GIVING
BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP
“For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also”. Matthew 6:21
Ways to Give
In Person
Offering plates on the tables at the rear of the worship center.
By Mail
Palmyra Baptist Church
999 NW Butler Rd
Benton, KS 67017
Attn: Treasurer
Bank Pay
Many banks offer payments through their online banking service. Simply designate Palmyra Baptist Church as a payee, schedule a payment and then the bank will mail us a check directly from your account. You'll need to contact your banking provider to see if they offer online pay services and if they charge a fee for the service.
Tax Free from your Taxable IRA
For individuals over the age of 70 1/2, you may donate up to $100,000 per year directly from a taxable IRA, which would be excluded from your taxable income for the year and which may also satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution Amount RMD.
Gifting of other assets
Stocks, Bonds, Real Estate and gifting of other appreciated assets may lower your tax liability.
Endowment
Naming Palmyra Baptist as a beneficiary of your estate, will, trust or life insurance.
Regardless of the method you choose, you will receive a year-end giving statement for your records and/or tax return. Please note that if you choose to give cash, we will need an envelope with your name and address in order to generate a gift receipt. Palmyra is firmly committed to good stewardship of funds entrusted to us. If you have any questions about our finances or how we handle your gifts, please contact the Church Treasurer at palmyrabaptistchurchtreasurer@gmail.com
Note: You are encouraged to seek the counsel of a tax professional regarding personal tax matters including various the gifting options mentioned above.
What is a Good Steward?
A good biblical steward is always mindful that he or she works for God. God is the owner. “The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the LORD” (Psalm 24:1).
Good stewards take care of the gifts God has given them to manage. So, what will we be held accountable for? We have been made stewards of the things of earth – such as money, tangible things, and even people. But the most precious thing we steward as God’s servants is His kingdom.
Stewardship of God’s Kingdom
Biblical stewardship means being a caretaker of God’s kingdom. (1 Peter 4:10-11),
“As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms. If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be from the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
We are called to be “good managers of the grace of God.” As believers, our actions reap eternal consequences. The way we live and what we say should honor God’s image. Being a steward of grace means using whatever gift God has given you to perform acts of kindness towards others.
A Good Steward Is Wise
Jesus tells his disciples in (Matthew 10:16) “Be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” In the parable of the talents, the good stewards invested their resources wisely. God doesn’t want you to write a check and check your mind at the door. A faithful steward engages the wisdom God has given them and employs that talent for thoughtfully serving God’s kingdom.
A Good Steward Is Kind
There is no greater kindness we can do than to share the “very words of God” with those who do not yet know Jesus. “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his life from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:20).
FAQ
Q - How much should I give?
A - The apostle Paul frequently taught the early church about giving. Jesus taught His disciples to give, as well. But neither Paul nor Jesus nor any other passage in the New Testament compels believers to tithe. Tithing is an Old Testament requirement for Israel to provide the Lord with one tenth of one’s income (the word tithe means “tenth”). The New Testament, while not demanding a tenth, does present several principles to help us decide how much to give to the Lord.
The first New Testament principle of giving is to give regularly, on a weekly or monthly basis, as Paul instructed the churches in Corinth and Galatia to do (1 Corinthians 16:1–2). We are to give as a regular part of our corporate worship. Practically speaking, it’s easier to give small amounts more frequently than large sums all at once. Likewise, the church has ongoing needs and financial obligations that require steady weekly support.
The second New Testament principle is to give in proportion to our income. Paul taught to give in keeping with how much we have prospered and according to our means or ability (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 8:2–3). If we have prospered significantly, we ought to give a more substantial amount. And if we have prospered only a little, a smaller gift is entirely acceptable.
Next, the New Testament teaches believers to give generously, and even at times sacrificially, but not to the point of personal deprivation (Acts 20:35; 2 Corinthians 8:2–3, 8; Romans 12:1; Philippians 4:17–18). Believers are instructed to give deliberately to meet genuine needs, with a joyful heart, and not out of guilt or compulsion merely to appease an urgent request (2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:7; Philippians 4:16). In other words, our giving ought to spring from our own free choice. When we see a fellow believer in need, particularly a minister of the gospel, we should try to meet that need if we are able (1 Corinthians 9:14; 2 Corinthians 8:12–14; Galatians 6:6).
According to Scripture, our greatest motivation for giving ought to be our love for others. Just as Jesus Christ died for the sins of others, we ought to give of ourselves for others (2 Corinthians 8:8–9). Another reason to give is that God promises to reward and bless us when we do (2 Corinthians 9:6; Luke 6:38). “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
These New Testament principles of giving are centered on one key factor: the believer’s relationship with God. Deciding how much to give to the Lord ought to be a matter of prayer. As we seek to know God’s heart through a consistent relationship with Him, we will discover the Lord’s will concerning how much to give. It may be the conventional tithe, or it may be some other amount.
Believers are to be willing to offer to the Lord whatever He may ask, whether it be 1 percent, 5 percent, 10 percent, or 100 percent. Through our giving, the Lord matures our faith and grows our dependence on Him. It has been said that financial giving is not God’s way of raising money but of developing character in His children.
As we recognize all that Jesus Christ has done for us, we will want to offer ourselves humbly and wholly to God as living sacrifices of worship to Him. Our giving will flow freely from hearts filled with gratitude and indebtedness, knowing that everything we have and everything we give already belongs to God. We own nothing. While the tithe may be an Old Testament concept, the New Testament requirement is radical and total obedience to the Lord, who guides every aspect of our lives, including our giving.
Q - What are our gifts and offerings used for?
A - Pastor salary and benefits; Church utility bills, such as electric, water, trash, propane; insurance; and all maintenance and supplies. Also, ministries such as Trail Life, True Life, Youth Group, Children, Youth and Adult Bible class study materials; missions and missionaries serving in America and around the world; and benevolence gifts to those with occasional urgent needs. Everyone is welcome to attend the quarterly business meetings where detailed church financial statements are available for review.
Q - Should I give to my local church or other ministries first?
A - Paul said in (1 Corinthians 9:7-11, Galatians 6:6, 1 Timothy 5:17-18), and in many other scriptures, that you are to give where you are fed. You don’t eat at McDonald’s and then go over to Wendy’s to pay. You pay where you eat. Likewise, you are to give where you are fed. Your local church will feed you like no other ministry can. You may be baptized here, taught, counseled, loved, supported and enjoy fellowship with other believers here. Your family may even have a wedding here! That’s not to say that you should only give to your local church, but your local church should receive your first fruits.