Stewardship of Time and Talents
As taught in the Methodist / Wesleyan tradition
Redeeming the time for God's glory and using gifts for the common good.
In the Methodist tradition, the question of stewardship is never merely an administrative or financial concern; it is a fundamental inquiry into the nature of "Practical Divinity." The central question this subtopic answers is: How does a person, having been awakened by prevenient grace and justified by faith, live out the process of entire sanctification through the mundane materials of daily existence? For John Wesley and the early Methodist societies, time and talent were not personal possessions to be managed for private gain, but "talents" in the Matthean sense—entrusted capital belonging to the Creator, for which every human being must eventually render a strict account. This doctrine is rooted in the Wesleyan conviction that the Christian life is a disciplined response to God’s love, where holiness of heart necessarily overflows into holiness of life.
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the foundational Wesleyan principles of "Redeeming the Time" as articulated in John Wesley’s sermons and the General Rules.
- **Distinguish** between secular productivity and the Methodist theology of stewardship as a "means of grace."
- **Explain** how the doctrine of Christian Perfection necessitates a disciplined approach to the use of time and natural abilities.
- **Articulate** the relationship between individual stewardship of talents and the Methodist concept of "Social Holiness."
- **Trace** the biblical basis for lay ministry and the "diversity of gifts" within the Wesleyan "Connexion" using Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12.
- **Defend** the Methodist emphasis on "frugality of time" against contemporary critiques of "burnout" by grounding discipline in the Sabbath rest of Christ.
- **Apply** the "Rules for the Use of Money" (Gain, Save, Give) as a metaphorical framework for the stewardship of personal talents and opportunities.
- **Compare** the Methodist reading of "talents" with other Protestant traditions, specifically regarding the role of human cooperation in the process of sanctification.
Scripture
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