(Seriously) Give Your Pastor Permission to Talk About Money
I’m off to a meeting with colleagues at Horizons Stewardship in Fort Worth, TX.
Last time I was there, I broke my shoulder. Let’s hope history doesn't repeat itself but with my luck…
Then it’s on to the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference at the end of the week. If you’re in Salem, please say “hello.” I’d love to chat with you.
I’m pulling one of my favorites out of the archives - just in time! The United Methodist new year starts on July 1. Let’s get the year started with some good habits.
How can you (I’m looking at you, lay people) set your pastor up for generosity success?
Glad you asked.
1. Be proactive: Let you pastor know it's OK to talk about money, possessions, generosity, and giving. Too many clergy have been told by that one person, “I don’t like sermons about money.” Thus, that one person unceremoniously shuts down all sermons on the topic. Let your clergyperson know from the get go that you are supportive of his or her efforts to talk about money and generosity as a spiritual discipline.
Want to know more? Read these posts: The Church is Only Interested in Money and Why You Must Preach about Money.
2. Let your clergyperson have access to giving information. This one always makes folks (both clergy and laity) bristle. However, the 2020/24 UMC Book of Discipline (paragraph 340.2c.2.c. to be exact) – which I know you have memorized – says,
To ensure membership care including compliance with charitable giving documentation requirements and to provide appropriate pastoral care, the pastor, in cooperation with the financial secretary, shall have access to and responsibility for professional stewardship of congregational giving records. (emphasis added)
Read my three-part series Should You Know Who Gives What?. Or here’s another one, The Power of Secrecy. At the very least, have the conversation.
3. Create a “Generosity Network” (aka “Stewardship Committee”). The Center for Stewardship Leaders posted an article [sadly, no longer available] by Laura Wilhelm about a new look at the old Stewardship Committee:
Two goals [of the Generosity Network] were established:
Build a higher expectation church—in order for people to put a lot into the church, the church needs to expect a lot from the congregation and
Provide a narrative overlay to the usual line-item budget.
Brilliant! Having a committee like this will no doubt be an encouraging sign to your pastor. A Generosity Network says that you mean it when you say, “It’s OK to talk about money.”
Everyone wants their pastor to succeed.
Everyone wants their congregation to be thriving and vibrant.
To make this a reality requires generosity of spirit, time, and yes, financial resources.
As a team, you and your pastor can make a fabulous difference in a world that needs Good News.
So go ahead, give your pastor permission to talk about the spiritual discipline of giving.
A version of this blog was posted on June 26, 2019.
Photo credit: Hans @ Pixbay.com
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Cesie Delve Scheuermann (pronounced “CC Delv Sherman,” yes, really) is a Stewardship Consultant for the OR-ID Annual Conference. She is also a Senior Ministry Strategist with Horizons Stewardship – helping with capital campaigns and encouraging more generosity. For 25 years, while working as a volunteer and part-time consultant, she has helped raise millions of dollars for numerous churches and non-profit organizations.
You can reach Cesie at inspiringgeneorsity@gmail.com, at CesieScheuermann.com, or at cesieds@horizons.net. Want to schedule a meeting? She’s got you covered. Click on the link below. While her plane was delayed by two hours, Cesie was whiling away the time watching dog videos. This one was a favorite: 9 reasons my dog is easily born to be royalty.
Schedule a meeting now.
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