Stewardship Seminar—Waste of Time or Good Use of Time?

I hate meetings that waste my time. My Presbytery sponsored a stewardship workshop this past Saturday. I protect my Saturday morning and early afternoon. With a full slate of Saturday night worship and activities I keep the morning and early afternoon for “family” and personal stuff. So, I went to Saturday’s workshop intending to leave if it was just the same old stuff and a waste of my time.

The Rev. Bob Sheldon, Director of Funds Development, Synod of the Rocky Mountains (SRM), lead the seminar. I was pleasantly surprised by the seminar! SRM’s web site has a very useful section on development and stewardship. All items are there for churches to modify and use! Check it out!

Here are some startling stewardship statistics. In the past there was the 3-3 principle. The 3-3 principle said that when one long time member leaves a church it takes three new members three years to get back to the giving level of that one member. Today we are at the 7-7 level—when one long time member of the church leaves/dies it takes seven new members seven years to get back to the giving level of that one member! These figures should scare the living daylights out of denominational and church leaders! Every church needs to reexamine how it goes about training its people about stewardship.

Once again I have to report for jury duty. I will discuss the ideas put forth in the stewardship workshop on those days when I do not have to report for jury duty.