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Wednesday, August 23, 2023

 

                          STEWARDSHIP AND DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER

                     TYING IT ALL TOGETHER WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS

 

            Over the last few weeks of summer, we focused on customizing the approach to discipleship[1] based on life stages, spiritual maturity and financial health.


            All of what was discussed in the past few weeks focused on both stewardship and discipleship. One cannot effectively exist without the other. I spent time during these summer weeks to discuss stewardship because many of us will focus on stewardship in the fall. I think it’s important to start some of the lead-up work now. If you read anything about stewardship planning, it all tends to focus on either:

·         Doing stewardship year-round (every month)

·         At the very least, plan and prepare some time in advance

            All of that is important, of course, but I think going through the steps focused on life stages, spiritual maturity and financial health – first, for yourself, to help you understand where you are coming from. This will help you understand others before you approach them.

            The next step would be to go through those same steps for your folks. Who are the more spiritually mature? Financially healthier? You can, and should, approach them far differently than you approach people who aren’t in those same positions.

            Don’t do it all alone. Get a team together and do some work. You may find (and I am sure you will) that time will get away from you, and you won’t be able to do all of this work before you have to start “doing” stewardship. That doesn’t mean that you stop doing the work.

·         Identifying folks that may need some help with financial wellness can help steer you toward a small group.

·         Identifying folks that are still working through the early steps of discipleship may create another small group or need.

·         Identifying folks that are extravagantly generous and spiritually mature may help you form a good team.


            All of this work that I’ve discussed over the past few weeks is important, but what is also important is that “good” stewardship campaigns or “effective” stewardship campaigns require certain things that make them good and effective. Good tools are important for any task; good stewardship tools are the same.

·         Sample Letters

·         Effective and useful Scripture

·         Ideas for offering time

·         Ideas for messages

·         Ideas for “stewardship talks”

            I will be working on pulling together some of these tools, and will be making this available probably this fall. Keep an eye out!

 

            If you wish more information on anything you’ve been reading about, or you’d like to know when resources are available, or would like to discuss stewardship and its relationship with discipleship, please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or sranousacctg@twcny.rr.com. I’d be happy to help.



[1] Stewardship Education that Builds Disciples, Furlong, Jessica and Dick, Don (Christian Stewardship Network), https://www.christianstewardshipnetwork.com.

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