________________________
Is there anything about this concept of forgiveness of sins that is hard for
you to accept or understand?
A:___________________________________________________
Our sin does not need to haunt us …God has forgiven us.
1 John 1:9 instructs us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will
forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (NIV).
If you do sin, what should you do? Feel guilty? No, your sins have been
forgiven! However, the verse in 1 John tells us that we must confess our sins
to God. You must agree with God that you have sinned, and thank Him that
because of Jesus’ death on the cross, you are forgiven!
In today’s world, many people do not want to talk about sin. It makes them
feel uncomfortable, or sad, or angry, or guilty. But God wants us to confess
it to Him, and simply let Him have it! Our sin does not need to haunt us
…God has forgiven us. Confess your sin and let it go!
2. You are Saved.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
(Ephesians 2:8-9)
You can accept the gift of salvation by having faith. The prayer of
repentance should be made with faith. If we believe that Christ is the
Savior, and that He cleans us of all sin.
According to verse 8, can you earn your salvation?
A:__________________________________________
What is required of you?
B:____________________________________________
Faith is believing in God and putting all of our trust in Christ. Salvation
cannot be earned by our achievements or by doing good things (Ephesians
2:8, 9). God gives eternal life to everyone who invites Christ into his or her
heart and follows him by becoming His disciple.
3. You receive eternal life.
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”
And 1 John 5:11-13 tells us, “And this is the testimony: God has given us
eternal life, and this life is in his Son! Whoever has the Son has life; whoever
does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you
who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you
have eternal life” (NIV).
What do these verses teach you about eternal life?
A:___________________________________________________
Jesus actually comes into our lives and takes up permanent residence.
Eternal life … a life with God forever until eternity! Imagine, spending time
with God forever! How do we know this? The Bible is very clear!
4. You become a child of God.
John 1:12 says, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his
name, he gave the right to become children of God” (NIV).
What is our part?
A:___________________________________________________
What is God's part?
A:___________________________________________________
God created us to be one of His children - what an amazing privilege! God’s
desire is to fill us with the love of perfect Father. He knows us intimately
and has marvelous plans for us.
What does it mean to you to know that you are God’s child?
A:___________________________________________________
5. You are a New Creation.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has
gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself
through Christ” (NIV). (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Christ has given you a new life! Now…
What happened to “the old things”?
A:_____________________________________________
What do you think this verse says about old things?
A:_________________________________
The new creation is described in 2 Corinthians 5:17 The word “therefore”
refers us back to verses 14-16 where Paul tells us that all believers have died
with Christ and no longer live for themselves. Our lives are no longer
worldly; they are now spiritual. Our “death” is that of the old sin nature
which was nailed to the cross with Christ. It was buried with Him, and just as
He was raised up by the Father, so are we raised up to “walk in newness of
life” (Romans 6:4). That new person that was raised up is what Paul refers to
in 2 Corinthians 5:17 as the “new creation.”
Being a Christian means you have a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is not a
“religious system” or a list of rules, or an inventory of do’s and don’ts. It is a
living faith in a living person, God himself.
What excites you most about your new life in Christ?
A:___________________________________________________
B. Your Assurance of Salvation
God does not want us to live in doubt with regard to our eternal destiny. He
wants us to live with peace, joy and the assurance of eternal life. If you
believe in Jesus Christ, you can be certain that you have eternal life. To
believe in Jesus Christ is not just an intellectual exercise but rather an act of
total dependence upon Him to save you.
How can I know for sure that I’m saved?
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of
God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name
of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John
5:11-13)
You’ll simply have to believe what God has said about salvation.
Now you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you. The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. (Romans 8:16)
Your New Belonging:
1. Gone away from the kingdom of darkness.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s
special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you
out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)
2. Not of the world, but in God.
We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who
was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. We
know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the
control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has
given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are
in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and
eternal life. (1 John 5:18-20)
3. No longer a friend of the devil.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
4. Transported into the Kingdom of God
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special
possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of
darkness into his wonderful light. ( 1 Peter 2:9)
5. Resident of Heaven
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things
above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on
things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:1-2)
When we accept Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, we will experience an
abundant and victorious life on earth, and then eternal life continuing in
Heaven. You had been an heir of the Lord Jesus Christ. And Christ is the only
one who can bring us to God.
Lesson Two
The Word and Obedience
“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on
every word that comes from the mouth of God’ ” (Matthew 4:4).
Why eating of bread is not enough? Is there anything more important than
food?
A:____________________________________________________
When the Lord saved you, he made you a new creature so that you can
grow in a new life with God. No one can grow if they are not properly fed.
All people need food to grow naturally. The Word is the daily food for every
Christian. This lesson is intended to give you a basic knowledge of what you
possess in the Word of God and how its truths should serve to guide your
everyday life.
It is necessary that you have your own Bible, a notebook and a pen. The
following three simple steps will help you read the Bible each day:
Step #1: Prepare yourself for a special time with God!
The reading of the Bible should be the most important daily task for a
Christian. You should dedicate the best of your time to it, time in which
your mind can concentrate only on it without being rushed. You should
choose a place where it will be quiet and comfortable, away from
distractions.
The Holy Spirit is the one who makes the connection between our hearts
and the Word. That is why before reading, you should pray asking the Holy
Spirit for direction and understanding so that he will guide you towards the
truth.
Step #2: Savor the Word!
Simply reading the Word of God doesn’t nourish the believer, but reflecting
on it does. The Word of God is a fountain of teachings. It draws us closer to
God. It not only shows the truth, it also convicts us of our mistakes. This
truth will never contradict other passages of the Scripture. When savoring
the Bible text, we learn of its great wisdom and we grow in knowledge of
God.
You don’t have to read long portions of a text, although it is recommended
to study daily portions of the same book from beginning to the end to have
a better understanding, by relating what was read with the rest of the book.
On occasion, you may stop on one verse and study it further when it speaks
to you in a special way. Also, you can ask help from your DG teacher about
those passages that you may find more difficult to understand.
If you are going to start to read the Bible, it is recommended to start with
the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Then you can continue
reading the book of Acts and other books from the New Testament.
Step #3: Digest the Word!
The Word of God not only shows us what is wrong, but also what is good in
the eyes of God. The Word of God should also provoke a change in the
readers’ life. It becomes meat to the believer through the Holy Spirit. The
Bible is like the eye of God that can see the deepest part of the hearts of
men and women as if they were crystal. It motivates change, not only
understanding. It purifies the soul through obedience (1 Peter 1:22-23; John
17:17). That is why a Christian who doesn’t read the Word is stagnant in
his spiritual life. Not only will his knowledge stop, but also his spiritual
growth.
My obedience to the Word
“If you love me, obey me; and I will ask the Father and he will give you
another Comforter, and will never leave you.” – John 15:15-16
What is the evidence of our love of God?
A:__________________________________________________
Obedience is defined as the state or act of being submissive to the will of
another. God is the authority to whom we direct our obedience. It is not
just an outward conformity to His commandments but also an inward
submission and volitional obedience to His Word and will.
“… and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am
giving you today for your own good.”(Deut. 10:13)
“ If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land”
(Isa. 1:19)
It is helpful for you to look for the personal application as you read the
Word.
• What is the Word saying to me?
• Have I examined myself?
• Have I confessed the sins that the Word has exposed in my life?
• Have I asked forgiveness for those sins?
• Am I willing to obey God in any situation that the Word reveals to me
today?
• Have I found a commandment that I should obey?
It is also helpful for you to pray the Word of God because it helps you
activate the power of the Living Word into your life. And obey the Word
with promptness.
Lesson Three
Spiritual Growth through Prayer
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your
Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret,
will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans,
for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like
them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ( Matthew
6: 6-8)
When was the last time you talk to the Father in prayer?
A:_______________________________________
What is the role of prayer in my fellowship with Jesus Christ?
Clear and consistent communication is an essential part of any healthy
relationship. This is certainly true of our relationship with God. This
communication is two way. When we read the Bible, God speaks to us.
When we pray, we speak to God.
Prayer is simply our direct communication to God and it is an important
part of spiritual growth. This lesson is intended to provide you with a basic
understanding of the discipline of prayer so that you might maintain an
open line of communication with God.
This means that you can go directly to God through Jesus Christ when you
pray (1 Timothy 2:5). You do not have to be in a particular place (like
church), nor must you pray through an intermediary (like a priest or a
saint). You can speak directly to God through Jesus Christ.
II. Four Different Types of Prayer
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things
you do not know.” Jer. 33:3
A. Adoration – worship of God, glorying and exalting God. Ps. 66:3-5
B. Confession – “to agree with,” repentance for our sins – 1 John 1:9
C. Thanksgiving – praising God for what He has done. (Psalm 100:4, 1
Thessalonians 5:18).
D. Supplication – Lifting up your needs (Phil. 4:6, Matt. 26:36-44)
III. God Works in Our Lives Through Prayer.
Prayer is not about changing God’s mind to conform to your will, but it has
great power to change our hearts to conform to His.
A. Prayer admits a dependency upon God. It serves to draw us close to Him,
so that He can prove His sufficiency for every need (Matthew 6:8, Psalm
50:15).
B. Prayer is the way that we cast all our care upon the Lord (1 Peter 5:7).
C. Prayer provides us with God’s peace in our hearts and minds (Philippians
IV. Principles for Prayer
 Pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 18:1, Romans 12:12).
We should develop a lifestyle of communicating with God. Our first
reaction to any trial or success should be to go to God in prayer.
We should make time for extended seasons of prayer (Matthew
6:6), but God can hear our prayers any time and in any place
(Nehemiah 2:4)
 Your prayer doesn’t have to be wordy, eloquent, or rehearsed.
 Prayer is not religious, it is relational.
 Talk to God as you would talk to a loving Father (Matthew 6:9,
Galatians 4:6-7).
 Pray in Jesus’ name according to the will of God (John 14:13-14,
15:16, 16:23-24, 1 John 5:14).
 Writing down your daily prayer request will make you more aware
and grateful of God’s work and blessings in your life.
We understand the will of God and the character of Christ from the
Word of God. Therefore, we should pray consistently with the word of
God. Be assured that even when you struggle in prayer, God knows your
heart and the Holy Spirit is praying right with you (Romans 8:26-27).
Lesson Four
I Witness
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will
be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends
of the earth." (Acts 1:8).
What was the best news that you ever received in your entire life?
A:_________________________________________________________
Isn’t it a good idea to share your experience in God to other?
God has made a change in your life. The experience of salvation is the most
wonderful that any human can experience. For that reason, God tells us
clearly in His Word that He sent His Son to this world “that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). God
wants everyone to experience salvation (2 Peter 3:9), and guess what? You
are the person God wants and can use to bring the Light to people who now
live in darkness.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28:19).
This is our mission for all who are a part of Christ's church: to tell other
people about Him.
1. The first step is to give your life, through prayer, to the Lord so that you
will be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. You can tell your DG leader that you wish to be involved in the
evangelism activities of church.
We want to share with you some simple ways to testify to your friends and
family about what Christ has done in your life.
Why should we tell others about Christ?
We talk about the fact that God calls us to evangelize, in other words, to
talk to others about Jesus. But in spite of knowing this, we sometimes have
doubts. For example:
1. “I cannot evangelize because I’m a new Christian and everyone knows
that I have been a sinner.”
Don’t view the fact that you’re a new believer as a disadvantage. On the
contrary, this is an advantage. You are experiencing a radical change in your
life, and this is the best time to show that change to your family and friends.
2. “I want to tell others what God has done in my life, but I'm not good at
speaking and I am also very young.”
In the Bible, we can see examples of people who had impediments to talk
well, or simply were not good speakers, or were very shy about sharing the
message of God with others.
Moses, one of the greatest leaders of the Old Testament, had an
impediment of this type. For that reason, God sent Aaron to help him
communicate. If you have an impediment of this type, God can still use you.
How? Go with a Christian friend when you visit your non-Christian friends
and family. You will be surprised at what God can do.
We also can see the example of Jeremiah, a prophet who was afraid of
testifying because he was so young. God touched his lips and all his doubts
were taken away, and he became one of the greatest prophets of the Old
Testament.
3. “I want to talk to my family about Christ, but they are so far away from
Him that they are never going to change.”
This is one of the biggest lies that satan uses to impede God’s children from
sharing His divine message with others. The devil is our enemy and he
doesn't want us to take the message of salvation to other people. For that
reason, he will try to plant doubts in our mind to avoid sharing. The Bible
assures us that anyone who prays with faith and believes in Christ Jesus, he
or she will be saved and their sins will be forgiven. Just as God forgave your
sins, He also wants to forgive your family and friends.
What is the best way to talk to others about Christ?
1. Your testimony
One of the most effective ways to share the gospel is when someone
becomes a believer and people can see in his or her life an example of what
Christ can do in the believer’s life. In this way, we can testify to friends and
family. A good testimony is based on a life that reflects the fullness of the
Holy Spirit. You can reach that friend or co-worker, even if you don’t have
the confidence to talk to them about Christ, through your testimony. That
person will notice the change and will ask you, What has happened to you?
When you have reached this point, the person will be receptive to the
gospel message.
2. Your Communication
Although it is important to testify about Christ through our example, our
oral communication is no less important in reaching that other person. The
Bible assures us in Isaiah 55:11, “so is my word that goes out from my
mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and
achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Therefore, the Word of God affirms
that a biblical verse is more powerful than all words that we can say, no
matter how good of a speaker we are. Therefore it is key that when you talk
with someone about Christ, you frequently refer to the Bible.
How do I choose the best time to talk to someone about Christ?
1. Prayer
Prayer is the key to evangelism. If you want to talk about Christ to
somebody like a relative, a friend, or an unknown person, it is vital that you
have a time of prayer before talking with them, and that you ask God to
prepare their hearts for His message. If you pray for a few months before
talking to someone about Christ, I assure you that you will get better results
than if you simply improvise (Matthew 6:6).
2. Care - Acts of Compassion
Acts of compassion are great ways for the Christian to show Christ's love in
a concrete and interesting way. If you have prayed for a neighbor, show him
God's love before presenting the gospel to him: take him lunch, invite him
to have dinner with you, help him with his garden or wash his car, etc. Find
his specific needs, and then whenever it is possible, meet those needs
without wanting anything in return. When people receive help, they are
receiving the touch of God's love, and they will be more receptive to hear
about Jesus.
3. Share - Moments of good receptivity
All people go through stages of their life in which they are more receptive
to the message of the gospel. God will open an opportunity to share the
Gospel. The moments of greatest receptivity to the gospel are usually times
of personal or family change (marriage, the birth of a child, a new job,
moving, etc.); in times of crisis or loss (death, illness or accident, divorce or
marriage tensions, economic setback, etc.); or times of social tension
(recession, natural catastrophes, war, crime, violence, etc.).
4. Identification with the receiver
The best results in personal evangelism are when people witness to those
with whom they have much in common. For that reason, you are the best
evangelist in the world to your friends and family, and those with whom you
share time every day. You know about their needs, their hopes, and their
sorrows, and you have Christ - the message of hope that they need!
The best thing also that you can do for your prospect is to assimilate them
into God's Family. It is part of your responsibility to invite them to the
worship services of our church and to introduce them to our pastor and
other believers. You have the blessed responsibility to introduce the saving
love of Jesus to them until they believe God for their salvation.
Lesson Five
Enjoying Fellowship in the Family of God
“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good
works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but
encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing
near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25, NLT)
What is your comment with the statement, “no man is like an island?”
A:____________________________________________________
Think about a boy who has lived without the affection of his parents since
he was a child, maybe looking every day where to spend the night, many
times without something to eat. And suddenly, a man appears in his life
telling him, “Come with me. I want to provide you with a home, a place
where you will have the father´s love and the affection of many people who,
like you, have suffered a long time, but today enjoy his protection, a place
to sleep, food, and affection... of a family.”
Possibly if you were that boy, you wouldn’t believe it. It would not be easy
to understand why someone would make this gracious offer to you.
However, it´s true; that is God’s plan for you. God loved us so much that He
decided to send Jesus Christ to adopt us as his children, because he had
planned this from the beginning.
Being a member of the family of God is a great privilege that we don’t
deserve. When receiving Him, we will become a member of God’s family
where we will surely enjoy.
Why do We Need to Belong to a Local Church?
1. You have a loving and responsible accountability discipleship group (DG)
who is in charge of your spiritual welfare.
2. Because it gives you a sense of belonging to a group that supports you
and helps you to stay in biblical truth and not dragged away by strange
ideas and doctrine.
3. You also receive practical valuable advice for confronting difficult
situations in our lives, and also to pray over you when you have a problem.
4. Being a part of the church permits you to receive the care of our pastors
and brothers and sisters in the faith. They watch out for your progress and
perseverance in Christian life and discipleship.
These gifts of love to the church are part of our worship to God as we share
with others from the blessings He has given to us. The church is a family
where we help each other. And in that mutual help we have the privilege of
serving God with all that we are and all that He has given us.
Why do Christians Gather?
The apostle Paul repeatedly encourages Christians to have fellowship with
each other, to encourage one another, and have friendship with each other.
This is almost impossible if the believers do not gather together (Romans
12:10, 15:7, 1 Corinthians 12:25, Galatians 5:13, Ephesians 4:32, Philippians
2:3, Colossians 3:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:13).
Another reason to gather on Sundays?
From the time of the creation of the world, according to the command of
God, believers have dedicated one day of the week to rest, worship and the
learning of God´s Word. This day was called the Sabbath, or day of rest. God
commanded this because He rested from his work of creation on the
seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3).
In the fourth of the Ten Commandments, God commands, “Remember the
Sabbath and keep it holy.” The rest that was established by God has a
sacred value. God invites people not only to rest physically, but also to rest
“in the Lord.” We rest in the Lord by praising him, by giving him thanks, and
having an intimacy of love with Him.
Sunday is called “the day of the Lord.” It was Sunday as well that began to
mark the rhythm of the life of the Christians. The first Christians specifically
dedicated the first day of the week to worshiping the Lord, having
communion with each other, and participating together in worshiping God
as his people.
Your Benefits in God’s Family
The church is not a place for rules of do’s and don’ts. You may fail, and
commit mistakes, but eventually you will learn the principles of the truth of
the Bible; and appreciate the will and purpose of God in your life.
1. You will enjoy the love, peace, joy, and freedom in the Lord as you allow
the Holy Spirit to work in your life in the context of fellowship.
2. You are always welcome in its regular gatherings and celebration.
3. All recreation is wholesome, and fosters meaningful social engagements.
4. You are accepted, significant, and will be over blessed as you enjoy the
company of fellow believer.
5. You will grow, and transform as you embrace the kingdom living
principle.
6. Loving, sharing, forgiving, submission, and unity are all wonderful values
and virtues in christian fellowship that will take root in your inner life.
7. You will be spared from the influence of evil companion and friendship.
You will meet more new Christian friends.
8. You will develop christian habits that will sustain your spiritual growth.
9. Christian ethics develops as you learn to see Christ in every person.
10. Your other practical needs are met in the backyard of the local church.
11. You will discover and learn to utilize your spiritual gifts.
12. You and your family have the privilege of our Pastoral service as you
need it (e.g. home and hospital visitation, house, car and business blessing,
child dedication, and etc.
13. You have a protection and defense against any attack of the devil.
14. Christian service becomes an automatic expression of your love of God
and neighbor in the community of faith.
15. You are always safe, and secure in the family of God until Christ Second
Coming.
So, never exchange and missed the blessings and favor of God has for you in
His Family, His Church - you and us.
Lesson 6
Christian Stewardship
If you are given the privilege to spend 5 million pesos in a day, how and
where will you spend it?
A:________________________________________________________
Managing God’s Resources
1. What is Stewardship?
• A steward is someone who is given the authority and responsibility to look
after another person’s finances, property, or household. For example,
Joseph as steward in Potiphar’s house, managing his affairs.
• God appointed Adam and Eve to be stewards, care takers of His creation
(Gen. 1:28-30). An important part of being God's image-bearers is
representing Him on earth.
• God has appointed each of us to be stewards of our time, money, and
resources — to manage His work on earth, and promote the truth of the
gospel.
• Stewardship is an eternal matter. In the parable of the talents, the good
steward is rewarded: “Well done, good and faithful servant…Enter into the
joy of your master,” while the poor steward, the “worthless servant,” is cast
into hell (Mt. 25).
2. The Source of Everything
• “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in
it” (Ps. 24:1). We easily forget that everything good in this life is from God;
“every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).
• Israel was warned never to forget God while enjoying His blessings.
“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the
good land he has given you” (Deu. 8:10).
• Good stewardship begins with being grateful. The world says, “we earned
this bread; we have a right to enjoy it and store it up.” Jesus relied on the
Father even to provide His “daily bread.”
3. Wealth in Perspective
• Wealth is a gift from God that should be enjoyed. “God has given wealth
and possessions and power to enjoy them,” (Ecc. 5:18-19). It is not wrong to
be wealthy.
• Wealth can lead to corruption. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds
of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the
faith” (1 Tim. 6:10).
• Wealth does not ultimately satisfy us. Solomon had infinite wealth, but
wisely warns, “he who loves money will not be satisfied with money” (Ecc.
5:10).
4. Managing Money
• God is honored when we manage our money well. Scripture indicates
that…
• Christians pay their bills. Romans 13:7 admonishes, “Pay to all what is
owed to them.” Failing to honor one’s financial commitments is a very poor
witness to the world.
• Christians live within their budget. Living outside one’s budget usually
demonstrates a lack of discipline, reckless spending, or extravagance.
• Christians avoid debt whenever possible. In Scripture, debt is synonymous
with bondage (Pr. 22:7).
• Christians have a plan and vision for the future. Living hand-to-mouth is
not spiritual or an example of faith. Wise men save and invest. “A good man
leaves an inheritance to his children's children” (Pr. 13:22) See Pr. 21:5.
• Christians work hard to provide for their own. “If anyone does not provide
for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied
the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8).
• Christians only accept financial aid as a last resort. “The one who is
unwilling to work shall not eat” (2 Thess. 3:10).
• Include tithe as part of your budget. If you believe that tithe is required by
God and refuse to pay it, you are stealing from Him.
• Tithe to the local church. One purpose of tithe in Scripture is to provide
income for the workers and meet the church’s financial needs. The Levitical
priests were sustained by tithes in the O.T. (Num. 18:21).
• Determine in your heart how much you will give in additional freewill
offerings. Scripture refers to “tithes and offerings” (De.12:5-6): required as
well as voluntary giving.
• “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows
bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided
in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful
giver.” (2 Cor. 9:6-7)
6. Stewardship in All of Life
• Stewards must answer at least three questions:
• How do I handle the blessings which God has given to me? Am I grateful?
Do I manage my money well? Do I take care of the car, furniture, and home
which God has given me?
• How do I handle my time? Do I “walk in wisdom towards [the unsaved],
redeeming the time” (Col. 4:5)? Am I “very careful, then, [in] how [I]
live…making the most of every opportunity” (Eph. 5:15-16)?

5. Tithes and Offerings

• The word “tithe” literally means “tenth.” In Scripture, it refers to setting

aside 10% of one’s income for God’s work.
• Tithe was given by Abraham (Gen. 14:19-20) and Jacob (Gen. 28:20-22)
before the law was established; afterwards, it became mandatory for every
one of God’s people (Lev. 27:30-34, De. 12:5-6).
• God challenges His people in Malachi 3:10 to “Bring the whole tithe into
the storehouse…Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will
not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing
that there will not be room enough to store it.”