This article appears in the Spring 2023 issue of the FCA Donor Publication. The FCA publication is a gift from our FCA staff to all donors giving $50 or more annually. For more information about giving, visit here.
By Dayton Moore
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;” Psalm 24:1
This verse has made me contemplate stewardship throughout my faith walk, and it’s often led me to wrestle with this question:“ Are we investing in people or are we investing in toys?”
I began my professional career as a baseball coach at George Mason University. I love coaching, but in 1994 I became a scouting supervisor with the Atlanta Braves. After a few years, I started moving up the ranks with in the organization. With those new titles, of course, my compensation increased.
At that time, I didn’t understand the principles of God’s gifts and tithing. So, my wife Marianne and I weren’t committed to tithing the way we
"Each of us is called to take our God-given gifts and make a difference for others—not for our own glory but for God’s."
-Dayton Moore should have been. I needed to learn and understand that God values people over toys. As my faith strengthened, I saw the importance of stewarding God’s gifts and how everything we have belongs to Him. Marianne and I became committed to tithing.
Ironically, God then freed my life to be more in balance and rhythm.
In 2006, I became the general manager of the Kansas City Royals. Eight years later, in 2014, the team won its first American League championship since 1985 and made the first of two consecutive trips to the World Series–winning it in 2015.
But these victories didn’t change our approach to stewardship. Actually, the success gave us a deeper drive to take the resources God provided to us and use them for His glory and the betterment of His creation. We felt compelled to invest in people.
Good Stewards
As I said often after 2015, “God is not impressed with the general manager of a Major League Baseball team or in awe of a World Series championship.”
Stewardship is an important act as followers of Jesus, regardless of our financial situation. We’re taught throughout Scripture about how we’re supposed to be good stewards and generous with God’s generosity toward us. Just Google “Bible verses about being a good steward,” and you’ll find at least 100. (There’s actually a link to “100 Bible Verses About Being a Good Steward.”)
If we want to be in a relationship with Jesus, we must use our time, talent and treasure for God’s glory. We must make eternal investments, choosing people over toys. It goes deeper than that for me, though. I believe God gave me this platform to make a difference for others.
C You In the Major Leagues
In November 2013, we started C You In The Major Leagues as a fund to support education, faith-based initiatives, families in crisis, and youth sports, mainly throughout Kansas City. We’ve used our time and talent to offer baseball and softball camps and instructional T-ball leagues, and we developed a mentoring and leadership program for high school students. Because of our generous donors, C You In The Major Leagues, which has become a stand-alone nonprofit, has granted $1.2 million to nearly 70 organizations. One of those organizations is Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
FCA helped shape me as a young athlete, and throughout my professional life, I’ve had the pleasure and honor of working closely with the organization. It’s reminded me of the importance of investing in our athletes, because they are the future leaders of our country.
We need to equip athletes with the tools and train them on how to be God-fearing husbands, wives, fathers and mothers. I read once as a young coach that the more you value your players, the better values they’ll have. I’ve made sure to display that saying in coaches’ rooms throughout my leadership journey.
Each of us is called to take our God-given gifts and make a difference for others—not for our own glory but for God’s. God doesn’t give us gifts of time, talent and treasure to use strictly for our benefit. We’re expected to take these gifts, develop them and then use them to help others. Choose people over toys. When we do, we’re pleasing God, and in return, He will trust us with more.
About the Author:
Following 16 years as the General Manager/President-Baseball Operations of the Kansas City Royals (2006-22), Dayton Moore became the Senior Advisor-Baseball Operations for the Texas Rangers in November 2022. Under Moore’s leadership in Kansas City, the Royals built one of the best farm systems in baseball en route to winning the 2015 World Series in the club’s second consecutive trip to the Fall Classic, and first World Series championship since 1985. Before joining the Royals, Moore worked in various capacities in player development for the Atlanta Braves from 1994-2006. In 2013, Moore started C You In the Major Leagues as a donor-advised fund to support youth sports, education, families in cirisis and faith-based initiatives. In November 2021, after granting more than $1 million to 70 organizations, C You In the Major Leagues became a standalone 501(c)(3). Moore is a sought-after speaker on leadership and organizational culture.
-FCA-