Making Systematic Givers
Growing up I can distinctly remember the first time my parents taught me about tithes and offerings. When it came time to hand out the weekly allowance, they were always very intentional about making sure that the regular amount was carefully divided up into small change so they could illustrate in a tangible way how we use and allocate our finances. I received three large empty jam jars that were carefully labelled: Tithes, Offerings, and Savings. They would explain to us how God, in His wisdom, gave us principles from Scripture about how we should use our resources in glory to Him. Part of that stewardship for me as a child was to carefully put aside 10% of those shiny coins for the tithe jar and then a percentage of those coins for the offering jar. The rest was free for me to save or spend on whatever I chose, but always the portion for God was taken out first so that come Sabbath morning it could be returned to Him.
Thoughtful and planned giving is not a new concept. In the early days of the Adventist Church, there was considerable time, effort, and study given to how to best support the ever-growing and expanding church. Through intensive Bible study, discussion, and effort, the program of Systematic Benevolence (commonly called “Sister Betsy”) was born.[*] This systematic approach is a method of returning tithes and offerings that focuses on intentionally and systematically dedicating a percentage of our income to God’s essential mission work around the world.
What Is Systematic Giving?
The word “stewardship” is based on an understanding of Scripture that recognizes God as the Author and Originator of all things and that He has the authority to provide guidance on how and why we should give. There is a tendency in some circles to encourage and motivate others to give based on an emotional response or desire to feel good about contributing to a specific cause or need. This is a very limiting way to teach about stewardship and assumes that we know what’s best for the resources God has entrusted us with.
Paul talks about this in his letter to the church at Corinth, where he counsels the community to put aside a portion of money at the beginning of each week in order to be prepared to give when the time comes (1 Corinthians 16:2). In the same way that we would be encouraged to cultivate a daily devotional time and regular church attendance, we should be encouraging each other to think about setting aside time to regularly plan our giving. Taking time to be thoughtful and considerate in how we give as part of a spiritual habit models the faithfulness of God to supply our needs and ultimately means that more resources are available for mission.
The current challenge we are facing is that in an era where everything is increasingly digital, it is easy to lose sight of the thoughtful and systematic nature of giving. Online shopping means I have groceries at the click of a button, new technology means I can buy my lunch with the tap of a phone, and even in many parts of the world our tithes and offerings can simply be transferred out of our bank accounts. In this social context, we need to be more intentional and thoughtful about how we train and teach about stewardship, especially if we want to pass on these important principles to the next generation.
Model Generosity and Lead by Example
We all learn differently, and young children are especially wired to learn in very tactile ways: seeing, hearing, and touching. Talking about the conceptual reasons behind why we give and the principles of systematic giving from Scripture is helpful, but it’s a challenge for young brains to make sense of these abstract concepts. That is why in early childhood Sabbath Schools we use fuzzy felts, costumes, object lessons, or picture books to help children learn and understand biblical concepts and stories. The same applies to helping children understand the principles of stewardship. It was through my parents’ example at home and the very tangible distribution of the offering bag/basket when I would give at church that I was able to take part in giving in a physical way. As I’ve traveled around different churches, I’ve seen Sabbath Schools get very creative in how they promote and teach about the mission offerings, especially within the children’s divisions. I’ve also seen where the mission offering has become something that’s been forgotten or neglected, meaning we’re missing out on key opportunities to teach in very tangible ways the concepts of giving, stewardship, and how our faithfulness has an impact on a global level. This is not only true in our Sabbath School times but can also be true of the divine worship service as well.
Offering Time as Teaching Time
One of the negative impacts of COVID on the local church in some cases seems to be the slow eradication of the dedicated offering time. In a noble effort to maintain safer practices and avoid the handling of money, giving has moved to online only or relegated to a deacon standing at the door with an offering bag at the end of church or simply having a chest at the church exit. This is not to say that either of these methods is not useful and important; there is great value in offering members multiple options when it comes to returning tithes and offerings. The challenge is when the offering time gets forgotten because there is no longer a physical opportunity.
This causes two challenges: firstly, giving offerings is a form of worship, and every time we invite congregants to participate in giving, we invite them to an act of worship and obedience through response to how God has blessed them. Those in our community who are not regularly engaged in giving or given the opportunity to give are missing out on the blessing that comes from faithfully responding to God.
Secondly, the offering announcement time is a crucial opportunity for teaching and training on the principles of biblical stewardship. Church pastors, elders, and worship coordinators alike are rightly intentional about who they choose to preach and deliver the weekly sermon. Yet, the person who announces the offering is rarely selected because of their ability to deliver a positive message or teaching on stewardship. This vital opportunity to not only encourage the church to experience the blessing of worship through giving but also to educate and encourage giving in a biblical and faithful way is a real loss to our church communities.
The Broader Impact of Systematic Giving
The structure of our church is set up in a way that as I sit on Sabbath morning in the pews of a church in Australia, my faithful stewardship can impact mission and ministry on the other side of the world. We are only able to resource for mission this way because of systematic giving. As we teach and train on systematic giving, it’s important to paint a broader picture of our role as individuals in mission. The statistics show that if every member were to return their 10% tithe and a planned portion of their income for offerings, there would be unprecedented resourcing for mission across the globe. When we teach and train on systematic giving, it’s important to highlight the opportunity that presents itself if members plan their giving. We are part of a vibrant, growing, and global movement, and while the Holy Spirit is not limited, we can limit our own efforts if we don’t commit to being co-laborers in mission. There is a temptation to look only to the needs and challenges within our own context. The beauty of our church is that when we are thoughtful and planned in how we give, we can have an impact far beyond our own four walls.
As we preach, teach, and train on stewardship, let us help our members not miss the vital opportunity and blessing that a planned approach to stewardship affords.
Lyndelle Peterson
Lyndelle Peterson is currently serving as the Ministerial Secretary of the Australian Union Conference. She is passionate about teaching and training on holistic stewardship and has served as a conference and union stewardship director. Lyndelle currently resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband and two daughters.
Pull Quotes
The current challenge we are facing is that in an era where everything is increasingly digital, it is easy to lose sight of the thoughtful and systematic nature of giving.
The beauty of our church is that when we are thoughtful and planned in how we give, we can have an impact far beyond our own four walls.
[*] For an excellent article on Systematic Benevolence see https://record.adventistchurch.com/2024/07/18/welc....
