Too often we think stewardship concerns only the money we give to the church. But in the image of the steward the Bible offers a perspective on our entire relationship with God. Here we have a full and fresh picture of what it means to be Jesus' disciple and to live the abundant life.

Too often we think stewardship concerns only the money we give to the church. But in the image of the steward, the Bible offers a perspective on our entire relationship with God. Here we have a full and fresh picture of being Jesus' disciples and living life in all its fullness. R. Scott Rodin unpacks what it means for us to be stewards in the kingdom of the triune God of grace. This theology of the abundant life, which encompasses all aspects of our world, our life and our possessions, begins, appropriately, with the very being of our gracious Creator God. From there Rodin dismantles the myth of the two kingdoms, one that is under God's control and one that is not. In so doing he crafts a portrait of faithful stewards who live as God's children in the one reality that is marked by death behind us and life ahead. The book concludes with a discussion of the roles of church and family as stewards while providing a theology for the Christian fundraiser. Here is a unique and much needed book on a neglected biblical theme.

R. Scott Rodin (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen) is managing principal of OneAccord NFP, and Senior Fellow of the Engstrom Institute. He has been in fundraising and leadership development for twenty-six years, including serving as president of the Christian Stewardship Association and president of Eastern Baptist (now Palmer) Theological Seminary. He is the author of five books, including , and .

http://www.christianbook.com/stewards-in-the-kingdom/r-rodin/9780830815760/pd/815767

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Author: R. Scott Rodin
Located in: West Chester, PA
Submitted: June 27, 2000

    Tell us a little about yourself.  I am the husband of Linda Rodin (my greatest accomplishment!)and father of three children, Anthony, Ryan and Lindsay (a close second, although God had most of the say here). I serve as President of Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and teach in the Bible, Theology and Ethics area. We are originally from Seattle and lived for four years in Aberdeen, Scotland where I completed my M.Th. and Ph.D. along with more rounds of golf than I can count. Since accepting my new birth in Christ at the age of 15 I have been trying to live that 'abundant life' promised in John 10:10. What a challenge! How about you?

    What was your motivation behind this project?  I have become excited by the paradigm of the godly steward and the way it portrays the life God created us to live. The abundant life is a life of freedom that is only known when we have the proper attitude toward the things of this world that seek to possess us and control us. If we think theologically about the abundant life I believe we will be led to this paradigm of the godly steward. It is more than giving away money, much more! In fact, in the first instance, being a steward has nothing to do with money. In the second instance, when we understand the freedom and joy of being a godly steward, then it has everything to do with giving away money. I was motivated to try to help us understand the first that we might truly find joy, satifaction and freedom in the second.

    What do you hope folks will gain from this project?  Freedom, joy, abundant life, and some level of conviction and motivation to change. All of that in 216 pages! Seriously I do believe that there is a key here for those who want to know a kind of freedom and the real abundance that God has for us. I hope the book will be used in Bible studies, seminaries, Bible colleges and the pastor's study. I hope it blesses those who give and those who ask. I hope it contributes to the work of the kingdom of God and helps to move the teaching of stewardship from the back burner of church's agenda. I hope it inspires all who read it to a life that reflects the glory of God and rekindles a love for our neighbor that helps us live out our lives more truly as those who bear the very image of our Creator. I hope it makes some people uncomfortable, some think and some commit or recommit their lives to Jesus Christ. What greater hope could there be for the labor we undertake for the kingdom of God?

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