Litany of Christian Generosity

Excerpt from litany written by Nathan Johnson, Debi Nixon, Clayton Smith and Connie Stella, The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, at the United Methodist Stewardship Gathering, June 22-24, 2010, sponsored by the National Association of United Methodist Foundations.

A generous Christian is always inviting and loving.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered . . . You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all you mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.

Christian stewards know that the Lord requires justice and kindness, and humility, as they follow the two greatest commandments.

A generous Christian puts God first in serving.

No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Christian disciples serve God faithfully, remembering who they are, Whose they are and why they are here on earth as they seek to know, love and serve God.

A generous Christian celebrates the joy of giving.

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in the temple.

The Lord has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands.

Christian stewards obey God by setting aside a tithe of their income for the ministry of the church as an act of worship and celebration for the Glory of God.

A generous Christian is focused on evangelism.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded of you.

Christian stewards value what has been entrusted to their care and protect and preserve everything as if it were their own, yet acknowledging that the earth and all that is in it belongs to God.