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Inspiring Generosity

by Andy Gustafson, Associate Conference Minister for Stewardship and Financial Development

September/October 2009

Anyone with an interest in stewardship would benefit from this monthly newsletter: pastors, stewardship and finance committees, and lay people who want to learn more about why they should give.

A sampling of topics that were covered recently include:

• Church member giving in recession years
• How your church members’ pledges match up with others
• Faith and tough economic times
• Year-round stewardship
• Bible passages on stewardship
• Planned Giving tips
• Reducing energy costs for our Earth’s sake

In addition, each issue includes resources on stewardship and related topics that are available to churches and individuals, information on upcoming training events, updates on legislation that affects churches, links to articles and sermons of interest, and always a joke or reflection that’s worth reading! Pastors and stewardship committees find this a goldmine of ideas for their church’s stewardship campaigns.

Here’s a sampling of one article from the June issue:

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Reflection: Some lessons we can learn

The recent precipitous decline in the stock market has hit many of our churches hard. This points to some valuable lessons for the future when it comes to invested funds.

One is that it is good to have savings to use in a crisis. Just as a family should have ready cash available for housing and other necessities, so a church should have some funds set aside to fall back on in a financial crisis. The last thing a church should be doing is laying off staff and reducing its ministry at the very time it is needed the most.

Another lesson is the danger in relying too heavily on your endowment for operating income. Experts suggest that no more than 20% of a church's operating income come from invested fund income. The same can also be said for other outside sources of income, such as cell tower rental or child care centers. These outside revenue streams are subject to many factors outside of our control.

Our most stable and reliable source of revenue is the giving by our own members. When we rely on each other, we rely on God's provision and abundance, which never fails. As we grow in generosity, we grow in faith. Our churches' security lies not in financial assets, but in our God, who has placed the spirit of generosity in our hearts, and empowers us to share beyond what we could have imagined.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

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