10 Oct 2024, 09:32by Alex Mareniuc, SEC Stewardship Director
Job opening: local church stewardship leader
It’s autumn: leaves are falling; days are getting shorter; birds are migrating to warmer countries; and many local churches are going through the important process of prayerfully electing new officers to lead out in various ministries. You might not have expected this last part as a characteristic of the season, but there’s a reason for mentioning it.
There is one position that I have noticed is sometimes neglected come election time: the local church Stewardship Ministries leader. While nominating committees and churches understand the need for leaders in roles such as elders, deacons, and Sabbath School superintendents, we are not as concerned if the nominating committee report does not include a name to be voted for the Stewardship Ministries leader role – yet what we fail to understand is that without a dedicated stewardship leader, churches risk missing opportunities for growth, unity and service, impacting the congregation’s spiritual health and outreach efforts.
Current attitudes may stem from misconceptions that the role is limited to appealing for tithes and offerings only – a topic often avoided. As a result, in too many churches, the local treasurer has been automatically assigned the role of stewardship leader as well, the position has been left blank, or it has been marked ‘TBC’ (to be confirmed) for a number of years. This really should be a reason for concern and reflection.
At its core, stewardship touches every aspect of life – time, talents, resources, health, and even our care for the environment. When the role of the stewardship leader is not seen from this holistic perspective, the church risks reducing this rich, multifaceted biblical concept to mere income generation. Having a dedicated leader for this ministry in your church ensures that the comprehensive understanding of what stewardship is becomes woven into the fabric of the church community. The stewardship leader doesn’t just educate and encourage people to return a faithful tithe and support the church through their offerings, but is tasked with helping members to understand their personal responsibility in managing all aspects of their lives in a way that honours God, including through their service, relationships, and spiritual growth.
The General Conference also encourages us to see that having a stewardship leader should be a vital part of a church’s spiritual ecosystem. The ministry description speaks about working alongside other church leaders to foster a culture of generosity, accountability, and holistic living, while also placing on the stewardship leader the great responsibility to educate and inspire members to recognise that everything they have belongs to God and should be used for His glory.
I hope you are starting to see how stewardship should be a foundational ministry in your church. Therefore, whether you are a pastor, a nominating committee member, or someone who will vote on the committee report, I encourage you to ensure that the role is not overlooked during this election season. Seek suitable candidates prayerfully, and consider making it a permanent elected position rather than leaving it open or merging it with other ministries.
Stewardship is a spiritual mandate that touches every aspect of Christian life. Electing a leader who will advocate for holistic biblical stewardship is crucial for guiding your congregation to grow spiritually, serve more effectively, and honour God with all that has been entrusted to them.
It’s autumn: leaves are falling; days are getting shorter; birds are migrating to warmer countries; and many local churches are going through the important process of prayerfully electing new officers to lead out in various ministries. You might not have expected this last part as a characteristic of the season, but there’s a reason for mentioning it.
There is one position that I have noticed is sometimes neglected come election time: the local church Stewardship Ministries leader. While nominating committees and churches understand the need for leaders in roles such as elders, deacons, and Sabbath School superintendents, we are not as concerned if the nominating committee report does not include a name to be voted for the Stewardship Ministries leader role – yet what we fail to understand is that without a dedicated stewardship leader, churches risk missing opportunities for growth, unity and service, impacting the congregation’s spiritual health and outreach efforts.
Current attitudes may stem from misconceptions that the role is limited to appealing for tithes and offerings only – a topic often avoided. As a result, in too many churches, the local treasurer has been automatically assigned the role of stewardship leader as well, the position has been left blank, or it has been marked ‘TBC’ (to be confirmed) for a number of years. This really should be a reason for concern and reflection.
At its core, stewardship touches every aspect of life – time, talents, resources, health, and even our care for the environment. When the role of the stewardship leader is not seen from this holistic perspective, the church risks reducing this rich, multifaceted biblical concept to mere income generation. Having a dedicated leader for this ministry in your church ensures that the comprehensive understanding of what stewardship is becomes woven into the fabric of the church community. The stewardship leader doesn’t just educate and encourage people to return a faithful tithe and support the church through their offerings, but is tasked with helping members to understand their personal responsibility in managing all aspects of their lives in a way that honours God, including through their service, relationships, and spiritual growth.
The General Conference also encourages us to see that having a stewardship leader should be a vital part of a church’s spiritual ecosystem. The ministry description speaks about working alongside other church leaders to foster a culture of generosity, accountability, and holistic living, while also placing on the stewardship leader the great responsibility to educate and inspire members to recognise that everything they have belongs to God and should be used for His glory.
I hope you are starting to see how stewardship should be a foundational ministry in your church. Therefore, whether you are a pastor, a nominating committee member, or someone who will vote on the committee report, I encourage you to ensure that the role is not overlooked during this election season. Seek suitable candidates prayerfully, and consider making it a permanent elected position rather than leaving it open or merging it with other ministries.
Stewardship is a spiritual mandate that touches every aspect of Christian life. Electing a leader who will advocate for holistic biblical stewardship is crucial for guiding your congregation to grow spiritually, serve more effectively, and honour God with all that has been entrusted to them.
