Browsing by Rob Blezard
Six-Steps to Stronger Stewardship in the Small Church
Leaders of small churches know how hard stewardship can be in their contexts. Here are six simple steps that, implemented consistently and faithfully, can help develop a generosity culture in your congregation. From the Hinton Center, a Methodist retreat.
Are You Comfortable Talking About Money?
Pastors and church members hear about financial news all the time. Money is a frequent topic of discourse in the daily news. So why do we sometimes hesitate to talk frankly about money in church? Ken Sloane of the United Methodist Church explores. (Photo © BortN66 – Fotolia.com)
Developing a Thank You System
Saying thank you promptly and regularly is one of the simplest and most effective things a congregation can do to reinforce good stewardship and enhance giving. This article from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership helps show you how. (Photo by Orin Zebest, used by Creative Commons license)
‘Losing Weight Has Made Me A Better Pastor’
For Brandon Hilgemann, dieting and exercising not only helped him shed 40 pounds and improve his physical health, it also worked wonders on his ministry. In this essay from Pastors.com he explains how. (Photo © Saje – Fotolia.com)
Video: What Does It Mean to be A Christian Steward?
Here’s a brief video that will make you laugh, but also make you think! It includes interviews with folks from the Episcopal Church. How would YOU answer their questions? (Photo by Bev8200, used by Creative Commons license)
Gratitude and Generosity Conversation Starter
Even the best of us can get tongue-tied when it comes to engaging others in a discussion about money. So the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada has crafted this handy discussion guide to help us along. Includes talking points, prayers and scripture. (Photo © mangostock – Fotolia.com)
‘Why I Won’t Give to Your Church’
In this illuminating essay, a Millennial explains why his generation is put off by traditional congregational approaches to faith, religion and community — and what might work to involve them in church life. From Leadership Journal. (Photo by sboneham, used by Creative Commons license)
Francis Calls for Protecting Creation
“A Christian who does not protect Creation, who does not let it grow, is a Christian who does not care about the work of God,” Pope Francis declared in a homily. Human sinfulness has led to environmental degradation, and he called for Christians to care. (Photo by Semilla Luz, used by Creative Commons license)
A Call to Stewardship
As a young man Howard Dayton wanted only to become rich, but the Christian faith radically transformed his attitudes and today he teaches others on generosity and stewardship. Dayton believes stewardship isn’t just how you handle the tithe, but how you handle the other 90% of your income. From Dave Ramsey’s website. (Photo by ThrasherDave, […]
Pledging: Model Intentional Giving
In interviews with congregations in a variety of settings, we discovered that the most effective stewardship formation occurs in the context of worship, in open and frank discussions about money, faith and giving, and in the ability to help people understand how their giving funds the various ministries of the church, including social outreach. Read our findings. (Photo © ashumskiy – Fotolia.com)
