Stewardship Leader: Recent Episodes
Christian Stewardship Network
CSN exists to encourage, teach and connect church and stewardship leaders and help them build and lead healthy stewardship ministries in their church. You can learn more about CSN @ christianstewardshipnetwork.com.
Dr Shane Enete’s book
Whole Heart Finances website
Kingdomadvisors.com
Company stock screeners
inspireinsight.com
briinstitute.com
evalueator.com
Kingdomadvisors.com
Resources
Grey Matter Research Website
MortarStone Website
The Giving Gap
The Generosity Gap
Lapsed Ministry Donor Report
MortarStone 2023 Annual Report
Often overlooked in stewardship discussions, those with abundant resources face their own spiritual and practical struggles. In this episode, we’re again joined by Gregg Gless, Generous Life Pastor at ResLife Church in Grandville, MI, to explore the unique challenges and opportunities that come with ministering to individuals and families who have a financial surplus. You’ll learn how Greg and his team have grown a community of generous people by focusing on what matters most: discipleship.
ResLife Church - Real Life
Contact Gregg Gless - gregg@reslife.org
Learn About Generous Giving - here
What does it look like for a church to effectively minister to people when they are in financial distress? Should churches provide financial assistance? To whom, and for what needs? How can church leaders ensure that the help they’re providing isn’t hurting or treating the symptoms rather than the root issues? In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re talking with Gregg Gless, the Generous Life Pastor at ResLife Church in Grandville, MI, about their REAL Life Mentoring ministry specifically tailored for those who are struggling financially. You’ll learn how REAL provides people the opportunity to grow spiritually and practically.
ResLife Church - Real Life
Contact Gregg Gless - gregg@reslife.org
The Generous Life App aims to inspire and equip the world's largest gathering of generous Christians. It is more than just a financial tool. It's a community of like-minded Christians united in their journey toward financial freedom and kingdom impact. With its user-friendly interface, Generous Life allows members to manage their money, set financial goals, and connect with others for advice and support. This app provides budgeting tools, resources, and financial stewardship education tailored specifically for the Christian community. In this episode, we're talking with its founder, Greg Gless, to learn about the features and benefits of the app and a unique opportunity for our CSN community.
Generous Life Links:
Intro Video
Web App - www.GenerousLifeApp.com
Download the app: Apple Store and Google Play Store
How do Christians think about money and giving? A new report created by the Institute For Financial Health reveals essential data about Christians’ perspectives on these topics. It provides cutting-edge insights into the areas of generosity, debt, savings, budgeting, retirement, church teachings, and professional guidance. In this second podcast, we’re again talking with the Institute’s founder, Art Rainer, the creator of The Christian Financial Health Report, to discuss its findings and how these can assist church leaders and those who minister in financial discipleship in helping people improve their financial health.
Ministry Resources
Christian Financial Health Report
Institute For Financial Health
Christian Money Solutions
More than Money Podcast
Are you a pastor or church leader?
At Christian Stewardship Network, we are passionate about teaching the biblical perspective on finances so that you can teach your church with authority, confidence, and integrity. Our network is a group of passionate Christ-followers with a burden to teach and equip God's people in stewardship and generosity. Sign up for our mailing list to get new content directly to your inbox!
Become a member of our network to access our entire library of online courses, participate in monthly network calls, and more!
CSN is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Help us reach more churches with the message of stewardship and generosity, Support our mission through giving.
How do Christians think about money and giving? A new report created by the Institute For Financial Health reveals essential data about Christians’ perspectives on these topics. It provides cutting-edge insights into the areas of generosity, debt, savings, budgeting, retirement, church teachings, and professional guidance. In this podcast, we’re talking with the Institute’s founder, Art Rainer, the creator of The Christian Financial Health Report, to discuss its findings and how these can assist church leaders and those who minister in financial discipleship in helping people improve their financial health.
Ministry Resources
Christian Financial Health Report
Institute For Financial Health
Christian Money Solutions
More than Money Podcast
Are you a pastor or church leader?
At Christian Stewardship Network, we are passionate about teaching the biblical perspective on finances so that you can teach your church with authority, confidence, and integrity. Our network is a group of passionate Christ-followers with a burden to teach and equip God's people in stewardship and generosity. Sign up for our mailing list to get new content directly to your inbox!
Become a member of our network to access our entire library of online courses, participate in monthly network calls, and more!
CSN is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Help us reach more churches with the message of stewardship and generosity, Support our mission through giving.
Managing money comes with challenges, and none of us feel like we’re doing it perfectly. That’s why so many parents feel like they’re not qualified or financially wise enough to teach their kids about money. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re continuing our conversation with financial teacher and author Matt Bell. Matt has spent years teaching others how to manage money well, and through his book Trusted: Preparing Your Kids for a Lifetime of God-Honoring Money Management, he continues this work by focusing on and teaching parents how they can impart Biblical and practical financial wisdom to their kids.
Managing money comes with challenges, and none of us feel like we’re doing it perfectly. That’s why so many parents feel like they’re not qualified or financially wise enough to teach their kids about money. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re talking with financial teacher and author Matt Bell. Matt has spent years teaching others how to manage money well, and through his book Trusted: Preparing Your Kids for a Lifetime of God-Honoring Money Management, he continues this work by focusing on and teaching parents how they can impart Biblical and practical financial wisdom to their kids. If you want to know how to impart Biblical and practical financial wisdom to your kids, this episode and the next are for you.
Talking about generosity in the Church should be about transformation, not a transaction. Giving is not primarily for the benefit of the Church or God's work but for the benefit of each believer and their relationship with God. It is not about fundraising; it's about discipleship. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we're talking with Jim Sheppard, the CEO and Principal of Generis, about the vital need for discipleship in finances and how deeply connected it is to our faith and service to God and His Kingdom.
Financial discipleship is essential to helping people develop a Biblical view of money and possessions. Many programs, such as small group studies and video-taught classes, will provide the knowledge and wisdom necessary for people to mature as stewards of God’s resources. But, sometimes, the financial strain is more difficult and requires a one-on-one approach. This episode of Stewardship Leader is the second of three, focusing on financial coaching as a discipleship ministry. We are joined by Courtney Markley, a financial coach and advocate for building a trained network of financial coaches to serve God’s people in every church and beyond with a Biblical view of money.
Contact Courtney - courtney@markleycoachinggroup.com
Courtney’s Website - https://www.markleycoachinggroup.com/
CSN Membership - https://membership.christianstewardshipnetwork.com/
Financial discipleship is essential to helping people develop a Biblical view of money and possessions. Many programs, such as small group studies and video-taught classes, will provide the knowledge and wisdom necessary for people to mature as stewards of God’s resources. But, sometimes, the financial strain is more difficult and requires a one-on-one approach. This episode of Stewardship Leader is the second of three, focusing on financial coaching as a discipleship ministry. We are joined by Courtney Markley, a financial coach and advocate for building a trained network of financial coaches to serve God’s people in every church and beyond with a Biblical view of money.
Contact Courtney - courtney@markleycoachinggroup.com
Courtney’s Website - https://www.markleycoachinggroup.com/
CSN Membership - https://membership.christianstewardshipnetwork.com/
A troubling church statistic that seems not to be improving is the number of people not giving anything measurable to their church. Have you asked yourself why a significant number of your congregation isn’t giving? We have, too! To answer that question, Dave Briggs, the Stewardship Director at Central Christian Church in Phoenix, AZ, decided to do a year-long study to better understand this phenomenon. He joins us in this webinar to share his findings and offer some things church leaders can do to reverse this trend.
Get ready to unlock the potential of giving in the Church with MortarStone’s 2023 Annual Generosity Report. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re discussing some of the findings from this insightful report to help church leaders get a better understanding of the significant shifts and trends in generosity in the Church. We believe this information is crucial to the future of the Church and beneficial for church leaders for helping people grow in their commitment to God and funding God’s kingdom.MortarStone - https://www.linkedin.com/company/mortarstone/CSN Forum - https://www.christianstewardshipnetwork.com/forum
For the second year, CSN and Vision 2 have collaborated to develop the Stewardship Survey to understand what churches are dealing with and to develop recommendations and resources to help them disciple their congregations in stewardship and generosity. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we discuss our findings and provide recommendations to assist you with your ministry efforts.
Helping our congregations to live as good stewards and generous people is a responsibility church leaders should take seriously. Oftentimes, it is a lack of financial education that prevents people from growing in this area of their faith. Thankfully, there are people in our midst, like Stephen Hartley, our guest in today’s episode, who are passionate and willing to provide the education and knowledge our people need. In this episode, we’re talking about a not-well-known tool, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), available to seniors that will help them better steward their resources and perhaps increase their generosity.
In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we have another leader in the stewardship spotlight. We’re talking with Greg Gless from ResLife Church in Grandville, Michigan. Greg is the Generous Life Pastor and oversees the stewardship and generosity ministry at ResLife Church. His God-story of coming into and serving in this ministry is inspiring, as is his impact in serving the people at ResLife and beyond. You will enjoy hearing Greg and his story.
Planned giving is more than just a useful service that a church or ministry should provide to its members. It is a powerful tool that enables them to leave a legacy, ensuring that the work of the ministry continues to thrive long after we are gone. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re talking with Dave Hess from Financial Planning Ministry about the significant impact this ministry is having in helping families and funding future ministries. You’ll also learn how you can get an inside look at their process and learn more about their partnership opportunities.
Pastors need to know that there’s more to stewardship ministry than helping people get out of debt or develop a budget. A natural outflow of good stewardship is generosity. As Christians become affluent by practicing good stewardship, a need for more intentional and strategic generosity becomes equally important. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re talking with David Thoroughman from MortarStone about a ministry to the wealthy, helping those whom God has entrusted with wealth in giving strategically and wisely to the Church and Kingdom causes.
An effective financial discipleship ministry requires a strategy with many moving parts. A crucial part is being able to understand the generosity of your congregation and ensure your people’s ability to give is made as simple as possible. In this episode, we’re talking with Taylor Brooks, the founder and CEO of Simple (formerly known as Simple Donation), to find out how he and his team submit to and support the mission of the Church through software and personal service.
When building a robust and effective Stewardship and Generosity Ministry at your church, you must take into consideration the ministri’s ability to scale and grow into the future. In this episode, we’re talking with Chris Goulard, the Pastor of Strategic Advancement at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, about building a volunteer leadership team to ensure the long-term growth and health of the ministry. You will learn when is the right time to build your team, how to recruit, some of the roles and responsibilities on the team, the benefits and challenges of having a leadership team, and much more.
During economic uncertainty, people start adjusting their financial choices, including their generosity. The reality for most church members is that they are working with fewer resources than before due to inflation. At the same time, given their limited resources, they're trying to achieve what they believe is the greatest good possible through their giving. And, according to giving data a significant number are choosing to give to religious causes other than their church. In this episode, we're talking with Carl Tierney from Vision 2 to understand how churches can improve both their communication around giving and the financial discipleship of their members.
Tithing is a Biblical principle and practice that began as early as the Garden of Eden. It is the practice of returning the first portion (a tenth) to God as an act of worship and obedience. Unfortunately, this topic can be contentious and divisive even in some faith communities. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we discuss this topic with Donna Nicholson Stief, the Director of Stewardship at LCBC Church, and learn the what, the why, and the how of their 90-Day Tithe Challenge.
Faithful stewardship is what each believer and every church is striving toward, and it’s important to have the Biblical knowledge, as well as the practical tools and resources to achieve it. For more than 40 years, Christian Financial Resources (CFR) has been meeting the needs of churches and individuals to better steward their resources. In this episode, we’re talking with Darren Key, the CEO of CFR, about the many ways their ministry serves churches and individuals to save, give, and manage their money wisely.
Resources
Good Sense - Freed Up
Compass - How to Build Your Finances God’s Way
Ramsey+ - Financial Peace University
Generous Giving - Journey of Generosity
Generosity is a core principle of Christianity, and yet it seems to be one of the most difficult areas for believers to understand and regularly engage in. Just about every week, churches all over the world have some kind of giving or offering moment to encourage giving, and still, what we know is that a significant, perhaps as much as 50% of churchgoers, give very little, if anything at all. In this episode, we’re talking with Rodney Ross from Life Church to discuss ways to invite people to take their next step in generosity and trust God in their finances through the offering moment and beyond.
Pastors are responsible for teaching God's word to their congregation every week. It's an important task and, at times, challenging, especially when the topic is on money and giving. It is no wonder most pastors avoid teaching on the subject. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we're talking with David Ashcraft, the founding pastor of LCBC Church (Lives Changed by Christ) in Manheim, PA, about his perspective on stewardship and generosity to learn how he taught his congregation for nearly 32 years how to be good stewards and faithful givers.
Whether a pastor should know the giving of his congregation is a hotly debated topic. Though most do not want to know what people give individually, knowing some metrics is vital for at least two crucial reasons. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re discussing the why, the who, and the what of giving data and why it matters to your church ministry. Joining us is Ken Schafer, Stewardship Minister at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, TN, and campaign and generosity consultant with Generis.
Legacy is what we leave behind to our kids. It may include material possessions or a financial inheritance, but of greater worth are the values and lessons we pass on to them. When it comes to money, kids need guidance and wisdom, something every parent wants to provide but feels inadequate to teach their kids. In this episode, we’re talking with Matt Bell, the author of Trusted: Preparing Your Kids for a Lifetime of God-Honoring Money Management, to learn the why, what, and how of teaching our kids godly financial principles.
Matt’s website - https://mattaboutmoney.com/
Matt’s book - Trusted: Preparing Your Kids for a Lifetime of God-Honoring Money Management
Sound Mind Investing - https://soundmindinvesting.com/
In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we have another leader in the stewardship spotlight. We’re talking with Rodney Ross from Life Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Rodney is the Central Team Leader of Giving and Generosity and oversees the stewardship and generosity ministry at Life Church. His start in the ministry and the role he’s currently serving started with an act of tithing. While on the church website giving his tithe, he became aware of an opportunity to serve at his church. Now, many years later, Rodney says he is in his dream job, serving his church in the area of his passion and equipping staff and members as they take the next step in their stewardship and generosity journey.
Simple Donation Website - https://simpledonation.com/
Jeff’s email address: Jeff@simpledonation.com
As we continue building out this exploration, we would love to hear from churches that have made intentional changes or put a deeper focus on their stewardship strategy and what the outcome was.
Call to Action:
Access to the Stewardship Survey and Resource Page
Please send your success stories or additional questions to: info@christianstewardshipnetwork.com
Vision2 is a giving solution that facilitates generosity and supports stewardship efforts.
CSN helps churches to not only understand how generosity and stewardship intersect but also provide resources for growing stewardship as God intended.
Jesus’ commandment to his disciples in Matthew 28:19-20, what we know as the Great Commission, was to share the gospel and make disciples. These instructions were not just for the 12 that Jesus chose but for all disciples past, present, and future, and central to our roles as disciples is faithful stewardship. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’ll look at one of the most compelling sections of Scripture that reveal God’s plan and purpose for us as disciples and faithful stewards.
Resources
Financial Planning Ministry - www.fpm.org
Join our CSN community by becoming a member. If you’re an aspiring or current stewardship leader, this resource has been specifically created for you. Learn more about it and sign up here.
Resources
Serve your people and fund ministry through estate planning - Financial Planning Ministry.
Did you hear about our new CSN Membership Portal? If you’re an aspiring or current stewardship leader, this resource has been specifically created for you. Learn more about it and sign up here.
Resources
Connect with James Lenhoff - jameslenhoff@goodsensemovement.org
Good Sense Coaches Training Features and Benefits
Good Sense Coaches Training - Buy
Resources
Next Level Generosity by Horizons Stewardship - Learn how to navigate the giving landscape, and ensure your ministry is well funded.
Did you hear about our new CSN Membership Portal? If you’re an aspiring or current stewardship leader, this resource has been specifically created for you. Learn more about it and sign up here.
In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re featuring another leader in the stewardship spotlight. We’re talking with Donna Nicholson Stief, the Director of Stewardship at LCBC (Lives Changed By Christ) in Anaheim, PA, about her journey from an executive working in the professional credit and collection industry to leading in stewardship ministry. You will find her stewardship and generosity story encouraging and her wisdom invaluable!
What you will hear in this podcast:
“A faithful steward should always be able to answer the question, why?”
“Money is not actually that complicated. The math is pretty easy…it’s the emotional side of things that makes things really difficult.”
“There’s so much stimulation that’s telling us, “This will fix your problem; this will make you more attractive, more powerful, or more influential,” and all those messages are streaming at us 24 hours a day now.”
“The whole goal of retailers is to streamline and take away obstacles to purchases; make it so easy that in the moment when you feel like you want something, you can buy it and have it on order immediately.”
“And I’m saying, as a financial planner, the church needs to get into this discussion because it actually has what these people actually need.”
Resources
Good Sense Movement
New CSN Membership
In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re featuring another leader in the stewardship spotlight. We’re talking with Amber George, the Director of Kingdom Living Ministry and the Operations Pastor at Crossroads Church in Fredericksburg, VA, about her journey from a well-paying government job to full-time ministry. Her stewardship and generosity story will encourage you, and her perspective and wisdom will inspire you!
The Christian Stewardship Network has always been about supporting church leaders and stewardship champions whose calling is to teach and equip God’s people with his financial principles. For the past 20+ years, we’ve been coming together at the CSN Annual Forum. This has always been a special time together, but not nearly enough to grow and help one another build healthy stewardship ministries in our churches. With the launch of our CSN membership site, we’re aiming to change all that.
In this episode of Stewardship Leader we are interviewing Ken Schafer, a stewardship pastor at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, TN. Ken’s personal testimony and his journey of stewardship and generosity have been refined through a business interest, working for Ramsey Solutions, and as a stewardship pastor. We hope you will be inspired and helped through his shared experience.
In Acts 10:35, Paul quotes Jesus as having said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” That’s a short but extremely profound and revealing statement, and if you’ve ever made a gift for the right reason and from your heart you’ve experienced this truth. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’re talking with Todd Harper, the co-founder of Generous Giving, and April Chapman, Generous Giving’s Chief Financial Officer, about the incredible privilege we have to be generous. Their 22-Hour Journey of Generosity (JOG) event has been transforming generous givers into extravagant givers for many years, and they’d love to help you and your church community experience it for yourself.
The transition to retirement begs the question, “how can I live my best years now that I’m retired?” It’s exciting to think through the possibilities and how retirement can be reframed as a repurpose-ment of our lives, living and giving like never before. Retirement doesn’t have to be the end of our best years but rather the beginning!
No one likes to fail, especially at something as important as personal finances. The pain of financial stress and the shame and fear that accompany it are difficult to bear. Yet, it’s unreasonable to think you can achieve financial success without experiencing some failures along the way. Some degree of failure or setbacks, as much as we wish they weren’t, are inevitable. What determines your future success is what you do after you fail.
Stewardship Education, teaching people God's word on money and wealth, is an essential aspect of discipleship that every church should engage in. In this podcast, we talk with Chris Goulard and Dave Briggs about the Stewardship Impact Workshop and why they believe every church leader needs to attend this training. This workshop was explicitly created for church leaders to help them learn the theology of stewardship and generosity and learn how to incorporate a stewardship ministry in their church.
We cannot get through one day without seeing, hearing, or reading something about money and wealth. The world is consumed by this topic while pastors rarely talk about it. In this episode, we’re talking with John Rinehart, the founder of Gospel Patrons, about his recent poem to pastors. John believes pastors play a crucial role in teaching God’s people about money and wealth, and we couldn’t agree more.
The Scriptures provide wisdom for every area of life, including investing. Yet, it is rare to hear a sermon or teaching on the topic in The Church, and it seems pastors perceive the subject of money and wealth as too unspiritual to include in their weekend messages. Meanwhile, the world continues to guide and influence God’s people daily on how they should make, spend, and invest their money, mostly void of the Biblical principles found in God’s word. In this episode, we talk about investing with Matt Bell from Sound Mind Investing to understand the Church’s responsibility, as well as an excellent opportunity to teach God’s people how to invest according to God’s design.
We rarely use the term covet in our modern vernacular today. Is the reason because we’ve overcome the temptation to covet or is it something else? In this episode, we discuss the real danger of coveting, why God opposes it, and why it’s so important for us to resist and overcome the temptation to covet.
The biggest challenge to managing our money is not the task itself but the emotions we experience as we manage the decisions around money. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Chris Goulard about emotions and our money.
Being generous is more than giving money to worthy causes. Although it sometimes includes giving money, generosity is much more. In this episode, we are joined by Todd McMichen to discuss the personal benefits of being a generous person, and why we need to make it a priority in our lives.
Our culture isn’t prone to encourage us to be content or satisfied with our lives. The messaging is designed to do just the opposite, make us discontent so that we will buy the next thing that promises to fulfill us. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Blair Graham, Stewardship Pastor at The Summit Church, about the reasons for our discontented lives and what we can do to learn and live with contentment.
Stewardship Ministry is continuing to evolve and change to the needs of The Church. Today, perhaps more than any other time in history, churches have or can obtain the information necessary to understand how effective their ministries are—knowing what works and what doesn’t is crucial. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we discuss the biggest and most important thing in Stewardship Ministry that will directly impact the financial and spiritual well-being of the Church.
As a church leader, being aware of the needs of your congregation is crucial to providing them ministry support and discipleship. Analytics, especially those concerning giving, can be a vital resource in knowing how to minister to your people. In this episode of Stewardship leader, we talk with Vinny Hu, the Director of FinHealth & Stewardship at Hoboken Grace Church, in Hoboken, NJ, and learn how they use analytics software developed by Mortarstone to gain the insight that helps them to celebrate, support, and minister more effectively.
It’s great when you can offer a financial stewardship program that everyone in your church will find relevant and engaging. Freed up, the new 6-week program developed by Good Sense Movement and Crossroads Church is designed to do just that! In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Kirsten Swartz, the stewardship director at Crossroads, about this new program and the innovative, fun, and engaging way it is impacting congregations.
What does the Bible say about owning a business or entrepreneurship, and how can a business owner ensure their role aligns with Biblical theology? In this episode, we speak with Bill English, the author of A Christian Theology of Business Ownership: An Introduction for Christian Entrepreneurs on What the Bible Says About Owning a Business, to gain a better understanding of God’s perspective on business ownership.
Deciding which content to use for discipling your people in Biblical stewardship and generosity can be daunting. There is no curriculum or study that can serve every member of your church. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we discuss Charting Your Legacy Small Group Study, a study developed by Compass: finances God’s way, to help you determine how this study can be used in your specific ministry.
How can the church come alongside the next generation to help them steward their finances and help them grow spiritually, and realize the importance of biblical stewardship in God’s Kingdom? In this episode, we discuss the perspective, strengths, and challenges of millennials related to finance and stewardship so that we can develop strategies that will draw them in and create a powerful generation of passionate givers.
What you will hear in this episode
“For decades we’ve had the privilege of serving Christians and helping them to be more generous, and through that discipleship interactions, we’re learning from them what they want and don’t want from the ministries that they are giving to.”
“It is a bit scary how transient givers are these days, even in the local church.”
“What God put on Ron Blue’s heart back in 1979 was to help Christians become financially free in order to assist in fulfilling the great commission.”
“Financial freedom is never a function of how much money somebody has, it is always and only a function of how much money they give away.”
“Our work is not to funnel money into the church, or even just into the kingdom for the sake of the money coming in, it’s for the sake of freedom for the giver.”
“Once we help a client identify their finish line, and they make a commitment to leave a significant amount of resources to the kingdom at death, our next automatic question is, Wouldn’t it be more fun to give this away while you’re still alive to enjoy the blessing and the fruit?”
“The negative trend, the one that really concerns me is how ineffective my generation has been in passing down the legacy gene to the next generations.”
Join us for the Maximizing Generosity Through Donor Discipleship Webinar
When - May 27, 2021 @ 10:30 am Eastern Time.
Resources
CSN - Stewardship Impact Online Course
One of the most challenging topics to talk about is tithing. There are many opinions on the topic, and everyone, whether for or against tithing, is passionate about sharing their thoughts, including us. At our most recent 2021 CSN Forum, Chris Goulard and I (Leo) had the opportunity to co-teach a breakout session on tithing. In this episode, we’re sharing that recorded session with you and some additional thoughts on why tithing matters today.
We know that good stewardship and generosity are important traits of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Yet, so few churches intentionally work to equip their people with these essential skills. The result is lackluster engagement and commitment, especially in the area of generosity and service. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Chris Willard and Greg Morris from Elevate Group, an organization built to equip and train church leaders to increase the engagement and commitment of their members to a greater level of service and generosity.
Show Notes
What you will hear in this episode
A disciple is a person who has an ongoing, life-changing, relationship with Jesus Christ, and gladly shares what he or she has learned with others.
A disciple by definition is also geared to making other disciples.
Jesus said, “you cannot serve both God and mammon. So this money “power” is competing for our devotion, and if we don’t learn to steward this power, this money, then it will take over our devotion.
The first outcome of a financial disciple is to know Christ more intimately.
I think that financial problems which were exhibited by this young man were an outside indicators of an internal spiritual problem that he had. He was selfish, greedy, he refused to wait, not loving his father, but loving money and the high life.
Someone said to me when I was a young Christian, Peter, show me your bank statement and I will show you what you’re living for.
Financial discipleship is a journey, and the destination is Christ-likeness.
What you will hear in this podcast:
Jesus had a clear purpose in the beginning and in the end that discipleship was going to be a priority for him and for the disciples.
Financial discipleship is following Jesus in how we manage money and possessions, being a faithful steward, and then equipping others to do the same.
Stewards manage money God’s way, and disciples multiply money God’s way, and that’s what financial discipleship is.
I think 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 and Matthew 6:24 are great passages about ownership and choice, and when we get over these two hurdles the whole purpose of money becomes clear, which is to serve others and glorify God.
Financial discipleship says, get your own household in order and then go help somebody else.
Stewardship is not going away. It’s here to stay. It’s step one and it’s vitally important, and it’s a key component of financial discipleship. We just need to hep the Body of Christ evolve to the next step.
Just like stewardship is part of financial discipleship, generosity is part of financial discipleship as well. In fact, I believe strongly that generosity is an outcome of discipleship.
We want to help people learn it (financial discipleship), do it, and replicate it in others.
Over the years, I've met many Christians who don't tithe. There are two main reasons for this, and I'll share my thoughts on them in this podcast. But first, let me be clear, it's not my job to convince you to tithe. Actually, it's no one's job except for the Holy Spirit. So, I'm not telling you to tithe, but I am asking you to do what I did, study it, and ask God for clarity, then do what He tells you to do.
To be a faithful steward requires knowledge, commitment, and action. The journey isn’t easy, especially in our materialistic culture. Although committed to doing things God’s way, we often take back control of the things God has entrusted to us. In this episode, we talk with author Marcus Hall and his devotional book that lays out a path to true and consistent stewardship.
What you will hear on this podcast
“That was part of God’s way of showing me that this kind of material is what Christians want to know better so that they can live a more godly lifestyle.”
“The Bible gives you the best financial advice you could ever find. The Bible is the perfect place to find the answer to these questions.”
“I mean this book to be a compliment to your Bible reading. I want you to have your Bible out with you while you’re going through this.”
“Every one of us has places in our lives where we can improve our spiritual walk. I just pray that you find what God is trying to tell you.”
“My goal as you read through Spiritual Wealth is that you take a step forward no matter where you are right now.”
“Before you make any changes on how you’re living, or the result that comes from your actions, I think you have to understand what God is actually saying.”
“First, understanding God’s standards. What does God say about stewardship? What does God say about contentment? What actually are the facts here, and the truth that God gives us?”
I don’t think folks truly understand how much the Bible says about how we make our plans and how we look forward to the future. And I think it’s really important that we allow God to lead that.”
Resources Links
Marcus Hall Website - stewardshipmindset.com
2021 CSN Forum Information
2021 CSN Registration
What do you do when the giving at your church is good for 20+ years and then there’s a sudden significant drop? In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Crossroad’s Rob Seddon and Kirsten Schwartz to find out what they've learned and what they’re doing to address this and a much more important issue.
Ministry and the way we’re doing it these days has changed. The challenges to financial discipleship during this “social distancing” season are many, but there are also great opportunities. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Blair Graham, stewardship pastor at The Summit Church, in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, to learn how they’ve adapted to these current challenges.
Based on a recent survey by the Lilly School of Philanthropy, church leaders believe stewardship would be the most significant challenge for recovery from the current effect of the COVID 19 pandemic. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, Rev. Dr. Clayton Smith joins us to discuss what church leaders can do to help their church and their faith community navigate a way to recovery.
Most people would say idol worship is almost non-existent today, especially in modern western civilizations. After all, people don’t bow down to statues anymore, or do they? It is rare to see anyone bow down to a statue, or offer prayers and burn incense to a figurine, at least not in our part of the world, but that doesn’t discount that idolatry is more prevalent today than in past generations. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we discuss what modern idolatry and materialism look like, how to recognize it, and, most importantly, how to resist it.
Your church has a unique vision, which God wants to fulfill. It’s about legacy and ensuring that this vision is supported and that it carries on from generation to generation. An estate planning ministry helps to ensure your legacy will carry on while providing a much-needed service to your church family members. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, Mike Prior from Financial Planning Ministry explains how an estate planning ministry can be a tremendous benefit to your members now and to your church for years to come.
Few subjects challenge us more than giving, especially in our abundance-driven culture. How do we, as pastors and stewardship leaders, guide and disciple our people in this vital area? In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Todd McMichen, Director of Generosity at Lifeway Christian Resources, to learn their strategy and the resources they've developed to help pastors disciple in generosity.
To those of us who have been around stewardship ministry for a while, Compass-finances God's way, and its' founder Howard Dayton, are well known. For the rest of you, you're about to be introduced to a tremendous ministry! Compass, although only ten years old, has roots that go back many decades. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we interview Brandon Sieben, the new President, and CEO, to learn what Compass is doing in this new season. With its clear vision and a bold mission, the Compass strategy is to resource you, the pastor and stewardship leader and empower you to teach financial discipleship to everyone.
We have the privilege to present and teach on one of the most important topics we face in our generation. It is the topic of money and possessions and how they impact our daily lives, our relationship with God, and our relationship with each other. Should we not do the very best job possible? In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we discuss the keys to being a better presenter so that your message has a powerful and transformational impact.
With many options for stewardship content out there and more being developed every day, what should you be offering through your stewardship ministry? In this episode of Stewardship Insights, we discuss some content options and give you some insight into how you should be going about choosing the best stewardship content to disciple your people.
Your church members’ giving may be more than enough to meet budget, but does that mean you don’t have a need for teaching on stewardship and generosity? In this episode of Stewardship Insights, we discuss the value of having a stewardship ministry regardless of your giving.
THINGS YOU'LL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE
“Only 23% of people talk about money openly, while 77% avoid it or are defensive about this topic.”
“The average pastor is part of the 77% that would rather avoid talking about money.”
“Pastors, especially stewardship pastors, can help transform the conversation about money by helping the marriages in your church to have the conversation around money.”
“You” processed this decision, but “we” didn’t. It’s time for me to do on the outside what you just did on the inside.”
“Read one chapter in this book and then discuss it with your spouse, and suddenly, you don’t need a therapist. You just got a personalized look into how your spouse thinks and feels.”
THINGS YOU WILL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE
The 5 distinct factors that tend to be running beneath the surface of money issues in marriage.
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There’s a resistance for a couple to be one in their marriage due to selfishness and a desire for independence.
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Each person in the marriage has different values and sees the other’s choice of values as the wrong values.
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Men and women tend to have two different sets of underlining sets of fears, worries, and insecurities; their individual financial cliffs. In their attempt to push away from their own financial cliffs, they inadvertently pull their spouse closer to the edge of their own different financial cliffs.
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Couples have different and often opposite ways of processing through money decisions, which causes stress and anxiety around financial decisions.
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Couples have strong reactions based on faulty assumptions often due to our past experiences related to money.
Resources
Thriving In Love & Money book & workbook.
Thriving In Love & Money website
One of the greatest challenges and missed opportunities to your ministry is getting your church staff to understand and buy into the message of stewardship and generosity. You know that if they REALLY get stewardship, it will have a significant and transforming impact on your people, your church, and your culture. So why don’t they buy-in? In this episode of Stewardship Insights, we talk about the biggest reasons for not getting staff buy-in and what you can do to begin turning that tide.
Perhaps the most significant negative influence modern-day Christianity faces today is the influence of the spirit of mammon. In our wealth-driven society, no other spirit is as prevalent, nor seems to be more potent than this spirit. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we reveal the ten symptoms of mammon’s influence, to help you understand its power and how you can overcome it.
You’ve got a real passion for helping people to learn and live out God’s Biblical principles of finance. But, knowing what programs you should offer to accomplish this can be difficult. In this episode of Stewardship Insights, we explore the components that should be part of every stewardship ministry’s programs.
The responsibility of spiritual leaders, especially senior pastors, can be a heavy burden to carry. This weight becomes even more burdensome when people in their churches do not produce good fruit. Wouldn’t it be great to know what causes unfruitfulness in God’s people? In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we’ll discover what Jesus said causes a lack of fruit in the people of God, and what church leaders, especially senior pastors, can do to about it.
Did you know that 60% of Americans die without a Will or a Trust to direct what should happen to their assets? What, if anything, should the church do to better prepare people for this final stewardship decision? In this episode of Stewardship Insights, we explore the church's role and its opportunity through estate planning.
Good communication, great content, and more opportunities are things we all want in our ministries. To maximize the opportunities we have we need to plan, execute, learn, and then do it again. What worked in the past most likely won’t work as well in the future. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we discuss why it’s important to apply creative and innovative ways to share the stewardship message.
Millennials get a bad rap for being self-centered, entitled, lazy, and privileged. I think there may be some truth to that, but what past generation didn't behave similarly at their age? I believe our focus on the negative may have caused us to miss some of the best things about this next generation. In this episode of Stewardship Insights, I'm joined by a millennial to get her perspective and to learn how we, as stewardship leaders, can make a big difference in the lives of this next generation.
A healthy stewardship ministry offers a variety of programs that meet the needs of its church members. How do you know if the programs you offer are effective? Having high attendance is a good sign that people are interested in the topic, but it’s no guarantee that the program is serving people well. For that to occur you have to do more. In this episode of Stewardship Insights, Leo Sabo and David Thompson discuss 4 ways to measure the impact of your ministry program, and how to use that information to help your people grow in their stewardship and generosity.
The call to serve in stewardship ministry is often filled with doubt and apprehension. Teaching on the topic of money is challenging enough, but much more when you have to do it in a church setting. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Paola Easton, the Stewardship Pastor & Finance Director at Birmingham City Church in Birmingham, England. Her journey to becoming a stewardship pastor and guide BCC to becoming a more generous church will encourage, inspire, and renew your passion for serving in this vital ministry of stewardship and generosity.
According to Ephesians 4, the work of ministry done to edify the body of Christ is to be done by the saints, who are to be equipped by those in leadership. Because of this, our roles as stewardship ministry leaders is to recruit and equip great volunteers who will serve faithfully. In this episode of Stewardship Insight, Chris Goulard and Leo Sabo share some essential things to consider as you recruit and train stewardship volunteers.
THINGS YOU'LL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE
“In the church world, the 80/20 rule applies to generosity…20% of the people provide a majority of the funds needed to keep the church alive.”
"What’s my motivation? Am I more concerned about my physical needs or their spiritual health?”
“As more resources and more organizations offer churches a service for increasing giving, it’s easy to just focus on the money.”
“Those of us who have experience with giving know it’s not about the math. GOd’s math is different than our math.”
“Most people have a deep desire to please God by tithing and giving consistently, but they simply could not see a way they could do it.”
THINGS YOU WILL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE
The two questions a church leader teaching on generosity should ask.
Our motivation for teaching on generosity will determine our approach.
A balanced approach to discipleship includes stewardship and generosity.
Resources
CSN Stewardship Impact Workshop
CSN Annual Forum - March 2020
Reaching every member of your church with the message of Financial Stewardship is a challenge. Even if you’re doing weekend announcements, email blasts, or every other type of marketing strategy, getting every member to hear and respond is next to impossible. That’s why partnering with other ministries in your church is so crucial. In this episode of Stewardship Insights, Dave Briggs and Leo Sabo discuss the benefits and impact of partnering with the other ministries in your church for maximum effectiveness.
Whether you're stepping into an existing stewardship ministry or building one from the ground up, it takes patience and diligence to design an effective ministry that's going to change the culture of a church. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, Dave Briggs, shares his approach to building the ministry at Central Christian Church in Mesa, Arizona, where he is the Stewardship Director.
No matter what ministry programs you use in your stewardship ministry, there are always a few people that need more one-on-one time to succeed. Therefore, a financial coaching ministry is a necessary part of your ministry. In this episode of Stewardship Insights, we look at the group coaching model as an alternative to one-on-one coaching.
Imagine being reasonably new to stewardship and being asked to start a new stewardship ministry at your church? That’s precisely what happened to Steve Carter, the Stewardship Pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. In this engaging episode of Stewardship Leader, you’ll learn the step to building a comprehensive stewardship ministry, and hopefully, gain some insights that will help you in your own stewardship ministry building journey.
In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we're talking with Blair Graham, stewardship pastor at The Summit Church in Raleigh Durham, NC. Blair is passionate about using finances to lead people to a deeper relationship with Jesus. You'll appreciate his approach to starting the stewardship ministry at The Summit and how it developed over the first few years, and the insight he shared about running an effective stewardship ministry.
Things you'll hear in this episode.
"I began to wrestle with what it meant to be all in for Jesus."
“We went from non-givers to tithers overnight.”
"I had some marching orders and kind of a vision, but I didn't have a strategy on what to do to build a stewardship ministry."
"Attending the CSN Forum completely changed the direction, the trajectory, and the plan for The Summit Church Stewardship Ministry."
"Most of the stewardship leaders attending the CSN Forum were a few years ahead of me. Learning from them saved me from making huge mistakes and wasting time trying things that would not have worked."
“My biggest failure in ministry was bringing on a person that was not qualified to lead.”
Things you will learn from this episode
Committing to taking one or two small things you could use at your church and apply them consistently will allow you over time to build an effective stewardship ministry at your church.
Using online giving receipts to communicate and disciple members about stewardship.
Connecting with other stewardship leaders can help you in building your stewardship ministry.
Resources
The Stewardship Digest
CSN Stewardship Impact Workshop
CSN Annual Forum - March 2020
There's a real need for God's people to understand and apply Biblical financial principles to their lives. But, since most churches offer no ministry in this area, many people are left to learn this important topic from the world. In this first episode of 'Stewardship Insights,' we discuss a few reasons why you should have a stewardship ministry and how a stewardship leader can influence their senior leaders to embrace and support this ministry in their churches.
In this episode of Stewardship Leader, Chris Goulard, a 15-year stewardship veteran, shares the early days and some of the fundamentals that went into building the Stewardship Ministry at Saddleback Church in Orange County, California. You’ll learn great insights into what it takes to start and run a thriving stewardship ministry that transforms your culture into a culture of generosity and good stewardship.
Things you’ll hear on this episode
“It just shows that there’s no one size fits all, that you don’t put stewardship in a box and say, Ok, if everyone runs this one thing then it is going to be perfect.”
“What I get to do is help make sure that we have the culture resonating through our church.”
“We do it in different ways. How we do it looks different, but why we do it is always the same.”
“When a church first begins a stewardship ministry, the reason they start is because of the felt need of the congregation.”
“If you’re a stewardship leader, you empowering a volunteer to run a major program is super honoring for the volunteer. They will want to do an excellent job.”
“How do we take this DNA of stewardship ministry and make sure it’s in every campus?”
“We know the vision of from the Lord to our senior leader is large, so we have to figure out what is a model long-term, that gonna grow.”
“Now, I believe the essence of stewardship is a relationship with God.”
“Stewardship ministry is not the get out of debt ministry, it’s not the build a budget ministry, it’s not the invest and financial independence and retire early ministry. This ministry is about a relationship with God.”
“I didn’t hear a good, clear, biblical, theologically sound message on giving until I was 37 years old, and I grew up in the church.”
“Our role as pastors is to equip the saints for the work of ministry.”
Resources
Gateway Network
Gateway Stewardship - Youtube Channel
CSN Stewardship Impact Workshop
In this first episode of Stewardship Leader, host and CSN president, Leo Sabo, discusses the past and future of CSN with Pastor George Thompson, a CSN Champion and the host of the Christian Stewardship Podcast for the past 2 years. Learn what new and exciting things CSN is doing and what the future holds for those connected to this great network.