Browsing
The Freedom in Saying “No”
Next time you’re tempted to make a purchase, consider the freedom you night gain by saying “no” instead of “yes” to consumption. Joshua Becker explains how part of good stewardship lies in learning to assess the difference in these two simple words. Â (Photo: sboneham, Creative Commons)
Vanity, Thy Name is Mortal
Lectionary Reflection for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, July 31, 2016
Let’s challenge one another to take up a countercultural course of action and drop the vanity that costs us so much and yields so very little. Let us seek our wealth in faith, in relationship, and in service to God and one another. In doing so, we will indeed have enough—and then some. (Photo: daily sunny, Creative Commons)
Public Stewards. Public Life.
Stewardship is part of every aspect of our lives, and responding faithfully to often polarizing issue in politics and culture can be a challenge. Public Faith in Action, a timely new release by Miroslav Volf and Ryan McAnnally-Linz, is designed to help people of faith both talk about tough issues and take action. (Photo: Michael […]
13 Reasons your Church Needs a Planned Giving Strategy
Planned giving plants seeds that will yield a bigger harvest. A planned giving strategy is a wise investment in your congregation’s ministry, mission, and future.Share this article with congregational leaders to start the conversation about why this needs to be an integral part of your stewardship ministry. (Photo: Ken Mayer, Creative Commons)
Creation Care Curriculum: Every Creature Singing
This spring while scheduling your Earth Day observance, plan to educate your church on how our decisions impact the one and only planet that God gave us to live on — and how we can care for creation! “Every Creature Singing” gives you a detailed 13-session lesson plan, as well as a teacher’s guide. Each lesson has Scripture, readings, discussion questions that focus on your neighborhood, and other resources. (Photo: George Fox Evangelical Seminary, Creative Commons)
Will We Ever Have Enough?
What does it mean to have enough? Writer and retreat leader Erin S. Lane explores this question through scripture and observation of natural world and our human interactions. (Photo: Lisa L. Wiedmeier, Creative Commons)
Climate Change: Finding Common Ground
“When you dig to the bottom of it,†climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe says, “the problem many people have with climate change is not with the science. The problem is that people believe climate change is not consistent with their ideological values, political values, or faith values.†Read more of Hayhoe’s perspectives in this article. (Photo: […]
How Giving Turned This Church Around
Jon Weese was challenged to turn a struggling church around and he did so by challenging people to look outside the doors rather than inward toward themselves. He practiced radical giving of self, time, and resources and expected the congregation to do the same. Read this article published in Relevant Magazine to learn more. (Photo: […]
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, […]
The Liturgy of Abundance, the Myth of Scarcity
One of Christian theology’s most prophetic voices offers a challenging biblical analysis of the role of money in our culture. Wealth in America, Brueggemann says, acts as a narcotic, numbing us. “The great contradiction is that we have more and more money and less and less generosity — less and less public money for the needy, less charity for the neighbor.” (Photo: Prisoner 5413, Creative Commons)