Browsing Congregational Finance
Estate Planning: A Key to Faithful Stewardship
An estate plan is a significant resource for a faithful Christian steward to bring their finances in line with faith values, but many churches fall short in educating their members to be even better stewards of God’s gifts. Here are some tips. From the United Methodist Church. (Photo © Robert Kneschke – Fotolia.com)
Scholastic Year vs. Calendar Year Stewardship
Check out this article from Luther Seminary’s Center for Stewardship Leaders weekly newsletter! Pastor Paul Ziese talks about how his congregation made the switch and experienced strong results. (Photo: William Warby, Creative Commons)
From Stewardship to Generosity
Robert Schanse, author of Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, explains why its important to move your church culture towards generosity, and he offers a list of “dos” and “don’ts” that will guide your path. From Ministry Matters. (Photo © laurent hamels – Fotolia.com)
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)
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)
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)
