Steward Leadership - To Whom Much Is Given

    This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders.  

Our topic for 2025 is steward leadership, and today I want to share a personal message on this subject.  

Once again, we define a steward as “someone who manages resources belonging to another person in order to achieve the owner’s objectives.”  

For a number of years, Luke 12:47-48 has been both a challenging and a motivating scripture for me.  

“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But, the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

We have spoken in previous podcasts in this series that accountability accompanies blessing. We are blessed in order that we can bless others and not merely hoard God’s blessings for ourselves. Verse 47 warns us that there are consequences for us when we fail to obey our Master in this matter.  

On a personal note, the latter half of verse 48 has been a great motivator for me for many years. “From the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” You see, I realize that much has been entrusted to me.  I was born into a Christian family; I’m at least a fourth-generation Christ follower.  I’ve had access to excellent education and good health care. I’ve been blessed to be part of strong local churches and to enjoy a good career.  

One could say that I am privileged. God has entrusted me with many blessings, and I feel the weight of responsibility to steward His many blessings in order to meet his expectation (the scripture says “will be demanded”) of fruitfulness.  This topic of “privilege” was quite controversial in America just a few years ago when some claimed that I should apologize for my privilege and renounce it. Instead, I embrace my privilege and endeavor to raise others up to a similar condition.  I’ve been entrusted with much. I desire to steward that well, to raise others up so that the work of VCP can bear much fruit.    

We are incredibly grateful for God’s favor and His provision, and we must steward these well.  

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters and leaders.