Stewardship in African-american Churches


Book Description

"When the church embraces the responsibility of living as faith managers of God's vast resources [as Psalm 24:1 teaches], the community of faith will prosper." So begins this practical and theological study of stewardship, both in the context of the African-American church tradition and beyond. After all, a systematic approach to stewardship undergirds the ministry and mission of the church universal. A stewardship consultant, Amerson draws upon his experience to help churches develop a theology of generosity; define stewardship leadership roles; celebrate the offering each week; and establish endowment giving. While recognizing still-relevant traditions, he also points to newer tactics and strategies convenient to both members and congregations--including electronic giving, contribution statements, and year-end giving. A highlight of the book is Amerson's explanation of the development of a narrative budget/narrative spending plan. He also writes about stewardship education at multiple levels. This book is a solid resource for financial stewardship education.




Best Practices in Parish Stewardship


Book Description

The most comprehensive analysis of both financial and non-financial parish stewardship activities ever published. Get ideas, confirmation, and results by understanding what works and doesn't work at stewardship parishes across the country.




Giving and Stewardship in an Effective Church


Book Description

This complete guide to giving and stewardship sheds new light on solid financial resources, one of the 12 keys to building an effective church. Here is a practical plan for the growth and development of giving and stewardship in your congregation, complete with action worksheets that advance the progress of the plan over four years.




Stewardship Mandate


Book Description

Christ says, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded." Luke 12:48. We live in an age of unparalleled resources and comfort. To the Christian this represents an opportunity and a responsibility. Christians have a tremendous opportunity to do the maximum amount of good to the maximum amount of people. We also have a responsibility to be good managers of all that God entrusts to us-time, abilities, health and finances. If you desire to become an increasingly excellent steward of all the resources God has given you, then you will benefit from reading Stewardship Mandate. Stewardship Mandate will give you a blueprint for living and making progress in the area of whole-life stewardship-making the most of time, abilities, health and finances. You will learn how to develop a stewardship plan for your life. This plan will help you set goals, monitor and track your progress in the crucial area of stewardship in your Christian life. J.C. Ryle says, "Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people." We will be asked to give an account of our stewardship at death. Will you be prepared to do so on the day you meet God?




Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program Guide with Download Library


Book Description

Teaching Stewardship from a Spiritual Perspective–Consecration Sunday Program Guide, Revised and Updated Edition. Consecration Sunday approaches financing the ministries of your congregation by teaching stewardship from a spiritual perspective rather than a fundraising perspective. It focuses on the question, "What is God calling me to do?" rather than, "What does the church need in order to pay its bills?" This revised edition offers updated language, references, and statistics while keeping everything that has resonated with the program for more than 25 years intact. Digital materials available with the Program Guide are now available via Internet download, are updated and include social media posts in additional to letters and other proven communications tools. The Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program is a proven winner; it has helped thousands of congregations increase financial giving by 15% to 30%. What do I need to get started? Order the Stewardship Program Guide (9781791024024) and gather a team. Purchase copies of the Team Member Guide (9781791024048), one for each member of your team. These resources provide complete instructions for implementing the program successfully. Also Available: Consecration Sunday Estimate of Giving Cards Pkg. of 100 (9780687064069) Living Gratitude Devotional (9781791024062) Does it work? Thousands of congregations have experienced 15% to 30% increases in financial giving with the Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program the first year plus additional significant increases in subsequent years of its use. One congregation obtained these impressive multi-year results: First year, a 14.4% increase in giving; second year, 10.3% increase; third year, 13.4% increase; fourth year, 13.6%; and fifth year, 19.6% increase. A congregation's financial secretary said, "More than two-thirds of our households made some degree of annual increase each year we used Consecration Sunday. And each year we used the program, four to six additional households decided to tithe (some of those donors grew from giving 4 percent of their income to giving 10 percent of their income)."




Abundance


Book Description

This book by pastor and certified fund raising executive (CFRE) Michael R. Ward provides church leaders a resource to lead their congregations to a new culture of generosity and abundance that raises more money as well as more disciples. Written specifically with pastors, congregation councils, finance committees, and stewardship teams in mind, this book encourages and guides a process of study, reflection, and action that is clear and practical. Ward taps into years of experience fundraising in the nonprofit sector to address the ongoing challenges of financing ministry. His goal is to empower congregations and other nonprofit organizations to expect and plan for generosity. The book moves from grounding stewardship ministry biblically and theologically to setting up the basic building blocks for strong stewardship, including board development, stewardship planning, and strategic planning. From there, it addresses practical tactics, such as case development, communication, donor mentality, roadblocks, volunteers, and steps to a gift. Real-life stories and examples of growing stewardship programs and capital campaigns are provided along with practical hands-on tools to help groups plan, develop, and implement stewardship plans.




Ask, Thank, Tell


Book Description

The goal of this book, says author Charles Lane, is to perform a dramatic rescue of stewardship, freeing it from any connection whatsoever to "paying the bills." When the Bible talks about stewardship it almost always talks about the intimate connection between how a person handles financial matters and that person's relationship with God. Stewardship is an intensely spiritual matter that lies close to a disciple's relationship with Jesus.The book is designed especially for use in congregational planning and study. Congregational stewardship leaders will come back to three foundational verbs ? ask, thank, tell ? over and over as they help individuals experience the joy of giving generously. The author makes the convincing case that there is little in life today that can help a disciple grow in relationship with Jesus more than a solid intentional biblical stewardship.




Embracing Stewardship


Book Description




How to Increase Giving in Your Church


Book Description

One of the most difficult tasks facing any church leader is the issue of raising funds. It's not that we don't realize that tithing and giving are biblical issues; God's Word is full of strong statements about the stewardship of money. But how does a pastor convey God's heart for stewardship? Literally, what's the best way to raise the money your church needs to survive? Obviously, God is the one who builds the church and he is the ultimate provider. But what's the best process of shepherding the funds he has for your church? This step-by-step guide will give you tools you need to raise funds in your church--scripturally and successfully--without compromising biblical integrity. After all, it's God's church and his mone--but our responsibility to manage it.




Beyond the Offering Plate


Book Description

Everyone knows that stewardship is more than money and finances. Nevertheless, seldom do we give time to explore the profound concept of stewardship in its many dimensions, including stewardship of time, work, body, mind, spirit, community, technology, and more. Beyond the Offering Plate does just that. Written by ten engaging pastors, seminary professors, and church leaders, this unique resource offers a diverse and holistic approach to stewardship. In ten accessible chapters, readers will learn how they can faithfully and practically discuss and engage with stewardship on a regular basis. Ideal for church leaders, seminary students, and pastors, this book includes questions for reflection and applications for life together at the end of each chapter. Copeland adds a special section with biblical references and preaching themes at the end of the book. Featured contributors include: Margaret P. Aymer, Associate Professor of New Testament at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas Kathleen A. Cahalan, Professor of Theology at Saint John's University School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville, Minnesota MaryAnn McKibben Dana, author of Sabbath in the Suburbs David Gambrell, Associate for Worship in the Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) David P. King, Karen Lake Buttrey Director of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving and Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana Neal D. Presa, pastor and former moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Ellie Roscher, Director of Youth and Story Development at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities in Minneapolis and author of How Coffee Saved My Life Mary Hinkle Shore, pastor of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Brevard, North Carolina John W. Vest, Visiting Assistant Professor of Evangelism at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia