Sunday, July 09, 2006
18 Most Effective Practices In Stewardship...
18 Most Effective Practices Used By Congregations Strong in Stewardship.
-From an ELCA survey of stewardship staff and mission interpreter coordinators.
1. They hold a commitment that stewardship is important. Their vision planning includes stewardship. They are clear about their purpose and mission.
2. They give away a growing percentage of congregational income for ministries of the whole church.
3. They practice first fruits and proportionate giving for mission support (benevolence) for the whole church.
4. They build relationships with their members through personal contacts.
5. They provide multiple opportunities for giving and serving.
6. They foster spirit-filled giving and prayer development, emphasizing the connection between faith and money.
7. They identify, explore, and nurture spiritual gifts of members, helping them to fulfill their passions.
8. They develop an “asset-based” climate, using members’ assets rather than meeting needs.
9. They develop year round stewardship programs.
10. They ask boldly.
11. They thank profusely and often.
12. They engage in annual every member response programs for financial commitments, estimates of giving or pledges.
13. They provide programs for regular (undesignated) and over-and-above (designated) giving.
14. They use a program budget in addition to a line item budget.
15. They separate stewardship programs from budget preparation.
16. They provide quarterly reports on member giving to the membership.
17. They establish mission endowment policies.
18. They model first-fruits giving by sharing a percentage of their corporate income for ministry beyond the congregation.
Submitted by Randy McNitt, Mission Resources Team Coordinator.
