From all appearances Jesus was a prodigal. He is the Creator of all and the King of the universe. He was adored and worshipped by a multitude of angelic beings. He is not only Life, He is the source of life.

In 31 young adult focus groups held in 16 different countries, I listened and I learned. Those who came to the focus groups were generally between the ages of 18 and 30. Concerns had been raised that the Millennial generation was down-on institutions and on the practice of contributing systematically to the church.

Last Christmas my family was privileged to visit the Sight and Sound theatres in Pennsylvania, USA, to watch the “epic” Story of Moses. It began with Moses’ mother, Jochebed, weaving a basket for Moses and letting him down into the Nile River.

In response to a legal question about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied with a relational answer.

The Israelites showed little interest in the question of the storehouse for the tithe. For them, tithe belonged to the Lord, He had decided how it was to be used, who should receive it, and where it was to be stored.

Ellen White viewed tithe as holy and belonging to God. “ʻBring ye all the tithes into the storehouse’ (Mal. 3:10, NKJV), is God's command. No appeal is made to gratitude or to generosity. This is a matter of simple honesty.

Biblical stewardship is the total commitment of the heart to God. This includes the returning of the Lord’s tithe and the giving of freewill offerings as an expression of our spiritual worship. In the bigger picture of Christian stewardship, this part of our response is very often referred to as “financial stewardship.”

Centuries ago a friend of Jesus came to a crossroads experience with God. Things weren’t turning out as well as he had hoped. He had spent time with Jesus—a lot of time.

The concept of stewardship began at Eden where God defined the responsibility for human beings by using the Hebrew word radah (Gen. 1:26-30). This Word, translated as dominion, means to take care of, to direct, to manage.

Perhaps you’ve heard the story told by Chuck Swindoll about Chippie, the singing parakeet. He said the bird’s problems began when the woman who owned him decided to clean up the seeds and loose feathers from the bottom of his cage using a vacuum.

Seventh-day Adventists believe the earth, including the nonliving environment, has special status because it is divinely created.

Stewardship and mission, I would suggest, converge in a life of discipleship.