Christian stewardship begins with the conviction that everything we possess is not absolutely our own but has been entrusted to us by God for a time. This includes far more than money. Our time, talents, knowledge, relationships, influence, health, and opportunities are all gifts we have received from God. Therefore, stewardship is not simply about spending money carefully or occasionally giving to a good cause. It is a way of living that confesses who truly owns and governs our lives.
Pastor David Jang explains that the essence of stewardship becomes clearer when Luke 15 and Luke 16 are read together. Luke 15 reveals the love of God who seeks the lost, while Luke 16 shows how those who have received that love should live in the world. In other words, Luke 15 is about grace, and Luke 16 is about responsibility. The person who is embraced by the Father in Luke 15 is called to live as a steward of God's gifts in Luke 16.
When these two chapters are read separately, the flow of the gospel can be interrupted. If we read only Luke 15, grace may end as a moving emotional experience. If we read only Luke 16, its teaching about wealth may sound like a burdensome moral demand. But when the two chapters are read together, another path opens before us. Grace restores a person, and the restored person begins to see possessions and life in a new way. This is the heart of the stewardship taught in Luke's Gospel.
A Life That Begins Not with Duty, but with Love
The eighteenth-century German philosopher Immanuel Kant found the foundation of morality in duty. His categorical imperative describes a universal moral law that arises from reason rather than being determined by emotion or consequences. Kant's ethics remains a profound philosophical legacy because it seriously asks why human beings should live morally. From the perspective of Christian faith, however, one important limitation remains. Duty can motivate a person, but love transforms a person.
Duty may force a closed hand to open, but love opens the heart itself. Duty regulates behavior, while love renews the whole person. Someone who gives because of a rule and someone who gives joyfully because of grace may appear similar on the outside, but the roots of their actions are entirely different. One acts under the weight of obligation; the other responds out of gratitude for love received.
The stewardship described in Luke's Gospel begins with this love. It does not arise from external pressure or religious obligation, but flows naturally from experiencing the immeasurable love of the Father. Pastor David Jang does not reduce stewardship to financial ethics. Stewardship is a way of life through which those who have received God's love allow that love to flow into the world. Christian stewardship, therefore, belongs more to the language of grace than to the language of duty.
Why Luke 15 and Luke 16 Should Be Read Together
Many Christians read Luke 15 as a comforting story about the grace of the gospel, while treating Luke 16 as a separate and difficult teaching about money. Yet Jesus did not present these chapters as unrelated subjects. Luke 15 and Luke 16 belong to a continuous message. Tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to Jesus to hear Him. Meanwhile, the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling because Jesus welcomed sinners and ate with them.
Jesus spoke to both groups. On one hand, He revealed the Father's love to sinners who believed they could never return to God. On the other hand, He exposed the danger of a religious faith that knew nothing of grace among those who considered themselves righteous. He then continued in Luke 16 by speaking about wealth and stewardship. This is not merely a sudden change of topic. It is a natural extension of the question: How should those who have received grace now live?
Pastor David Jang considers this connection essential. If the grace of Luke 15 does not lead into the life described in Luke 16, faith can remain sentimental. Conversely, if the teaching on stewardship in Luke 16 is separated from the love revealed in Luke 15, faith can easily become moralistic. Responsibility without grace becomes a heavy burden. Grace without responsibility becomes shallow sentiment. The gospel brings the two together. Those who have been loved by God begin to live differently with the lives God has entrusted to them.
The Face of Grace in the Parable of the Prodigal Son
The parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is the story of a father and his two sons. The younger son asked his father to give him his share of the estate in advance. Within the cultural setting of the time, this was more than a request for an inheritance. It was effectively a declaration that he wanted to sever his relationship with his father and reject his father's authority and love. Yet the father did not hold his son back by force. He divided the estate and allowed his son to make his own choice.
The younger son left for a distant country. There he lived recklessly and wasted everything he had. Eventually, he fell so low that he found himself feeding pigs. He became so hungry that he longed to eat the pods the pigs were eating, yet no one gave him anything.
Only then did he remember his father's house. He decided to return and ask his father to receive him merely as a hired servant. But the climax of the parable is not the son's regret. It is the father's response. While the son was still a long way off, the father recognized him. Only someone who has been waiting day after day could recognize his son from such a distance. The father ran toward him. In that culture, it was considered undignified for a respected patriarch to run. Yet the father valued the restoration of his son more than his own dignity.
He embraced his son and kissed him. Before the son could even finish the confession he had prepared, the father had already received him. The father then ordered that the finest robe be placed on him, a ring be put on his finger, and sandals be placed on his feet. This was not merely a warm welcome. It was a declaration that the lost son's status and rights were being restored. The father did not receive him as a servant. He restored him as a son.
The father prepared the fattened calf and held a feast because the son who had been dead was alive again, and the son who had been lost had been found. This is the face of the gospel. God does not wait until we have perfectly prepared ourselves before receiving us. While we are still far away, He sees us first, runs toward us first, and embraces us first.
Pastor David Jang emphasizes that this experience of grace is the starting point of Christian stewardship. A person who has been embraced by the Father can no longer hold on to life as though it belongs only to oneself. The one who has received such love begins to see possessions differently.
Those Who Receive Grace Begin to See Possessions Differently
The prodigal son regarded his father's property as something he could use however he wished. That was why he took his inheritance and departed for a distant country. After returning, however, he must have realized that his relationship with his father was more important than the inheritance, and that his place as a son needed to be restored before anything else.
At this point, Luke 15 naturally leads into Luke 16. Those who have experienced the Father's love begin to see what they possess in a different way. What they once called "mine" now appears to be something "entrusted to me." What once served as a means of proving their own worth now becomes a tool for practicing love. They once believed that wealth would give them freedom, but now they understand that true freedom is found in belonging to the Father.
Stewardship is this transformation of understanding. It is the recognition that what is in my hands is not my absolute right, but something entrusted to me for the fulfillment of God's will. This has nothing to do with how much or how little a person possesses. Someone may own much and still become a slave to greed because there is no sense of stewardship. Another may possess little and yet become a precious servant of God's kingdom because that person understands that everything has been entrusted by God.
The Wisdom Taught by the Parable of the Dishonest Manager
The parable of the dishonest manager in Luke 16, also known as the parable of the unjust steward, is often considered one of the most difficult passages in the Bible to interpret. A manager was accused of wasting his master's possessions. The master told him that he could no longer continue in his position and demanded an account of his management. Faced with losing his position, the manager began to consider how he would survive. He felt he was not strong enough to dig and was too ashamed to beg. He therefore called in those who owed his master money and reduced their debts.
The surprising part of the story is that the master commended the manager. What the master praised was not the man's dishonesty. Pastor David Jang explains that Jesus was drawing attention not to the manager's corruption, but to his shrewdness in preparing for the future when a crisis came. The manager knew that his remaining time was short, and he used the authority still available to him to prepare relationships for the future. Jesus observed that the people of this world are often more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the children of light.
This teaching presents believers with a searching question. People in the world prepare carefully and strategically for their earthly future. How wisely, then, are those who claim to hope in God's eternal kingdom preparing for eternity? We devote great thought and effort to things that will eventually disappear. But how alert and intentional are we about the things that are eternal? Christian stewardship is not merely a matter of being a good person. It is a matter of wisdom—of using the present while keeping eternity in view.
What Does It Mean to Make Friends with Unrighteous Wealth?
Jesus taught His disciples to make friends for themselves by means of unrighteous wealth. At first, this expression may sound strange or even troubling. It does not mean that believers should acquire or use money dishonestly. Earthly wealth is temporary and can easily become distorted by human greed and unjust social structures. Therefore, believers must not make wealth their ultimate goal. Instead, they are to use temporary possessions as instruments for eternal purposes. The message is that we should take what will eventually pass away and use it for values that endure forever.
Money can dominate people, but it can also become a means of giving life. When wealth occupies the place of a master, human beings become its servants. When God is acknowledged as Master, however, wealth becomes a channel through which love can be practiced. It can be used to help the poor, spread the gospel, strengthen communities, and restore those who have been wounded. When used in this way, wealth is no longer an instrument of greed. It becomes a tool for the kingdom of God.
Pastor David Jang emphasizes that Christian stewardship is about recognizing the proper place of wealth. Christians are not called simply to hate money. They are called to refuse to worship money as though it were God and instead use it in the service of God. This is the difference between an owner and a steward. An owner grasps and holds, while a steward uses what has been entrusted according to the will of the true owner. An owner seeks to preserve and glorify one's own name, while a steward desires to see God's will accomplished.
You Cannot Serve Both God and Money
The central teaching of Luke 16 comes into focus in Jesus' declaration that no servant can serve two masters. He clearly states that no one can serve both God and money. This teaching presents the danger of wealth in deeply realistic terms. Money is not merely an object. It draws the human heart, promises security, and sometimes creates the illusion that we can live without God.
When wealth takes the place of master, God is gradually pushed to the margins. At first, money may seem like nothing more than a way of meeting our needs. Before long, however, it can become the goal of life itself. We begin to believe that possessing more will make us secure, rising higher will make us successful, and storing up more will prove that we are wise. The gospel asks us: Does it truly give you life? Does it truly make you free?
When God is the Master, wealth returns to its proper place. Money is no longer the source of fear, an object of pride, or the purpose of life. It becomes a tool that has been entrusted to us—a channel through which resources can flow toward the places that please God. Christian stewardship restores this proper order: God is the Owner, we are the stewards, and wealth is a tool for service.
Faithfulness in Little Things
Jesus taught that whoever is faithful in very little will also be faithful in much, while whoever is dishonest in very little will also be dishonest in much. Stewardship is not revealed only through great acts of dedication. More often, it is revealed in the small choices of everyday life: how we use our time, how we speak, whether we keep our promises, and how faithfully we fulfill the responsibilities entrusted to us. These small attitudes reveal the reality of a person's faith.
The same principle applies to money. Sometimes, how we view a small amount of money matters more than how we spend a great amount. A person who gives thanks for small possessions, remains honest in small opportunities, and does not treat seemingly insignificant relationships carelessly will often maintain the same attitude when greater responsibilities are entrusted. On the other hand, someone who is already unfaithful in small matters will simply have that unfaithfulness magnified when given something greater.
Pastor David Jang describes stewardship as an important measure of spiritual maturity. We may confess that we have received grace, but if we do not acknowledge God as Lord in the small areas of life, that grace has not yet reached the deepest roots of our daily living. True grace does not remain an emotional experience. It changes the direction of life. Those who understand the greatness of the love they have received begin to treat even the smallest things differently.
Stewardship Changes the Whole of Life
Christian stewardship is not merely a method of managing finances. It is a transformed worldview. It is the confession that I am not the ultimate owner of my life and that God has entrusted every area of my life to me. When this conviction takes root, our priorities change. The standards by which we decide what to choose first, where to invest our time, which relationships to cherish, and how to use our money are transformed.
Stewardship is revealed in the family. We no longer see family members as people who must conform to our plans, but as people whom God has entrusted to us to love. It is also revealed in the workplace. Work becomes more than a means of earning money. It becomes a place where we exercise the abilities and responsibilities God has given us. Stewardship is also revealed in the church and community. Our gifts and time become means of strengthening and serving others.
It changes our relationships. We stop viewing people as objects to be used and begin seeing them as people to be served. It changes the way we use words. Language is no longer used as a weapon that wounds, but as an instrument that encourages and gives life. It also changes the way we understand time. Time is no longer something merely allowed to slip away. It is received as something meaningful that has been entrusted to us before God. Christian stewardship, therefore, is not one part of life. It is a principle of the gospel that reorganizes the whole of life.
Grace Creates Stewards
The prodigal son who is embraced by the Father in Luke 15 must enter the world of Luke 16 as a wise steward. This transformation cannot be accomplished through education or discipline alone. Its deepest root lies in the experience of grace. Those who have experienced the Father's love with their whole being cannot continue living in the same way. The love they have received changes the direction of their lives.
Kant's ethics of duty says, "You must do this." The gospel, however, first says, "You are loved." The difference is profound. Duty can produce a sense of burden, but love gives birth to willing obedience. Duty presents a standard, while love moves the heart. Duty may compel someone toward good behavior, but love renews the person.
The stewardship Pastor David Jang finds in Luke 15 and Luke 16 rests upon this gospel order. Grace comes first, and responsibility follows. The Father's embrace comes first, and then comes the life entrusted to us. Restoration comes first, and mission follows. For this reason, the life of a steward is not a heavy obligation. It is a joyful response to grace.
What Has Been Entrusted to Me Today?
Everything given to us today has not entered our hands by mere accident. God has entrusted it to us for a particular purpose. This includes more than money. Your intellect, ability to communicate, experience, relationships, social influence, health, time, and even your experiences of suffering can all become areas of stewardship that God can use.
Therefore, we must ask ourselves: Am I using what is in my hands according to the will of the Owner? Is my time being used meaningfully before God? Are my abilities being used to strengthen others? Is my money being accumulated only for myself, or is it becoming a channel through which God's love can flow? Are my relationships an extension of my desires, or have they become places of service?
Christian stewardship does not begin with a grand declaration. It begins when we look again, before God, at the smallest thing currently in our hands. It begins when we use a small amount of time, a small possession, a single word, or a simple act of kindness according to the Owner's will. As these small acts of obedience accumulate, life begins to move in the direction of God's kingdom.
Conclusion: Living as Those Who Have Received the Father's Love
Christian stewardship does not begin with fear. It begins with love. We do not give reluctantly because we are afraid that God will punish us. Our hands open naturally because the love we have already received is so great. Those who remember the Father running toward the prodigal son can no longer live as though their lives belong only to themselves. They have come to understand that everything is grace.
Luke 15 tells us that God is the Father who seeks the lost. Luke 16 then asks us: Now that you have received this love, how will you use what has been entrusted to you? The Christian life is lived between these two truths. Those who have received grace do not avoid responsibility. Yet they fulfill that responsibility not merely out of obligation, but out of love.
The stewardship emphasized by Pastor David Jang is ultimately the path of living as people who have received the love of God. It means acknowledging that God is the Lord of our lives and using everything entrusted to us according to His will. This is not a heavy burden. It is a beautiful response. The person who has been embraced by the Father goes into the world and allows God's love to flow through life. This is the path of stewardship taught in the Gospel of Luke.
FAQ
Q1. What is Christian stewardship?
Christian stewardship is the conviction that everything we possess is not absolutely our own but has been entrusted to us by God. It is the practice of using not only money but also time, talents, relationships, and influence according to God's will.
Q2. Why should Luke 15 and Luke 16 be read together?
Luke 15 reveals the grace of God, who seeks and restores the lost. Luke 16 shows how those who have received that grace should live. When read together, the two chapters connect grace with responsibility.
Q3. What does the parable of the dishonest manager teach?
Jesus was not praising the manager's dishonesty. He drew attention to the manager's shrewdness in preparing for the future when faced with a crisis. In the same way, believers should use their present lives and possessions wisely while looking toward the eternal kingdom of God.
Q4. What does it mean that we cannot serve both God and money?
When money becomes the master of life, God is pushed to the margins. When God is acknowledged as Master, however, money becomes a tool for love and service. Christians are called to live not as servants of wealth but as stewards of God.
Q5. How can Christian stewardship be practiced in everyday life?
It begins by using small amounts of time, money, words, and individual relationships responsibly before God. Stewardship is revealed less through dramatic acts of sacrifice than through faithfulness, honesty, and love in the small choices of daily life.
Dr. David Jang has proclaimed the gospel in various regions of the world through field missions and digital media ministry, and as the fruit of that ministry, many people devoted to the Great Commission have been raised up. Based on this missionary vision, Olivet first began as a small church school for missionary training. Later, in order to provide more systematic theological education and cultivate missionary leaders, Olivet Theological College and Seminary was established in Los Angeles and Seoul in 2000.
As the school grew, Dr. Jang officially founded Olivet University in San Francisco in 2004. In the diverse and dynamic environment of San Francisco, Olivet expanded its educational fields beyond theology to include music, journalism, art and design, and technology. The university also strengthened its educational capacity by recruiting faculty members, including Dr. William Wagner, and in 2005 moved to the former UC Berkeley Downtown Extension campus, further solidifying its foundation as a university.
In 2006, Dr. Jang transferred the presidency to Dr. David James Randolph in order to focus more fully on missionary work, while continuing to lead global missions as International President. Olivet University later received institutional accreditation in 2009, added a language education college and a business college, and continued to grow as a Christian educational institution for world missions by expanding its degree programs and international partnerships.
