Browsing by Rob Blezard
The Importance of a Narrative Budget
Narrative budgeting has a critical role to play in any comprehensive parish stewardship program. Basic philanthropic theory indicates that people want their money to have an impact, and narrative budgeting is a great tool to demonstrate to donors how their money and time touch the lives of people in need. (Photo © Artur Gabrysiak – […]
Quick Stewardship Ideas for Youth
Sometimes, when young people are gathered, there’s an opportunity to utilize the time to focus on the whole concept of stewardship. Here are a few ideas to play with, from the Anglican Church of Canada. (Photo © Vibe Images – Fotolia.com)
Choosing the Right Church Accounting Software
So many choices, so much confusion! That’s sometimes the reaction when churches look into accounting software, but this article from the Episcopal Church Foundation looks at three of the most popular options. (Photo by Kodomut, used by Creative Commons license)
Reclaiming the True Meaning of Stewardship
When most people hear the word stewardship, they grab their wallet or purse, either to open it or get a firmer grip. But as Chris Goulard, Pastor of Stewardship at Saddleback Church, would tell you, there’s a movement going on in the church today: a movement back to true, biblical stewardship. Read his insights at […]
Why Financial Planning Needs More Religion
Acknowledging faith and spirituality helps people better understand their financial goals — and stick to them, says a financial advisor, writing in Money magazine. Candice McGarvey works with clients to integrate faith and finance. (Photo © Mladen Djordjevic – Fotolia.com)
Climate Change Curriculum for Churches
Climate change is a confusing topic, not to mention a terrifying one. It often feels more about problems than solutions, which makes it easy to push to the sidelines as “something scientists can deal with.†This free, six-lesson course prepared by the UU United Nations Office aims to give participants a solid understanding of the facts behind climate change, an appreciation of the earth, and tools to find solutions on a range of scales. (Photo by Takver, used by Creative Commons license)
Christians Join Climate Change March
Christians were well represented among the 310,000 people who traveled to New York City on Sunday, Sept. 21, for the largest-ever protest to spur world leaders to address climate change. The march was in advance of a UN Summit. Good reporting, plus a video, from the Christian Science Monitor. (Photo by Takver, used by Creative […]
Book Review: Charity
In his 2013 book “Charity: The Place of the Poor in the Biblical Tradition,” University of Notre Dame theologian Gary A. Anderson challenges Protestants to take seriously the biblical commands—and promises—about giving to those in need, according to this review from ChristianityToday.com. (Photo by Ed Yourdon, used by Creative Commons license)
Living in Abundance Lesson Series
The connection between stewardship and church mission and faith discipleship is pretty clear, but many of God’s people have simply never been taught. This three-lesson package, subtitled “Lessons in Generosity,” was prepared by faculty of Luther Seminary and will help adult learners understand key stewardship concepts. Includes PowerPoint presentations. (Photo by Monado, used by Creative Commons license)
Habits Are Key to Transformative Leadership
Our church is facing unprecedented challenges, but many of us were never trained or prepared to serve God’s people in the 21st century’s emerging environment. Transformative leadership seeks to help by teaching us how to change ourselves first. This article from Duke Divinity School provides an overview. (Photo (c) 2005 OJ the Photographer, via Bigstock.com)
