One of the major reasons people don't like going to church or have even quit going to church is because the church seems to always be asking for money.

"All they want is my money", is often a phrase heard from a disgruntled church member. "Why can't I just go and not have to put an offering in the plate?"

What I want to say to them and what I often do say to them are two different things. What I usually say is something like, "I don't care how much you give to church, all I want is to see you there hearing the Word and receiving His blessings." This is a truthful statement and one that I will continue to use when confronted with this situation so as to not turn the person off to church even more than he or she already is.

What I really want to say is a bit more sarcastic and maybe even a little bit rude, but at the same time just as truthful as the first statement. What I want to say this, "If you were giving like you were supposed to be giving to the Lord, the church wouldn't have to ask, now would it?"

While this may seem a bit harsh and even sarcastic, there is really some truth to it. The truth is that if every giving member of the church even gave 2 percent of their income, forget the 10 percent that is God's prescribed amount in the Scriptures, there would be no need to ask for money. Imagine what the church could do, if people gave what they could.

One problem is that when people talk about "the church" they think of it as a separate entity apart from themselves. They don't connect the fact, like we say it in the children's song, "I am the church, you are the church, we are the church together. All of God's own people, all around the world, yes we're the church together." People confuse the church, as a whole, with the people who are placed in charge of the church whether by election, call or hiring.

So the first thing such a person needs is to identify him or herself as part of "the church." When you become part of "the church" and its ministries, you begin to realize the amount of time and money it takes to keep an organization running and effective. If you are on the outside looking in, all you see is the pastor or the chairman of the board of stewardship telling you that you need to give more and that "the church" needs more money.

A second problem has to do with the incorrect understanding of what stewardship is all about. Stewardship starts with the clear understanding that everything you have comes from God and is, in effect, God's.

If you come from the understanding that things you have are yours because you worked for them and earned them, then your Christian stewardship is gong to be effected immediately. The second thing to realize is that your stewardship, your giving to the Lord of your time, treasures, and talents is for your benefit, not for the church and certainly not for God. God does not benefit from your giving to him. He's God. He's perfect. He has everything he needs.

What God sees when someone is practicing good and correct stewardship is someone who is giving out of the joy they have in their heart simply because they are one of God's redeemed children.

Consequently, if you are withholding money from God by not giving what you are truly able to give, or if you are giving grudgingly (because you have to), then you aren't practicing God-pleasing stewardship. If you are happy to give to the work of the Lord and you would gladly give more if you could and if you are giving what you can, then you are practicing God-pleasing stewardship.

God wants you. He wants your whole heart and soul. He doesn't want to share you with your money. He wants you to be free from the slavery of money. He wants you to think more about him than you think about the balance in your checkbook. He wants you to go to church more and spend less time in overtime for that extra dough you get. He wants you to give away those things that can hinder you and weigh you down.

In other words, he wants to be your God. The first commandment is a very serious one. It simply states, "You shall have no other gods." Is money more important to you than the work of the Lord? Is that extra overtime check you get for working on Sunday morning more important than going to church on Sunday morning? Is the new house, new car or new TV more important to you than the new person you see in church because of the money you gave so that the board of outreach could do some more effective evangelism? Is the checkbook more important than the good book?

I think that it is time for all of us, including me, to let go of our hold on our money. I'm not saying get rid of it all. I'm not saying you should give every last penny you have to the church. What I am saying is that we all need to have a loser grip on our wallets and a tighter grip on the Word of God.

God forgive us for not doing that, and God help us to do that better in the future. To God be all the glory. Amen.