1. Grace Duddy and Chick Lane Center for Stewardship Leaders
Luther Seminary

2. What - What is stewardship?
Who and Why – The roles of rostered and lay leaders in stewardship ministry.
What – Eight stewardship ideas

3. What do we mean when we use the word “stewardship”?

4. What is “stewardship”? For most people, “stewardship” is a code word.
For most congregation members, it is code for “What the congregation does to get some of my money out of my pocket and into the offering plate.” (and my job is to give just enough to not feel guilty)
For most congregation leaders, it is code for “Those things we have to do to get enough money to pay the bills.” (and we know how well we have done at year end when we know if we have enough money to pay all the bills)

5. What is “stewardship”?
For most people, the common thread is that stewardship is about the need of the congregation to receive.
It is what we do to feed the business side of the congregation’s life.
If stewardship ministry is ever going to be what it can be:
We need to crack the code.
We need to disconnect stewardship from bills and budgets.

6. Stewardship begins with God
It is not about you!
Three movements:
Creation
Jesus
Baptism

7. Creation
“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) Humanity is not an owner but a steward of God's creation!

8. Jesus
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16) In Jesus, God brings us love, life and salvation.

9. Baptism
"But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Galatians 3:25-27) Through baptism, we receive God's grace, are freed from the law and invited into the community of faith.

10. It All Belongs to God
Psalm 24:1-2 The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.

11. It All Belongs to God
Psalm 89:11 The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it--you have founded them.

12. It all belongs to God.
We are stewards.

13. Sty warden – the keeper of the sty.

14. We are stewards.
I Corinthians 4:1-2 Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.

15. We are stewards.
I Peter 4:10 Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.

16. We are stewards
“The human being is, as God’s steward, accountable to God and responsible for its fellow creatures.” The Steward, p. 26
The Steward

17. We are Stewards
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest? He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Matthew 22:37-39) A steward is someone who uses all that God has entrusted to her care to love God and her neighbor.

18. Shift the Stewardship Conversation

19. The most important thing you can do in stewardship ministry is to move the money conversation…
To helping people connect faith and finances in their lives.
From “Paying the Bills”

20. The Role of Rostered and Lay Leaders in Congregational Stewardship Ministry
Three contributions that Rostered Leaders are best equipped to make
Three contributions that lay leaders are best equipped to make
Five observed roles of Rostered Leaders and Stewardship Committees/reflection on these

21. Three contributions that Rostered Leaders are best equipped to make
Keep the focus on God’s word
Keep the focus on the mission
Engage in the difficult work of tending to the long-term plan and the weekly details

22. Three contributions that lay leaders are best equipped to make
Be willing to talk about money
Be willing to share your story
Bring the best of the rest of your life

23. Five observed roles of Rostered Leaders
#1 - Absent – The Rostered Leader does not take an active role in stewardship ministry. Either there is no stewardship ministry or lay leaders do everything.

24. Five observed roles of Rostered Leaders
#2 - Non-Invested Participant – The Rostered Leader attends stewardship committee meetings, but takes limited role in stewardship ministry beyond attendance at meetings.

25. Five observed roles of Rostered Leaders
#3 – Solo - The Rostered Leader is the only person in the congregation who is responsible for stewardship. Often there is a Finance Committee who is responsible for financial management.

26. Five observed roles of Rostered Leaders
#4 - Non-participatory Vision-Caster – The Rostered Leader creates a vision for stewardship that fits with the overall vision of the congregation, passes this vision on to the stewardship committee, but has no or limited participation in the implementation of the vision, except, perhaps, to monitor it as an outside observer.

27. Five observed roles of Rostered Leaders
#5 - Participatory Leader – Along with lay leaders, the Rostered Leader participates in the development and implementation of the congregation’s stewardship vision. The pastor is often the one who monitors the ongoing progress of the implementation. A strong, committed lay leader may also serve this role.

28. Five observed roles of Rostered Leaders
Absent
Non-Invested Participant
Solo
Non-participatory Vision Caster
Participatory Leader

29. Reflection on these roles
Which of the five best describes how you currently operate in stewardship ministry?
Historically, which role has the Rostered Leader had in the congregation?
How would you like to provide leadership?
What steps can you take to move in that direction?

30. Eight Stewardship Ideas
Talk about money when you aren’t asking for any
Preach faith and finances
Plan your annual response program (starting tonight)
Tell your congregation’s story to your congregation
Develop a plan for thanking
Offer a personal financial wellness resource
Expand your “ways of giving”
Talk about stewardship year-round

31. #1 - Talk about money when you aren’t asking for any
“Here is what we say through our stewardship practices: 10% belongs to God; the rest belongs to you. Give that 10% to the church, which will use it for God’s purposes. The other 90%? Do whatever you want with it.” - Rolf Jacobson

32. What are some helpful steps forward?
Name that you are talking about money without asking for any, then don’t dare ask for any money
Sermons – (the year of Luke is a goldmine)
Adult education opportunities
“Holding a Money and Values Conversation”
Fearless Feasts
Read and discuss – “Enough” by Adam Hamilton
“Mind Your Money” at sharesavespend.com
Money Autobiography

33. #2 – Preach Faith and Finances
September 5 – Luke 14:25-33 – “None of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.”
September 19 – Luke 16:1-13 – Dishonest Manager

34. Preach Faith and Finances
September 26 – Luke 16:19-31 – Rich man and Lazarus
October 31 – Luke 19:1-10 – Jesus and Zacchaeus
How about a sermon series on generous people in the bible

35. #3 – Plan Your Annual Response Program (Starting Tonight)
Giving Magazine -

36. Plan Your Annual Response Program (Starting Tonight)
New Consecration Sunday -

37. #3 – Plan Your Annual Response Program (Starting Tonight)
Walk with Jesus –

38. #3 – Plan Your Annual Response Program (Starting Tonight)
Stretch yourself – Consider how you might target your ask to specific members or groups of members.

39. #4 – Plan to Tell Your Congregation’s Story to Your Congregation
Develop a month by month plan for the next year
The need to tell something many times using different media before the message is heard
The knowledge gap between leaders and others
Tell as you thank
Tie your telling to your mission
“Because of you…”
“Look what you’ve done now…”

40. Telling the local story
To repeat myself – don’t assume too much knowledge
Temple Talks (short, sweet and well-rehearsed) are effective for this task
Tell the congregation’s story
Tell the story of the congregation in the community
Connect telling, serving and giving
This might be the best place to engage younger members

41. Telling the story of designated giving
Use the web and available print resources
Guest speakers/preachers
Mission trips?

42. Telling the story of synod and churchwide

43. #5 – Develop a Plan for Thanking
Lessons from Luther Seminary (and many other non-profits)
How Luther Seminary thanks donors
How much of this is transferable?
What are the possibilities of giver targeted thanking?
What are the dangers of giver targeted thanking?

44. Develop a Plan for Thanking
Think of as many occasions as possible that people give to your congregation
Develop a plan for how you will respond to each occasion
Regular giving by members
Regular giving by non-members
First time gift
One-time gift by member or friend
Memorial gift by member
Memorial gift by non-member
Don’t forget estimates of giving

45. Develop a Plan for Thanking
Stretch yourself – To thank effectively, a pastor must know what people give. Does your pastor know what people give?
If so, how is this knowledge used to further the ministry of the congregation?
If not, why not?

46. #6 – Offer a Personal Financial Wellness Resource
There are lots of options:
“Enough” by Adam Hamilton – book with discussion
Financial Peace University – Dave Ramsey
Good Sense Movement – Willow Creek
Share Save Spend resources – Nathan Dungan
More than Money Matters - Thrivent

47. #7 – Expand Your Ways of Giving
Assess how people can give to your congregation
Ask how they would like to give to your congregation
Implement at least one new way of giving

48. Expand Your Ways of Giving
Check/Cash in offering plate or by mail
Designated gift
Stock gift
Endowment gift
Automatic Transfer
Credit/Debit Card
Online Giving through your website
Text Giving

49. #8 – Talk about stewardship year-round
Stewardship isn’t a season
Stewardship is a way of life. It is a mindset, a culture, and a practice that can never be contained in an annual three-week campaign.
Year-round stewardship is intentionally holistic.

50. What might year-round stewardship look like in your congregation?
Bi-Annual Plan
Annual Response Program
Another emphasis (time, talent, earth, etc.)
Quarterly Plan
3 other seasonal stewardship themes
Monthly Plan
1 stewardship theme for each month

51. Stewards of God’s Love

52. Stewards of God’s Love DOWN IN OUT Annual Response
Congregational Community
God’s Abundance
God’s Grace
Story
Creation
Talents
Time
Money
Stuff
Justice
Local Community
Global Community

53. Eight Stewardship Ideas
Talk about money when you aren’t asking for any
Preach faith and finances
Plan your annual response program (starting tonight)
Tell your congregation’s story to your congregation
Develop a plan for thanking
Offer a personal financial wellness resource
Expand your “ways of giving”
Talk about stewardship year-round