Dear Friends,
Between now and the end of the year—no matter where you worship—you will be blessed to hear a series of sermons on stewardship. If you are like us, you may walk away from stewardship sermons wondering if you can ever give or do enough. The simple answer is, “No! You can never give or do enough to repay God for all of his blessings. But that isn’t a reason to feel guilty or inadequate; it’s a cause for rejoicing. We serve a generous God.
Giving is one way we can show our gratitude to God for all He has given us. Yet, giving isn’t something that comes naturally. Statistics indicate that a person is less likely to tithe if they didn’t develop the habit of tithing in their teens or early twenties. Churches need the support of their members to survive, yet, according to a 2014 national survey, only 3-5% of American who give to their local church do so through regular tithing, and the average donation by adults who attend U.S. Protestant churches is about $17 a week.
Recently we heard a young pastor suggest an interesting way for her non-tithing members to develop the habit of donating to the church. She used the “Two Frappuccinos for Jesus” approach. A Grande Frappuccino including state and local sales taxes costs about $4.60 a cup. Two of them costs roughly $10.00, if you leave a tip. Do you see where she was going?
Now Bonnie took it one step further. She asked me to look up the nutritional values for the new Caramel Waffle Cone Frappuccino. As the chart below indicates, giving to your local church may actually save your life! Eliminating 800 calories a week, 41,600 a year … who needs Oprah?
| Nutrition Facts Per Serving (16 fl oz) | |
| Calories 400 | Calories from Fat 140 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat 0g | |
| Cholesterol 55mg | 18% |
| Sodium 220mg | 9% |
| Total Carbohydrate 62g | 21% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
| Sugars 59g | |
| Protein 4g | |
Starbucks is a sugar dispenser disguised as a coffee shop.” — Dr. Mark Heyman
Now Starbucks isn’t going to take this lying down. You can anticipate promotions such as Macchiato Mondays and Frappuccino Fridays to offer the seriously addicted a regular fix.
The young pastor’s approach to stewardship was refreshing—as refreshing as a cool drink. She confessed the excesses in her own life: a nice condo, good sporting equipment, and yes, regular visits to Starbucks, but she also spoke about her excessive love for God, and how it is reflected in her giving. She gave as much credence to Ecclesiastes 3:13 (KJV) as she did to 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT).
“And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.”
“You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”[
Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ
Because He Loves Us Press 