What is “Stewardship”?
“Stewardship” is the faithful use of God’s gifts for the congregation’s participation in God’s mission.
Just as God blesses God’s children with what they need, so congregations are entrusted by God with all the resources they need to carry out the ministries to which God calls them:
- Financial resources and investments
- Buildings and property
- Tangible assets
- All the faithful servants gathered in that community, with all the passions, skills, expertise and time gifted to them by God
Congregations are also blessed by (and participate in stewarding):
- The community in which God has placed them
- The world which God created
- The neighbors God has called them to love and serve
Marks of healthy stewardship ministries:
- Disciples are given opportunities to learn and practice generosity as a faith practice
- Stewardship fits naturally into congregational decision-making year-round, facilitating the congregation’s purpose and mission
- The congregation recognizes that all its resources are blessings from God for the sake of ministry
- The congregation models generosity in its relationships outside the congregation
- Leaders model generosity within the congregation and invite others to join them
- The congregation is excited—about its generosity, about its mission, about its ministries!
How healthy is your congregation’s Stewardship Ministry?
