Do More Ministry: September 2007 Archives

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September 27, 2007

Sermon Help: Our giving directly impacts our ministry

I want to share a video called The Plate with you. I found it at SermonSpice.com. This would be a great tool to use during a Worship service to remind believers that God takes what we give and multiplies it.

The video is 3:54 minutes in length. And well worth every second.

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September 26, 2007

Two main causes of debt

It occured to me the other day that there are two main reasons why we've become a people who find it easier to acquire debt than to save: the pursuit of pleasure and the need for approval from others.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the pursuit of pleasure. God tells us that he wants to give good gifts to his children. And Jesus promised an abundant, full life. However, debt rarely leads to any lasting pleasure. In the end, we are often left with a table full of bills and a soul that remains unsatisfied.

The need for the approval from others is taught from an early age. The brand of the clothes we wear, the make of the cars we drive, the neighborhoods we live in all provide for us physical examples of power, position and prestige. However, the approval from others lasts only for a short time. And we must consistently find a new reason for others to be impressed with our success. Again, we are left with a soul that remains unsatisfied.

If the average American today spends $1.20 for every $1.00 that he or she earns, that means there are a lot of people searching for satisfaction that remain unsatisfied. It's A New Day introduces people to a new way of thinking which leads to a new way of living. One that returns the focus back to God's intention: for his creation to live not only in relationship with the Creator but also to use the time, talents, and money God has freely given us to invest in eternity.

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September 25, 2007

Stewardship and Giving Testimony

I read Ed Owens' testimony on Generous Giving this morning. Below is an excerpt. But let me encourage you to read the entire testimony.

I’m telling you this because I was by no means a giver, let alone a generous giver, before Christ came into my life. In fact, I was a taker. I took from people in relationships; I took money; I took time, and I hoarded up my talents for myself. Just ask my wife, who worked at giving to me, just to hold our marriage together.

So, in 1991 God changed me from one oriented solely toward myself to one who at least saw that I needed Him more than money. But, still, at conversion, I did not gain an immediate understanding of how I should relate to money. In the New Testament, Zacchaeus gave away half his goods when Jesus found him, and the rich young ruler failed to follow Jesus because he wouldn’t give away his great possessions. But for me, it’s taken some time to learn what to do with the resources God has given me.

Read his entire testimony here.

I'm not sure we are prepared or can even begin to comprehend what God would be able to do if we stopped being takers and started being givers--givers of our time, talents, and money.

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September 24, 2007

Ministry of Stewardship

FBC Orangeburg, SC gets it. They know that Stewardship is more than just a capital campaign or an annual emphasis on tithing. It's much more than that.

They've outlined what they call Lifestyle Stewardship. And they've broken it down into three catagories: the Stewardship of Living, the Stewardship of Giving and the Stewardship of Serving. It may be the most comprehensive, action-based document I've seen on the subject.

Check it out for yourself here.

(This is so good I plan to suggest we use it at my church.)

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September 20, 2007

Scaling Stewardship in Colorado, Conclusion

A final word from Duane.

Never Go It Alone! Hiking up a fourteener, like Long’s Peak, requires you to start out early, perhaps one or two o’clock in the morning. The goal is to make it to the top by noon, so that you can begin your descent soon there after, before the storms and deadly lighting roll in.

One bit of advice, never try to hike or climb a fourteener on your own! There is safety, encouragement, mutual help, and wisdom in a group.

The Stewardship Development Association is such a group for me. I’ve found this group to be responsive to my every question and ready to assist! For a “newbie,” having the availability of insight from men who have engaged stewardship development for decades is invaluable. Help has come from men such as Randy Thompson, David Waganer, Eddie Oliver, and Clarence Hackett just to name a few. Sample materials shared by fellow SDA members at SDA meetings and at the annual CP meeting in Nashville has been helpful. Spencer Hutson, Missouri Baptist Convention, sent several thousand leaflets which were being phased out yet still fresh and new for Colorado.

Thus, while the challenge is real, it is definitely doable, especially as we journey together!

###

Thanks for sharing your world with us this week. On behalf of all Southern Baptists, keep up the great work, Duane! And thanks for your courage to face the "fourteeners" of stewardship in Colorado. God's blessings on your family and ministry. And we'll be praying for you!

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September 19, 2007

Scaling Stewardship in Colorado, Part 3

Thanks for coming back. Today Duane will tell us more about his life and ministry in Colorado.

1. Differences In Culture. While pastors in Missouri have been consistently exposed to stewardship development tactics and resources over many years, Colorado pastors lack a heritage of training. Resources, which were plentiful in a more established convention, were basically non-existent in Colorado. The challenge has been to gradually develop a culture of openness and understanding about the value of consistent and progressive stewardship development strategies and the use of stewardship related resources in the local church.

2. Time Allotment. We all have twenty-four hours in a day and more to do than we care to think about. A challenge for this writer is in time and priority management. Being a full-time pastor of a small, single staff church still keeps me busy. All of the normal responsibilities are present. I find it difficult to shift the thinking process from pastoral/congregational needs and challenges to thinking denominationally. While the church I pastor has been most gracious to allow me to assist the Colorado Baptist Convention, the time away from the church field of necessity is limited. The solution thus far has been doing stewardship projects in short sprints. Brief concentrated efforts have worked the best.

3. Travel Limitations. Travel is tied to time and the cost of gas! Unless you are going north or south or east or west on an interstate, travel in and around Colorado is beautiful but slow. In winter months it can be difficult. With limited time and budget traveling the state is not practical. So a challenge is being able to connect and build relationships with pastors from a distance.

4. Office Help. I hesitate to mention this, but it is a real factor. I am my own secretary both for my church work and denominational work. Any state wide mailings are labor intensive and my responsibility to accomplish. This has required mailings to be infrequent and strategic.

5. Associational Shifts. In an established state convention, like Missouri, the local association was nearly always a way to gain exposure to pastors and lay leaders. While some associations struggled to gather a crowd, most could have enough attendance at a conference to make the time and travel worthwhile. In Colorado, the responsiveness of associations and DOM’s to host stewardship conferences has been slim.

Several of our associations are shifting to a resource model, which has some definite strengths, but, it pretty well cuts out the associational conference model I was familiar with in Missouri. So, the challenge is providing resources and training when the associational structure may choose not to facilitate opportunities within the association as a whole. The distribution network, once taken for granted, may not be available. New avenues and venues of resourcing churches will need to be generated.

6. A Clean Slate. On the plus side, and emerging state offers even a part timer a clean slate to work with. Without cumbersome traditions or expectations, creativity can find room to operate. Whatever one does is appreciated by those in state leadership because they know that it is definitely better than doing nothing!

7. The Woolly Mammoth. Such creatures once roamed Colorado. Eating a Woolly Mammoth is much like eating an elephant, except for the hair! Tackling anything of mammoth size requires taking one bite after another. Creating a culture of stewardship awareness will not happen overnight. But the banquet table is set, and we’ve begun to make some progress!

Be sure to visit the Do More Ministry blog again tomorrow as we finish our exploration of stewardship in Colorado.

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September 18, 2007

Scaling Stewardship in Colorado, Part 2

This week we're taking a look inside what it's like to "do" stewardship in Colorado, defined by our Convention as an "emerging" state. Below are the words of Duane Trimble, State Stewardship Director, for the Colorado State Baptist Convention.

Colorado has more mountains topping fourteen thousand feet than any other state. Over fifty so I’m told. A few hardy individuals can lay claim to having climbed all the fourteeners! I’m not one of them. Since Colorado falls in the “emerging state convention” category, we do face some challenging stewardship “fourteeners”!

Ben Stroup of LifeWay invited me to comment on what it is like being a State Stewardship Director in an emerging state. The title of State Stewardship Director of Colorado Baptist Convention requires modification. Colorado doesn’t have such a critter! What we do have is a Church Health Team largely staffed by persons who have other full time ministry positions outside of the convention roster, myself included. These team members cover a wide range of assignments. One of them is Stewardship Development. Each team member receives a modest stipend along with a ministry budget.

In December of 2001 the Lord took my wife and I in a radical direction. It was dramatic enough to leave a pastorate blessed with a full array of support staff and enough income to provide a more than decent salary and “go west”. We felt called to a struggling church in Loveland, CO, raising the majority of our own salary, and after thirty years of ministry began serving the smallest congregation of my career. But my heart was quickly invested in the challenges of the church and eventually the state convention.

Within a year I was asked to join the Church Health Team serving in the area of Stewardship Development. Having served for several years in Missouri as a pastor/consultant under Jim Rich, then state Stewardship Director for MBC, I naturally assumed that what worked there would work here. As it turned out, I had a few things to learn and a few stewardship fourteener’s to climb.

Be sure to check back in tomorrow to learn more about stewardship in Colorado. By the way, you can receive updates via e-mail automatically when you subscribe to this blog at the upper right-hand side of your screen.

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September 17, 2007

Scaling Stewardship in Colorado, An Introduction

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to meet with the Stewardship Directors Assocation during their summer meeting in Colorado Springs. It was during the first night when we heard about the challenges facing Southern Baptists in Colorado. For many us (including myself), we live in the Bible-belt states where Jesus is as much a part of our culture as he is a part of our churches. But that's not the same for everyone. Especially those living in what our denomination has defined as "emerging" areas. Colorado is one of those states. (I wrote about the presentation by Mark here.)

As I was thinking about stewardship, I began to wonder what it might be like to "do" stewardship in a state where you can't assume people even agree with you on the basic premise of God, the Bible, Jesus, Salvation, and the role of the Church. A place so diverse and unconvinced of Christianity that you might think you're in a different country. And in many ways Baptists living in states like Colorado live with the reality that they must "fight" for everything...that includes those things we take for granted in the Bible-belt.

During the Convention, I met the State Stewardship Director for Colorado. Duane Trimble may be one of the most humble men I've ever met. (When I asked him to write about his experience for this blog, he was glad to but didn't think anyone would be interested in reading it.) One whose passion for people, his God, and Southern Baptists have led him to minister in what may be one of the most "lost" states in the country.

Given the uniqueness of his situation, I've asked him to let us into his world so that we might be able to see and understand the obstacles that he faces on a regular basis...obstacles that don't exist for many of us. And in doing so, we might become more grateful for what we have been given and more convinced that there is still much work to be done. Work that can't be completed alone but requires a cooperative effort. Something Southern Baptists have been doing well for a long time.

So, I would encourage you to make a point to check in with the Do More Ministry blog each day this week. And begin to pray right now for Duane and his ministry in Colorado.

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September 13, 2007

Living Stewardship

Perhaps the greatest key to bringing about whole-life stewardship is to drill into the Christian mind the powerful truth that in accepting the gift of salvation, he signed over absolutely everything to Jesus Christ. God did not offer salvation as an “add-on,” but only as the result of complete surrender. The concept that one may have Jesus as Savior without quite acknowledging him as Lord is faulty and dangerous! Yet many people who claim to be Christians exhibit loyalties in daily living that are in competition with the mastery of Christ, if not in absolute enmity to him.

You can find out more about this book by visiting Stewardship Direct or by e-mailing David Waganer.

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September 12, 2007

Americans and Debt

In the richest society in world history, 80 million U.S. families would say that they are in financial trouble, after 50 years of almost unparalleled prosperity. American Christians give 2.6 percent of their incomes to the cause of Christ, only slightly better than the total giving of those who deny Him [emphasis mine]. Nor is the malaise in giving limited to the American church: God’s people globally control a majority of the world’s wealth but spend 98 percent of those resources on themselves [again, emphasis mine].

Click Here to read more alarming statistics from Generous Giving on Americans and Debt.

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September 11, 2007

New Day Emphasis includes Estate Tithing

Baptist Press published an article last week that is sure to start a conversation among pastors and church leaders. While the concept of Estate Tithing may not be a completely new subject, it's been ignored by most church stewardship programs.

The largest generational transfer of wealth in history is occurring in the United States now, Clayton said. A Boston College study predicts the amount exceeds $41 trillion as the World War II generation passes on and Baby Boomers get older. At the same time, the study estimates that less than 30 percent of Americans have a will that directs where the money will go.
(Read the entire article here.)

The It's A New Day Campaign starts with Financial Freedom. But the ultimate goal isn't just to get people out of debt. It's to teach people how to live (and die) in such a way that we demonstrate an understanding that all (everything we have, are and will ever be) is God's. We've been entrusted with what we have for a reason and purpose. And that purpose is to build the Kingdom. But we need to think about how we can do that through our estate planning sooner rather than later.

A great example is how Jerry Fallwell impacted the ministry of Liberty University through his estate. Read the post.

Click here to find out when the next one day seminar will be held in your state. You can also request more information here about how Philanthrocorp (the official New Day partner on estate planning) can help your church implement an estate tithing emphasis for your next stewardship campaign.

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September 10, 2007

Stewardship Resurgence in Louisana

Michael Stewart is the Stewardship/Cooperative Program Strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Before coming to his current position, he pastored churches in Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana. He is a graduate of NOBTS. He and his wife Joanna have two children, Joshua and Meredith. Josh is a senior at McNeese State University and Meredith is a Junior at Mississippi State University.

Here's what's happening in the State of Louisana when it comes to stewardship and ministry:

During the first two weeks of August, two teams traveled to 11 locations across Louisiana presenting "A Season for Stewardship" conferences.

During the general session, we showed the "It's A New Day" videos and introduced our state Crown reps. At the break, the Crown rep handed each pastor the 4-week DVD kit personally. Our reps were elated to introduce Crown Financial Ministries to our 110 of our churches.

In the church treasure/finance committee break out session we provided a tax seminar with information about salaries, maximizing benefits, and correct reporting procedures with scheduled time for Q/A. Further, our pastors received detailed information on how to have an annual, effective stewardship emphasis with a prove the tithe day campaign.

Their bags were full of other stewardship resources from SBC, LBC, Crown, and SDA. They also had a scheduled time for Q/A.

The conferences were well received! A number of DOM's participated and have already scheduled events for 2008.

I am grateful God has allowed me to be a part of a "stewardship resurgence" in our convention.

The Lord said: “Who then is the faithful and sensible manager his master will put in charge...?"
Luke 12:42a (HCSB)

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September 6, 2007

Offering Envelopes highlighted in Facts & Trends

Just an FYI...Offering Envelopes are a featured subject in the September/October 2007 edition of Facts & Trends. Just turn to page 38.

Links to additional information such as the feature of the Ghana Bandage Project (previously discussed here) and other information on Stewardship and Offering Envelopes have been included in the online edition.

Be sure to look for your copy in the mail soon. (And check out the online edition and other resources sooner!)

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September 5, 2007

Ashley Clayton on Stewardship and the SBC, Part 2

8. Tell me more about the It’s A New Day initiative.
The “It’s A New Day” initiative is a joint-effort between my office and Crown Financial Ministries to impact the Kingdom by providing a road map to financial freedom. What makes this program different is that it speaks to 100% of your money—not just 10%.

Another important difference is that the program is grounded in Biblical principles and is designed as a Bible Study first. The solution that we’ve put together for our churches is an “out-of-the-box” toolkit. Sunday School material for every age group, sermon outlines for the pastor, promotional materials, and teaching supplements such as video and other presentations are all included.

9. What are people saying about this campaign?
Ed Stetzer said at one of our early pastor conferences, "...this “It’s A New Day” initiative...helping people get out of debt…might prove to be one of our best cultural bridges for churches." Churches that engage their community in this way will certainly position themselves as being authentic and relevant. This is really good news for most churches!

10. What success stories have you heard from churches?
Dr. Larry Wynn is the Senior Pastor of Hebron Baptist Church, Dacula, GA. Larry was the first pastor to lead his church through this four week church wide emphasis. It resulted in new church members, increased offerings and changed lives.

He also gives the emphasis credit for enabling his church to give over one million dollars in last year to the Cooperative Program. They actually put billboards up in their community that essentially said, "Get out of debt here!" The results were amazing!

Hebron’s experience is actually captured in a DVD that we provide for churches. All they have to do is request a copy from my office.

11. Why do you think “It’s A New Day” is important for Southern Baptists?
One constant thread around the Convention is this: everyone is in favor of helping people get out of debt. That’s why I believe this initiative took center stage at the national Convention meeting in San Antonio, TX earlier this year.

And helping people get out debt so that they are free for ministry is a goal every SBC church can share together--even those sharply divided over political and theological issues. Both sides of the aisle are nodding their heads “yes,” and saying, “this is a good thing!”

And that’s what we need. Something we as a Convention can rally behind as we work together to fulfill the Great Commission by telling people about financial freedom and ultimately eternal freedom through Jesus Christ.

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September 4, 2007

Ashley Clayton on Stewardship and the SBC, Part 1

Ashley Clayton serves on the staff of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention as Associate Vice President for Stewardship. Ashley has been a practitioner in local churches for many years and brings experience, knowledge, and a broad network of relationships to the Executive Committee. Since his role is vital to the continued viability of stewardship and giving within denominational life and ultimately local church ministry, we sat down together to talk about ministry and stewardship.

1. Explain the events that led up to your current role within the Executive Committee.
At the national Convention in Greensboro, NC in 2006 there was a vote to move the stewardship assignment back to the Executive Committee. At that point, my position was created. For years stewardship efforts in state conventions were facilitated and championed by the Stewardship Commission and housed in the national office. But the Commission no longer exists.

2. What was the Stewardship Commission?
The Stewardship Commission was designed to support each State Convention’s efforts at the national level regarding stewardship and giving by providing resources and training opportunities for state conventions and churches. However, the Commission was dissolved in the "Covenant For A New Century" restructuring in 1997.

3. What happened between the time the Commission was disbanded and now?
During that time, the State Convention Stewardship Directors, who had already banded together as the Stewardship Development Association (SDA) for fellowship and support, began to produce their own stewardship resources to be used in their state efforts just as the Stewardship Commission had done for them in the past. But as hard as they tried to fill the void, they simply could not replace the Stewardship Commission.

4. So what you’re saying is that a need emerged for representation of stewardship and giving at the national level again. Is this correct?
Exactly. The move in Greensboro was a direct response to the requests and needs of churches and State Conventions to once again find leadership and support at the national level. My office exists to come alongside state conventions and local churches, bringing leadership, awareness and resources.

5. This is your first denominational position, correct?
Yes. I have been a practioner serving on church staff my entire ministry. I’m a Christian Educator at heart, having served as Minister of Education at FBC Hobbs, NM, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Enid, OK, Bellevue Baptist Church, Memphis, TN, FBC Snellville, GA and Two Rivers Baptist Church, Nashville, TN.

Here’s a Little known fact: I actually left Two Rivers to go to the North American Mission Board to lead "Strategic Impact Cities", which is part of the Strategic Initiatives area. After seven months, Sharon [Ashley’s wife] and I were preparing to move from Nashville to Atlanta, when the landscape began to change dramatically at NAMB.

At the same time Morris Chapman extended an invitation for me to join the Executive Committee and give leadership to the newly formed stewardship initiative. So, Sharon and I prayed about it and made the decision to leave NAMB, accept the position and remain in Nashville.

Unfortunately, we had purchased a house in Atlanta in preparation for the move; it remains on the market as we speak!

6. Can you tell me more about your background and the experiences that led up to your current position?
As I said, my background is in church work. I have been fortunate to work at great churches and with great church leaders not the least of which include Dr. Hayes Wicker, Dr. Gary Smith, Dr. Adrian Rogers, Dr. James Merritt and Dr. Jerry Sutton. I'm a big fan of the local church. While I've made it my business to stay ahead of the curve in church growth and leadership issues, this new stewardship initiative might end up being my most legitimate work!

7. What have you learned during your first 18 months of service in this new role?
That’s a tough one. I think the one thing that jumps out at me is how isolated our state convention staff feel. Here are people who are passionate about stewardship and helping churches teach a Biblical perspective on giving.

They get in their cars and drive 25 - 35 thousand miles every year to call upon churches in their state with a message of stewardship. They deserve affirmation from the Executive Committee and the denomination as a whole. Their role is absolutely essential and vital to local church ministry.

Think about it, the bottom line is...no money...no ministry!

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