In 1981, a tragedy unfolded at the Hyatt Hotel in Kansas City as two suspended skywalks hanging above the atrium collapsed on a Friday night during a tea dance. 114 people were killed and 216 were injured, including Sally Firestone.

Leading stewardship or financial matters was often challenging in the local church, but I remained intentional that financially supporting ministry was an integral part of discipleship. Helping worshippers connect their offering as worship, while discovering the joy of giving is vital.

It was pure emotion during the moment of totality with tears and collective whoops and hollers and cheers for the moon making its way between us and the sun.
And the operative word for the day was…“Wow.”

It would be so simple if it was just one thing that could prove to be the “magic potion.” I sure wish it was so. However, the beauty of a multi-pronged approach is that you will be helping the people in your church to
- become more open,
- accept incremental change, and
- embrace the gifts of all generations who come through your doors.

Proclaiming the Good News of a risen Christ goes hand in hand with proclaiming generosity. We have been provided a fantastic gift of new life and, in turn, that requires action on our part.

Inspiring generosity is a holistic adventure. It is not solely about money. It is about developing a culture of gratitude and gratefulness for what God has done in your life. That’s means welcoming those who walk through your doors, thankful that they have chosen to spend an hour with you to explore their faith.

Here’s the good news: there’s already a handy list of “strong suggestions” of things to do to avoid that pit-in-your-stomach feeling when someone asks, “Hey, what’s the password to get into our Treasurer’s computer?”

A calendar like this would have helped in my work as the Finance Chair at my local church. We may not have checked every box in the calendar, but it would have helped to know what things should have been done and when.

Moving beyond numbers and developing Guiding Financial Principles means thinking about your committee’s purpose and vision. About what God might be calling your committee to do and how it might make decisions.

While the Spelman donation might seem like a “miracle” gift, it is not.

- The need was evident.
- The impact of the gift was made clear.
- It was carefully nurtured over the years.