Online Archives

As people struggle to make sense of their finances in these difficult economic times, stewardship plays an increasingly important role in people’s lives.

What role should money play in our spiritual lives? Jesus makes it plain that giving is a spiritual act and calls upon disciples to live out of a sense of abundance, not scarcity.

Stewardship, it has been said, “is what happens after we say, ‘yes,’ to Christ.” For many that “yes” requires an examination of how we spend our resources. Do we give sacrificially, acknowledging that all we have belongs to God? How as Christians do we keep from getting swept up in the consumerism and materialism of our times? And as leaders, how do we ensure our church is using stewardship to live a vision rather than just pay the bills?

This fall, the pastors of the Baltimore-Washington Conference will be exploring stewardship for three months as part of their Discipler Group experiences.

For those who want to focus on stewardship immediately, the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, at Wesley Seminary, offers several specific steps for congregations. They include: immediately make sure your personal giving is what it should be; immediately say thank you and find ways to do so all year and immediately do something concrete to assist those in economic distress.

While the news in the headlines may be dire, the Lewis Center recommends staying positive in everything related to money, making sure to tell people regularly what gets accomplished through their giving.

Talking about money and personal giving from the pulpit, or even in small groups, is not easy for many people. However, it is essential if people are to grow in their discipleship. Stewardship is a spiritual practice. It must be taught and nurtured.

A number of resources are available for pastors and congregations who wish to explore this issue further.

Programs:

Quill: The Personal Demonstration Stewardship Program (http://www.quillinc.com)

Consecration Sunday (www.umstewardship.org/resources/consecration_sunday.pdf)

Transformed Giving (www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?flid=2234)

Books:

Money Matters: Financial Freedom for all God’s Churches, Michael Slaughter

Creating a Climate for Giving, Donald W. Joiner

Generous Saints: Congregations Rethinking Ethics and Money, James Hudnut-Beumler

Creating Congregations of Generous People, Michael Durall

The Passionate Steward: Recovering Christian Stewardship from Secular Fundraising, Michael O’Hurley-Pitts

Full Disclosure: Everything the Bible Says About Financial Giving, Herb Miller

Afire with God: Spirited Stewardship for the New Generation, Betsy Schwarzentraub

Web sites:

Stewardship, Baltimore-Washington Conference -- www.bwcumc.org/adventure/stewardship

Good Sense Ministry – www.goodsenseministry.com

Lewis Center for Church Leadership – www.churchleadership.com

The Spirituality of Fundraising by Henri Nouwen – www.henrinouwen.org/home/fundraising_booklet

God’s Pie Video – www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiTcW3AAa64

Ecumencial Stewardship Center – www.stewardshipresources.org

Scripture passages for conversation:

The significance and place of God – Ex. 20:3; Deut. 6:5, Psalm 24:1-2

Giving by the poor – Mark 12:38-44, 2 Cor. 8:1-5

Steward of God’s mysteries – 1 Cor. 4:1-5

Lifestyle and priorities – Romans 12:1-2, Philippians 1:27, Col. 3:1-2

Motivations of the heart – 1 Chronicles 29:9, Matt. 6:21, 2 Cor. 9:7