A stewardship promotion team or committee is vital to the development of believers who have a understanding of and commitment to biblical stewardship. This team may serve as the finance committee or support the finance committee's work.
Purpose: To lead the church in accomplishing its vision statement by developing members' understanding of and commitment to biblical stewardship through a carefully planned year-round program of stewardship education. The committee/team will work with all major ministries and functions of the church to integrate stewardship activities into all areas of church life, with the goal of producing mature stewards who staff and fund the church's outreach.
Following are five vital tasks of your stewardship promotion team or committee:
Stewardship education is the single most important task of the committee. Presenting a clear statement of Scripture on lifestyle stewardship is an ongoing challenge and requires the support and involvement of all major ministries and staff.
Training is essential if leadership is to be effective in discipling others. The committee will see that each person who receives, handles, or disburses church funds is trained and that appropriate policies and procedures are in place to assure the church family that all funds are handled carefully and with integrity.
Mission support is an outgrowth of good stewardship. Giving churches are "going" and growing churches, so the stewardship committee must model and teach how the two are linked and must lead the church family to grow incrementally in missions giving. Find ways to generously support Associational, State, North American (Annie Armstrong), and International (Lottie Moon) Missions Offerings.
Budgeting is a clear, outward indicator of the church's stewardship and a reflection of its mission and vision. The Stewardship Promotion team or committee can help church members understand their role in supporting a unified budget, and can build support for the budget through creative and thoughtful promotion, emphasis and administration of church funds. Be sure to have a copy of ABC's of Church Budgeting and Promotion (This annual planbook guides you through the entire budgeting and promotion process). Follow guidelines in the "ABC booklet" to prepare a church giving history, complete a stewardship survey, evaluate proposed ministries in light of the church's vision statement, and involve others in preparing ministry proposals. Follow the step-by-step process outlined to prepare a draft budget, and develop a creative plan to present the budget to the church family.
Developing proper accounting practices and procedures is an ongoing responsibility and demonstrates the church's stewardship of its resources, both to members and to the community at large.
This article adapted by Craig Webb from a previously published article. Used by permission.