This is the account of my experience, understanding, and envision of Stewardship, written Before-seminary.
Partnership Program Essays
Essay 1
I
was involved in support-raising on behalf of Camp Herald Ministry from 2004 to
2006. It was one of the outreach services of Chinese Christian Herald Crusade.
As a camp staff, I raised support for prayer, financial, and workers. The
support-raising took place throughout the year at different local churches and fellowships
on campuses. The purpose for my participation in the support-raising was to
have sufficient funding for the ministry expenses, such as paying staff
compensations, campsite rental, insurance, food, transportation, etc.
The
degree of success I experienced in gathering a support team was quite positive.
With generous pledges and special offerings, Camp Herald has received sufficient
financial support every year. The fund was particularly allocated to lower the
camp fees for low income or new Chinese immigrant families, and it has been in
faithful service for the past fifteen years.
As
I graduated from college in 2008, I have shifted my role from a summer camp
staff to a camp participant. However, I believe that the support team has
continued to pray, give, and send workers to Camp Herald. My home church and
especially the youth ministry is still supporting, sending out workers, and
praying for the camp ministry.
To
conclude, I wish to share the latest good news from Camp Herald ministry. With
the faithfulness of God and support of His people, Camp Herald has just renewed
its 10 years contract to provide affordable service to many needed families and
youth campers. In addition, one of my 16-years-old youth small group members
will be volunteering at Camp Herald beginning this summer. To God be all the
glory!
Essay 2
My understanding of the biblical
support-raising is rooted with these three words: Promise, Provision, and Partnership. In Old Testament, God promises
portion to the Priesthood and Levites
through the Israelites’ offerings and tithes. In New Testament, God provides
the needs of Jesus, His twelve
disciples, and later the evangelists through the devoted followers and church
partnership.
Support-raising is based on Promise of God that workers must regard
it as holy. (Numbers 18:8-24)
The Lord said
to Aaron, “I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me;
all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as
your portion…” (v.8) Supporting-raising does not only promised by God, but in
fact initiated by God. Instead of
understanding this passage from support-raising
prospective, it reminds me that it is God’s support-giving, solely by grace. “Eat
it as something most holy; every male shall eat it. You must regard it as holy.”
(v.10) God
commands that whoever serves in the tent of the meeting must be holy. Since all things
come from God and are placed into our hands through people’s sacrifice, we must
receive it with humble, fearful, and grateful heart.
Support-raising
is based on Provision that workers must live and serve worthy of the calling. (Matthew 10:10, Mark 1:18, and Luke 8:3)
Once Jesus and his disciples entered
full-time ministry, they lived by the provision of a group of devoted women.
When Jesus sent his disciples to preach the kingdom of God he said, “Take no
bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is
worth his keep” (Mat.10:10). Paul also defended this practice by saying, “who
serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat
of its grapes…” (1Cor.9:7-10). It is biblical and common for full-time workers
to live by the provision from others because they are called to serve God
wholeheartedly and have abandoned their possessions. Tent-making, in contrast,
is a special situation. Paul reserves his right to receive financial support
from Corinthians because he does not want to use up his authority to cause
anyone stubble. Paul also intends to set an example for the Thessalonians to
work with their own hands. Still, living with provision is the way God intents
for His servants in the biblical time as well as today.
Support-raising is
based on the partnership that both the givers and workers contribute to the kingdom of God
together with joy.
The
partnership between the Philippians and Paul is an eminent one. It is very
touched to see their strong gratitude to each other. With thankfulness beyond
words Paul says, “I always pray with joy because of your
partnership in the gospel from the first day until now” (Phi.1:5). “You sent me aid more than once when I was in need. Not that I
desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account” (4:16-17).
Over the years, I remember more three pastors preached with this great
example to exhort thanksgiving heart, loving relationship, and sacrificial
giving. Philippians’
partnership in fact helps me to recall the scene that King David sacrificed the
water to the Lord where his servants risked their lives to get for him during
the battle of Rephiam.
As I study the meaning of biblical support-raising, I receive a book
recommendation from Friday AM, Funding your Ministry by Scott Morton. What he teaches in his book is very true and
practical, “Let’s be biblical. Don’t buy a book on money or fundraising until
you’ve spent a good 20 hours in your own personal Bible study on these topics.”
Reference on Support-raising:
Funding your
Ministry by Scott Morton,
Dawson
Media, (July 1, 1999)
Campus Crusade
for Christ- http://joinus.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/financial-information/raising-support/biblical-perspective/
Missionaryfundraiser.com-http://www.missionaryfundraiser.com/support-raising-bible-study.html
Student Mobilization-
http://www.thetravelingteam.org/articles/support-raising
Essay 3
When
I first heard of the Partnership Program I had this in my mind, “wow, thanks
God! It really eases much of my worries and anxieties about paying for
seminary.” However, there were confusion
and guilt that came afterward. I was so excited to start the application
process right after obtaining the Partnership package at the Spring Reception
event. I had the three recommendations done, but then my confusion came. I spent way too long to study the biblical
rationale for support-raising, and until now to gather my thoughts into essays.
I asked myself, “What takes you so long to finish?” The countless paper-workload
as a new teacher? Exhausting from my hundred-and-fifties teenage students? The
part-time I shouldn’t have worked for? Or the Wedding Preparation? Church
Involvements? Family responsibility?
Then my guilt came. I blamed
myself having bad time-management, priority, and procrastination. After the confusion and guilt period, I realized
and repented that I had not lift up the application process mindfully in
prayer. Thanks still be to God, this delinquent experience helped me to reflect
much deeper and truer to envision how
the Partnership Program will in fact assist my future ministry and spiritual
formation as a seminarian.
Indeed if God will, receiving the
Partnership Program will be a two-fold experience and blessing which I
envision. It will be a valuable experience and training for me as a seminarian
for these three years and for the long run as a minister for many years to
come. As it is sarcastically said in the
Mentor Ministry orientation, “Jesus spent thirty years to prepare for three
years ministry, but we wanted to spend three years to prepare for thirty years
ministry.” In light of this fact, I firmly believe that the training and
experience of the Partnership Program will be a lifelong lesson. I envision
that by receiving Biblical, Theological and Historical training in stewardship,
I will become more faithful and be disciplined to manage my time and money
effectively. I also envision that there
will be great experience and learning through seminars, discussions, and
participating in spiritual and discipleship mentoring. So in term of
experience, I cannot envision beyond what is described by the witnesses I read
from the brochure or what I can imagine now.
In term of blessing, I envision
there will be fellowship in understanding among the partners: the seminary, the supporters, and myself in
proclaiming the gospel. There will be fellowship in undergirding for each other with sustained prayer and financial support. Third,
there will be fellowship in undergoing collective
experience, good or bad, ups or down, in the life journey of partnership. Last,
I believe that the Partnership
Program will be a unbelievable
blessing to the people of God as comparable to what is inscribed
on the wall outside the Kaiser Chapel: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and
no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1
Corinthians 2:9).
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