Emphasis Preaching Journal

A minister was telling about the stewardship program at the church he serves. They asked each family to complete a card, indicating how much they planned to give to the church during the coming year. One card came back to the church office with a note attached. It was from a member who claimed that he just could not afford to give anything. But the minister was aware that this man did have the money to smoke at least two packs of cigarettes a day, and he would have been one of the first to complain if prompt pastoral care were not available to him.