Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney

Week 8: Chapter 7 — Stewardship

Read Chapter 7 of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Key Scriptures: Matthew 25:14-30; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; Luke 16:10-13.

Whitney stretches the concept of stewardship well beyond money to include time, gifts, opportunities, and the body itself — challenging us to see everything we have as held in trust for the One who gave it all.

Discussion Questions

8 questions

1.Whitney defines stewardship as the management of everything God has entrusted to us — not just our finances, but our time, talents, health, and opportunities. Does this broader definition of stewardship expand or change the way you have previously thought about the concept?

2.He draws on the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) to show that God expects a *return* on what He has invested in us. The servant who buried his talent was not praised for being safe — he was condemned for being unfaithful. How does this parable challenge a passive or minimalist approach to your gifts and opportunities?

3.On the stewardship of money, Whitney is direct: how we handle our finances is a spiritual issue, not just a practical one. Jesus said "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). If someone examined your bank statements and calendar, what would they conclude about where your treasure and heart actually are?

4.Whitney challenges readers to be intentional and generous in giving, not impulsive or minimal. He argues that the discipline of giving is one of the primary ways we wage war against materialism in our own hearts. Have you found that to be true? How has giving — or the failure to give — revealed the state of your heart toward money and God?

5.The stewardship of *time* often receives less attention than money, but Whitney argues it is equally significant. He notes that the Scripture calls us to "make the most of every opportunity" (Ephesians 5:16).

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Closing Prayer

Full guide

Generous Father, everything we have belongs to You — our time, our money, our health, our gifts. We confess that we have acted as owners rather than stewards, grasping and hoarding rather than receiving and releasing with open hands. Forgive us for the idolatry buried in our financial choices, the sloth buried in our use of time, and the self-indulgence buried in how we treat our bodies. Remind us that we are managers, not owners, and that one day we will give an account. May the generosity of Christ on the cross loosen our grip on everything we hold too tightly. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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