Rev. Samuel Powell, of Trinity Lutheran Church in Jefferson City, doesn’t think most pastors are overjoyed at the idea of starting a stewardship campaign. However, last year everyone agreed it was the right time.
Rev. Powell reached out to Casey Carlson of the LCEF and Gene Wyssmann of the Missouri District to use Consecrated Stewards, a stewardship ministry service. Rev. Powell found he could customize the approach to the specific needs and people at Trinity, while enjoying guidance from Rev. Wyssmann.
Using Storytelling to Connect People with their Congregation
The leadership at Trinity decided to focus on storytelling, using worship services to highlight a weekly theme:
- Week 1
Caring for people, included stories about their involvement in a variety of ministries - Week 2
Education, with people discussing the many activities that focus on teaching and families - Week 3
First Responders, people described their efforts to bring meals to first responders - Week 4
“Bridal Care,” referred to the church as the bride of Christ, with people talking about how individuals cared for church grounds, saving tens of thousands of dollars
Approaching the Topic of Giving in the Context of People-Focused Ministry
Each week, the leadership also requested that individual re-examine their giving. “There’s no hiding from the fact that stewardship is also about money,” Rev. Powell says.
However, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Rev. Powell recalls, people would say, “I didn’t know that was happening,” or “I’ve seen that person [around church], but I didn’t know who she was.”
A Holistic and Scripture-Based Look at Stewardship
Consecrated Stewards might be a good fit for your congregation if you’re looking for something that is:
- Rooted in scripture and based on biblical principles
- Is easy to implement and organize
- Provides a trained Guest Leader to keep the process on track, maintain the biblical focus and avoid expensive shortcuts
If stewardship is not your favorite part of being in ministry, Rev. Powell says, “I’m with you. But you can’t assume people know what stewardship is.”
He once met with a couple who wanted to give, but they didn’t know what was appropriate. They didn’t know how much they were “supposed” to give of the time, talent or treasure. To not address stewardship in the midst of such generosity would have been a missed opportunity, for the congregation, and for this family.
To learn more about how you can get started with biblical stewardship training, contact Casey Carlson
at (314) 590-6207 and ask about Consecrated Stewards.