AY Honors/Stewardship/Answer Key 2
1. Discover the Bible principles of stewardship by answering the following questions:
a. What does 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 say about the stewardship of the body?
b. What does Matthew 25:15 tell us about the stewardship of talents?
c. What does Colossians 4:5 say about the stewardship of time?
d. What does John 3:16 tell us about who owns the earth?
e. What does Genesis 1:26 say about who is the steward over the earth?
f. What does Proverbs 3:9 say about who is always first?
g. How do we know that tithe means a tenth? Genesis 28:22
h. Who does Leviticus 27:30 say the tithe belongs to?
i. How does Malachi 3:8 say that God is robbed?
j. What does 1 Corinthians 9:13,14 say about the use of the tithe?
k. How do we know that the tithe is different from offerings? Malachi 3:8
l. What does 1 Corinthians 16:2 say about how we are to give our offerings?
m. What does Matthew 6:20 say about where to keep our treasures?
n. What does 2 Corinthians 9:7 say about our attitude in giving?
o. What promised blessing is given in Malachi 3:10?
p. What does Psalms 24:1 tell us about who owns the earth?
2. Read and discuss with your counselor or pastor the following: Section IV (pp. 111 to 130); paragraph 1 and 2, p. 14; and paragraph 1, p. 66 of Counsels on Stewardship written by Ellen G. White.
This book is available on the Internet, though not with a direct link. Go to http://egwdatabase.whiteestate.org/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates$fn=default.htm$vid=default and look for a pull-down menu that says "Choose search form." Select "Go to: Book and Page" and then select "Counsels on Stewardship."
You can also purchase the book from http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/Detail.tpl?sku=0828015708
3. Learn what is done with the tithe in your local church, your local conference, your union, and the General Conference.
This working policy, published by the General Conference describes how tithe may and may not be used by the local churches, local conferences, unions, divisions, and the General Conference itself. It would be good for you as the instructor to download and read it in its entirety, but a short summary is provided below.
Tithe is to be collected by the local churches, and all of it is to be forwarded to the local conference. Local churches are under no circumstances to retain any portion of the tithe. Local conferences in turn take a portion of the tithe for the uses listed below, and forward the remainder to the union. The union does the same, forwarding the remainder to the division, and the division forwards the remainder to the GC.
Acceptable Uses
- Support of Pastors, Evangelists, Ministers
- World Missions
- Soul-winning Support Personnel
- Conference/Mission Operating Expense
- Literature Evangelist Benefit Fund
- Subsidies for Specified Activities (such as youth evangelism camps)
- Evangelistic and Conference/Mission Office Equipment
- Bible/Religion Teaching and Support Personnel in Schools
- Retired Employees
Unacceptable Uses
- Capital Expenditures for Buildings and Churches
- Equipment (other than for conference/mission use)
- Local Church Operating Expense
- School Operating Expense
4. From your pastor, church treasurer, or elder learn about your church budget, what finances your church must meet and the purpose of each item listed on your church tithe and offering envelope.
5. Keep a chart on how you spend your time for one weekend and one week day. In this chart make a list of how much time you spend in the following areas:
a. Work for pay
b. Family time
c. Personal devotions
d. Public worship
e. Family worship
f. Fun things
g. Reading
h. Television
i. Meals
j. Sleep
k. Personal needs
l. Class time
m. School study
n. Travel
o. Music lesson
p. Music practice
q. Home chores
r. Shopping
For each of the three days be sure your time adds up to 24 hours. After completing the chart, discuss with your pastor or counselor your responsibility in the steward ship of your time.
6. Do one of the following:
a. If you have an income-producing job or an allowance, make a list of how you spend your money for one month.
b. If you are not in the category above, make a list of how you would spend an income of $50 a month in the following categories:
(1) Clothes
(2) Entertainment
(3) Eating out
(4) Gifts
(5) Personal items (toiletries)
(6) School supplies
(7) Tithe and offerings
(8) Transportation
From your list determine what percentage of your total income is spent on each item. After completing the chart and percentages, discuss with your pastor or counselor the advantages of a budget and how to stay within a budget.
