1. Preaching Effective Stewardship Sermons
Rod Wiltrout
Church Finance Specialist
California Southern Baptist Convention

2. If You Want Your Congregation to Be Wise Stewards…
“You must be an exemplary money manager.“
You must be out of consumer debt if you ask your people to reorganize their finances.

3. You must be a grace giver if you ask your people to be grace givers.
You lead the church in making wise money decisions.
They are going to hear only what they see you do.

4. “You must reflect the great generosity of God in the way you manage church resources."
You must lead the church to ministries that will reach out to a lost and dying world.
You must maximize the impact of what you spend.

5. “You need to be able to lead the church through intricate money decisions or get help with this."
"Pastors must understand the profound connections between spirituality and the use of money.”

6. Make Stewardship More Than Money
Define the purpose of Stewardship
Stewardship is an act of love and an action.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. New American Standard Bible : 1995 update (Jn 3:16). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

7. The hallmark of the believer is Love (agape).
Everything the believer does is to be an act of love.
Love is always an action. 1 Corinthians 13
Stewardship is a heart issue.

8. Get past Malachi 3:6-12, but don’t neglect the truths found in it.
There are 2,350 verses on money and possessions: use them.
Money is only one aspect of stewardship.

9. Make Stewardship Real Connect Stewardship as a lifestyle.
Connect every facet of life with Stewardship.
Connect every sermon with a stewardship issue.
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Ps 24:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

10. See Stewardship as a year round focus.
Guide your congregation to see tithing and grace giving as just one facet of stewardship.
Stewardship involves four areas: time, talent, tithe, touch.

11. Lift Up Stewardship in their Lives
Make stewardship a positive action.
When you give, you allow God to…
Make stewardship holistic-life encompassing
Make Stewardship go beyond your church-Cooperative Program & your Association.

12. When You Talk About Money…
When you do talk about tithing, tell them who, what, when, where, how, and why.
Babies know what we teach them. Teach your babies well.

13. Close the Deal
Ask them to immediately take action on their stewardship.
Give them an opportunity to do it right then and throughout the week.
Satan loves tomorrow: it never comes.
Help them be accountable to each other for their stewardship.
Celebrate their stewardship with them-not “showy”, but affirming.

14. Get Some Help Use Bible programs.
Talk to fellow pastors about preaching ideas.
Look at Stewardship Promotion packets.
Preach to specific issues: family, new building, etc..

15. Sermon Helps
Discounted bible software
Free bible software
Bible software for your PDA
Review bible software site
Blogs

16. Sample Sermon The Christian who tithes will be surprised:
At the amount of money he has for the Lord’s work,
At the deepening of his spiritual life in paying the tithe,
At the ease in meeting his own obligation with the nine-tenths,
At the ease in going from one-tenth to a larger percentage,
At the preparation this gives to be a faithful and wise steward over the nine-tenths remaining,
At himself for not adopting the plan sooner! Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : [a treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers]. Garland TX: Bible Communications.

17. Communicate What You Want for Your congregation
To Give
Become grace givers
To Save
Save for their future and for future ministry opportunities
To Live
Without fear of the telephone-debt collectors
With hope for the future being secure in the Lord

18. Remember: Ministry Grows where the Money Flows.

19. Resources
Religious PowerPoints
Generous Giving
Saddleback Stewardship
Building Church Leaders
GuideStone Website

20. What Questions can I answer for You?
Rod Wiltrout
Church Finance Specialist
California Southern Baptist Convention
P2:
F: M: E: W:
Okay, I’ve talked a lot. What questions do you have?
After answering their questions, give the meeting back to the pastor or whoever is in charge.