A Three-Year-Old & His Money

Give 10%. Save 10%. And spend the rest with joy and gladness.

Jeff Metzger, minister at River Hills Christian Church (Loveland, OH), a CDF Capital partner church, teaches the 10/10/80 Plan when preaching about stewardship.

The first 10% of your income goes to God. The second 10% of your income is saved. The other 80% is used for regular living expenses.

This concept is easily understood, even by the youngest church goers, when using a 3-compartment bank.

Blake Senseman

Blake, then preschool son of Mark Senseman, CDF Capital Vice President of Ministry Development, took Jeff’s teaching seriously. With his simple, molded plastic bank, Blake was giving a dime to his church, a dime to his savings account, and 80 cents to the store section of his bank that he could spend however he chose, usually on Legos.

In 2002, when Blake was just 3 years old, River Hills Christian Church partnered with CDF Capital and launched a 3-year building campaign. Blake wanted to give to the building project. He enthusiastically committed a dime per week from his store money for the project—a total of $15.60.

This preschooler faithfully gave for 3 years. He understood stewardship before he had a name for it.

Today, River Hills Christian Church is ministering in an amazing facility and continues its partnership with CDF Capital. Jeff preaches about stewardship to yet another generation using the 10/10/80 Plan.

And Blake? Blake is a college senior following the principles he learned as a child. His tools are a little different today. What used to be a plastic bank is now a bank account with budgeting features. But his plan is the same—10% to the Church, 10% saved, and spending the rest with joy and gladness.