BCNE News
The latest news from our network of New England churches. Looking for our New England Perspectives Articles? Click here.
Rethinking our stewardship strategy
I don’t know about your church but during the pandemic our church had to rethink our church’s giving procedures and strategies. Several years earlier we had begun an online giving option but only two people were taking advantage of it. It was now time for us to help our congregation to utilize different methods of giving and to present our offering time in a more meaningful way.
Revitalize the heart through giving
Revitalizing a church involves cultivating revitalized givers. People give to vision and movements, not to traditions and personal preferences. Although there are many methods of giving, the giving principle never changes. The Old Testament threshold giving is 10% to God as the starting point. However, in the New Testament, you see examples of sacrificial giving and generosity by believers through the local church to accomplish God’s gospel mission in the world.
What do you believe about stewardship? Part 1
Spoiler alert: this is one of my most embarrassing ministry moments!
About thirty years ago, I was attending my first meeting with state convention stewardship leaders. After hearing presentations on various stewardship programs to offer to our churches, one of the more seasoned leaders asked me, “So, Stan, what are you going to do to help your churches in the area of stewardship?”
Tithing = celebration?
“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (1 Cor. 9:7)
How many of you reading that verse winced just a little … or maybe a lot? It’s those last two words, isn’t it? “Cheerful giver.” They almost seem to expect too much commitment to the process. Trust me, I am not throwing any stones here – there have been many times over the years that I played with this phrase like the lawyer in Luke 10 who toyed with the idea of just who is a neighbor? You know, how cheerful does cheerful need to be, really?