Stewardship Matters! 

Why I, Pastor Stephen Blenkush, Tithe

Every first of the month and the fifteenth of each month a $200 payment is automatically transferred right out of my bank account into our church’s. It’s all courtesy of Simply Giving, the service made available through Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. 

For me it’s a good deal because it’s automatic. I don’t have to think about it, I don’t have to write a check,  I don’t have to do anything to make it happen. Because it’s automatic, I don’t miss the money. I’ve adjusted to the monthly cash flow.

The $400 a month essentially fulfills my tithe  — the Biblical notion that we contribute to the church 10 percent of what we receive from God’s hand.

My salary, plus housing allowance is $56,000 a year. Tithing would be $5,600 a year. In addition to the $4,800 a year I give through Simply Giving to Zion, I also use Simply Giving to make contributions to life insurance policies that will one day benefit both Luther Seminary in St. Paul and Gustavus Adolphus College, both alma maters. Between these two, my giving exceeds the $5,600, not including the other occasional donations by check for special occasions and purposes (i.e. Camperships, Hunger, Mission Trips, etc.), as finances permit.

The point is not to boast about my giving, but to share with you the fact that I am personally committed to tithing, and that it has made a big difference in my life. Here’s how:

Financial Security

It seems counter-intuitive to say that I received financial security by giving away my money, but it’s true. In the old days, prior to ordination, before I committed to tithing, I would pay all my bills and then decide what I would give the church from the amount left over. My contributions to church were pretty slim and I struggled to pay bills. Now I “tithe” off the top, and although I have occasional tight spots in my finances, I always have enough. Tithing has taught me that God gives me sufficient money for all my needs.

Trust in God

Relating to this, I have gained deeper trust that God is faithful and responds to my faithfulness. More than once while tithing, I have struggled with bills and gotten a check or income opportunity “out of the blue.”  It’s not a “prosperity gospel” thing — that if we give, God will make us rich. Jesus never says God will make us rich, only that God will provide for our needs. I just tithe and trust.

Joy in giving

When I do have those windfalls or extra opportunities for income, I find pleasure giving away 10 percent. After my father died a year ago I came into some insurance money he had designated for my sisters and I. I have found great joy in being able to support additional ministries and mission as well as community programs that I might not have otherwise considered.

Satisfaction

Tithing fills me with satisfaction. I am giving to the church and funding God’s ministries. I believe in the church, both Zion, the ELCA and the wider church. For all its faults and foolishness, it is still the body of Christ and I feel compelled to support it.