Mar. 13, 2019A Fresh Vision in StewardingDon’t talk to me about stewardship as if it is this thing I do. Talk to me about how I am a steward.
Mar. 12, 2019Millenials! Am I right?A healthy stewardship approach is taught by example, recognition, and constructive feedback – not shame and stereotypes. Yet even in the church, young people are often the punchline of jokes and complaints. So, this week, Rev. Anders Peterson does some myth-busting on what it means to be a Millenial. Being a Millienial church leader, myself — one who has taught Confirmation classes to
Mar. 05, 2019Engaging Millennials & More Cashless GivingThe rate of change for many of our congregations doesn’t quite keep up with shifts in the broader culture. Oftentimes, that serves as a blessing. At other times — especially when engaging financial stewardship — this rate of change can stall our ministry. This week, mission developer Anders Peterson reflects on digital giving. If your congregation hasn’t looked into electronic
Feb. 26, 2019Cultivating & Letting Go This LentThere are many ways to minster. This week, we hear from the Reverend Lisle Gwynn Garrity, who uses art as a tool for spiritual formation. In the piece below, she reflects on stewardship and the story of the prodigal son. Plus, as a bonus for church leaders planning for Lent, Lisle links these themes to Lenten worship and reflection materials
Feb. 19, 2019When Enough is EnoughNo greater theme has led stewardship talk in the past generation than that of “abundance vs. scarcity.” In today’s piece, David Loleng acknowledges the popularity of the trope while seeking to add complexity. How does abundance language implicate cultural themes of conspicuous consumption or prosperity gospel? As an alternative, David suggests a humbler frame for our stewardship themes: enough. Yours
Feb. 12, 2019Illuminating Stewardship in Today’s CultureStewardship is an act of practical theology. Accordingly, context matters deeply. In today’s post, pastor Larissa Kwong Abazia engages the contextual challenges of contemporary culture and the call to stewardship. Additionally, I invite you to check out the “Invitation for Groundbreaking Research Project Participation with Fundraisers of Color” announcement at the bottom of this post. Larissa, with an amazing team
Feb. 05, 2019Sharing Bicycles, Sharing WasteThe negative impact of experimental projects, especially in business, is typically measured financially. Yet whether there are gains or losses in the view of the stakeholders, the broader community is often left to deal with increased material burdens on transportation and waste management. Reflecting on Jonathan Malesic’s account of citywide bike-sharing, let us consider how stewardship expands our definition of stakeholders. Yours
Jan. 29, 2019All Together in One PlaceThe end of the month is always a good time to reflect on the past. This time we are looking way back, to the culture of the second century Christian Church, as described in the Book of Acts. Fellowship can be spontaneous, but stewardship of community requires dedication. I trust we all seek to improve how to be together in
Jan. 22, 2019You Can’t Beat God’s GivingInspired by the song “You Can’t Beat God’s Giving,” and her experiences growing up immersed in ministry, Jennifer Kaalund helps us reflect today on stewardship lessons from the African American Church. Other conversations about church stewardship frequently hinge on assumptions about hard money paying for tall walls where congregations gather. Hopefully you can address those assumptions with a grain of salt after
Jan. 15, 2019Sharing ControlChild’s play is nothing to be overlooked, since our understanding of developmental psychology continues to inform everything from teaching tactics to what it means to be human in collective society. After enjoying the animated video linked below, consider how this fresh approach to teaching “sharing” challenges your own assumptions about stewardship. We’ll give you time and space to figure it