Whole Life, Year-Round Stewardship Education
Organizing Stewardship Committee
Only those resources found on the LCMS website and/or published by Concordia Publishing House have passed LCMS doctrinal review. All other resources should be reviewed and used in light of our LCMS Biblical and confessional standards.
Contact person for initial assessment:
Rev. Bill Geis, Assistant to the President- Congregational Services
314-590-6205 (Office)
bill.geis@mo.lcms.org
Consecrated Stewards is a ministry of growth and commitment in which the people of God celebrate His gifts and grow in the joy of giving and serving.
As congregations recognize the need to renew or give regular attention to activities essential to the mission of the church, with increasing frequency they are seeking help in the area of stewardship. Congregations are receptive to—even seeking—help to address their stewardship needs in a very direct way.
LCEF’s Capital Funding Services has developed a resource to meet this stewardship need in congregations. This resource is made available through local administration in the District in order to fully address the needs of congregations.
Consecrated Stewards Raises Annual Giving by Raising Christian Stewards
OVERVIEW: Consecrated Stewards is based on the need of the giver to give, not the need of the church to receive.
It is not tied to the church budget, and can be used at any time of the year. Budget-based emphases never raise more than is needed to meet the budget. Stewardship emphases raise people to a new level of spiritual commitment and annual giving. Congregations often experience intentions of giving that exceed previous envelope giving by 15%-35%.
Consecrated Stewards is a stewardship education and commitment emphasis. It recognizes that churches that fail to talk about Christian stewardship on a regular basis often wind up talking about money all year long.
Consecrated Stewards is based on the Biblical principles of percentage-based, grace-motivated, sacrificial giving. It urges people to take a step forward in their stewardship life without pressure or legalism. It does not use gimmicks or fund-raising techniques. It emphasizes equal sacrifice, not equal amounts.
Consecrated Stewards ties the commitment process to the Sunday morning act of worship. It reaches the maximum number of people in the most spiritual setting. IT does not have members asking other members one-on-one for a financial commitment.
Consecrated Stewards requires minimal organization:
+ Four weeks of preparation and four weeks of emphasis
+ A working committee of eight people
+ Usually only four committee meetings, plus attention to ongoing stewardship
Consecrated Stewards utilizes a trained facilitator to keep the process on track, maintain Biblical focus, and avoid expensive shortcuts.
For more information, contact:
Mr. Casey Carlson
314-590-6209 (Office)
Casey.Carlson@lcef.org
http://www.lcef.org/
Endowments/Transfer the Blessings
Mission: “Linking Christians with Giving Opportunities”
Vision: “Every Christian with a Lifetime Plan for Giving”
Promise: “The LCMS Foundation is the only LCMS organization that offers comprehensive charitable expertise and services to help you plan and direct your passion for giving to bless your family and all ministries of the church today, tomorrow, and forever.”
Transfer the Blessings: Transfer the Blessings provides the framework, education, encouragement, and support to bring the Christian’s Lifetime Plan for Giving to a reality.
Lifetime Plan for Giving: Your Lifetime Plan for Giving is a gift planning process divided into four steps.
These four steps are designed to guide and educate you through the process of Christian estate and gift planning led by your Gift Planning Counselor.
Endowment Funding Ministry: The LCMS Foundation provides the resources to help a congregation establish, grow, promote, and manage a congregational endowment ministry.
For more information, contact:
Mr. Kirk Mueller—Gift Planning Counselor
314-704-4389 (Office)
Kirk.mueller@lcms.org
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) Stewardship Ministry exists to help congregations grow in their understanding and implementation of a life of stewardship. Christian stewardship is the free and joyous activity of the child of God and God’s family, the church, in managing all of life and life’s resources for God’s purposes.
LCMS Stewardship Ministry produces and freely distributes Bible studies, research, newsletter articles, bulletin sentences, prayers and many other stewardship resources. The ministry also plans stewardship conferences and provides ongoing support for pastors and lay leaders as they implement stewardship plans in their congregations.
Click here for Synod stewardship materials.
Christian stewardship is a vital and necessary part of every congregation’s mission and ministry. The Center for Stewardship is involved in forming healthy stewards and establishing a healthy stewardship culture in congregations. Biblical stewardship resources and stewardship events are provided to teach, train, support, and encourage leaders in examining their own lives as God’s stewards and in leading congregations in intentional and comprehensive biblical stewardship education.