We Need To Talk About Money

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We Need To Talk About Money
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Assumptions

• Jesus Liked to Talk About Money
• John Wesley Talked About Money
• Tom is NOT a Blood Sucking Leach
• You know things

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Why Did You Come Today?
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Goals

• Discuss Foundational Aspects of Financial
  Stewardship
• Discuss Factors That Influence Stewardship in the
  Local Church
• Share Practical Skills Related to Stewardship
  Ministry

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Why Is This Important?

• 1. The Opportunity

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Why Is This Important?

• The Requirement

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Why Is This Important?

• 3. The Responsibility

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Why Is This Important?

• 4. The Relationship Between Scarcity and Conflict

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Why Is This Important?

• 5. The Economy

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• Passing the Plate
• Why American Christians Don't Give Away More
  Money
• Authors Christian Smith,
• Michael O. Emerson, and Patricia Snell

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Fact 1

• At least one out of five American Christians 20
  percent of all U.S. Christians gives literally
  nothing to church, para-church, or nonreligious
  charities.

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Higher income earning American Christianslike
Americans generally--give little to no more money
as a of household income than lower earning
Christians.
Fact 4
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Household Income Categories
Percent of household income given to religious
organizations by income level, all Americans.
(Source Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer
Expenditure Survey, 2000.)
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Fact 5

• The vast majority of the money that American
  Christians do give to religion is spent in and
  for their own local communities of faith little
  is spent on missions, development, and poverty
  relief outside of local congregations,
  particularly outside the United States, in ways
  that benefit people other than the givers
  themselves

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Fact 6

• Despite a massive growth of real per capita
  income over the twentieth century, the average
  percentage share of income given by American
  Christians not only did not grow in proportion
  but actually declined slightly during this time
  period.

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Giving per church member as a percent of income
in 11 Protestant denominations, and U.S. per
capita inflation-adjusted income 1921-2003. The
11 denominations analyzed are American Baptist
(Northern), Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ), Church of the Brethren, the Episcopal
Church, Evangelical America, Presbyterian Church
U.S.A., Reformed Church in America, Southern
Baptist Convention, United Church of Christ (and
subsidiaries that merged), and United Methodist
Church (and subsidiaries that merged). Source
Passing the Plate, pg. 49.
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• Does it not seem (and yet this cannot be) that
  Christianity, true, scriptural Christianity, has
  a tendency, in process of time, to undermine and
  destroy itself? For wherever true Christianity
  spreads, it must cause diligence and frugality,
  which, in the natural course of things, must
  beget riches. And riches naturally beget pride,
  love of the world, and every temper that is
  destructive of Christianity.
• John Wesley
• Causes of the Inefficacy of Christianity

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Questions

• What are some important factors that encourage
  giving in the Local Church?
• 2. In what ways has your approach to Stewardship
  changed over the last 10 years?

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• Yield and Capacity

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Foundations for Stewardship
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Question

• What characteristics have you found to be
  essential for a positive stewardship environment
  in the congregation?

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It All Starts with the Pastor

• Tithing The Most Transforming Spiritual Practice
  of My Life
• OR
• My Wife Made Me Do It

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• Realize it is all Gods
• Ac 436 Barnabas (which means Son of
  Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought
  the money and put it at the apostles feet.
• Be content
• 1Ti 68 But if we have food and clothing, we will
  be content with that.

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• Meet your basic needs
• 1Ti 58 If anyone does not provide for his
  relatives, and especially for his immediate
  family, he has denied the faith and is worse than
  an unbeliever.

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• Bring order to your financial world
• Ex 3426 Bring the best of the firstfruits of
  your soil to the house of the LORD your God.
• 5. Find significance
• Gal 610 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let
  us do good to all people, especially to those who
  belong to the family of believers.

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God Uses Desperation

• FUMC 1997 One More Week Like This
• Feeling Prophetic

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Say It

• Tithing is an organizing principle for personal
  finances
• Truth It Is Money We Have and Peace We Lack
• Enjoy those sermons
• Engage Volunteers
• You Choose Who You Lose

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Cast a Compelling Vision

• Casting Vision by Accident
• An Orphanage in Nicaragua
• Mission Statements
• Develop Strategies for the Mission for Broad
  Buy-in
• Buy In Now Investment Later

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Issue Invitations to Significance

• Casting Vision on Purpose
• The Millennial Offering
• The Power of a Preferred Future
• The Power of the BHAG

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Get Help When You Need It

• Relocation
• Calling in the Calvary should we use a
  consultant?
• The week after 9/11

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Engage Ministry Partners

• Congregation
• Individuals Who Need Your Help
• Partner Churches
• The Extended Church at Christmas

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Engage Ministry Partners

• The Corporate Community

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Engage Ministry Partners

• The Extended Church at Christmas
• Its Not Your Birthday
• Mercy Hospital
• Connections for Hope
• We get to do this if we meet budget

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Have Courage

• Phase 2
• Stewardship Conversation at a New Level
• Because we had to

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Stewardship Essentials
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Practical Skills to Take Home
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Learning to Ask

• What to Say?
• How to Say It?
• What to Expect?
• Handling Rejection
• Handling Success