Stewardship is the great "Silent Subject" in many churches. There is very little teaching from the pulpit, and when stewardship is mentioned, it is a code word for giving. Very few churches provide training on how to implement biblical principles into one's daily financial life. Yet there are profound practical and spiritual reasons why the church should be regularly teaching and training its people on biblical financial stewardship.

Money is a huge day-to-day issue in the lives of most people. Many spend a majority of their waking hours making money, spending money, worrying about money, fighting over money, and trying to protect their money. Alarming statistics speak to rapidly increasing consumer debt, saving rates that have dropped below zero, and conflict about money being a leading cause of divorce. Failure by the church to address such a key life issue is nothing less than a major act of self-marginalization.

But there are even stronger reasons than the practical for the church to ...