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Can Stewardship be More Inviting?
Because Americans are comfortable keeping faith and money separate, whenever we start a conversation about stewardship by talking about money or financial need, we immediately arouse hostility. All stewardship talk which begins with money starts at the wrong place. The place to begin meaningful stewardship conversation is with the concept of freedom. (Photo (c) 2006 Jgroup, via bigstock.com.)
Grace & Gratitude Grow Givers
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and […]
Five Principles of Stewardship in the Congregation
The stewardship of the gospel begins where we are. It is within and outside the congregation that we share the responsibility and accountability with other stewards of the gospel. And it needs to be said as forcibly as possible that what we do is as important as what we say. Someone has wisely observed that “It is not enough to talk the talk, unless we also walk the walk.” (Photo by Sultry used under a Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
Lighting the First Candle
We shall never know the true meaning of being faithful stewards until we are prepared to risk the transitory for the sake of the ethereal. In other words, there has to come a time when we are willing to turn on all the lights and burn all the candles for the sake of the least of these. (Photo by allegri used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
The Stories of Isaiah and Pepe
You and I learn much about living as faithful stewards from the examples of others. For example, let’s examine the calls of two men, hoping thereby that we can examine, accept, and renew our own calls. (Illustration is Michaelangelo’s depiction of Isaiah at the Sistine Chapel.)
The Positives of Pledging
By Clint Schroeder In my 30-plus years of being involved in stewardship programming across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, I have heard a lot of comments about pledging. Many were negative. Let me proclaim the positives of pledging: Pledging is spiritual Pledging is discipline Pledging is practical Giving the first fruits […]
Two Questions — Two Incredible Answers
The Rev. George Haynes
Are we allowed to do with our possessions what we want? And what belongs to us, and what belongs to God, anyway? When you look at the biblical witness, the answers are astounding.
Our Charge: To Do God’s Work
By Lt. Col. David Penman
Any statement on stewardship must be kept in the context of who and whose we are. We are charged with taking care of things until Jesus comes again. But this is certainly not a passive supervision of God’s creation. We are all charged with doing his work.
Zacchaeus, Patron Saint for Stewards
When Zacchaeus encountered Jesus, he did not promise to read scripture more faithfully nor to attend the synagogue more regularly. On this occasion he was not pledging his time or his talent to the programmatic mission of the faith community. Worthy as those are — and necessary for the life of the people of God — this visit was about something else.