Show me the money!

Stewardship – it’s not all about money!

From the website https://waywardjourney.com, here are some characteristics that identify good stewards:

• Good stewards are committed to selfless service. They have no desire for power. They do not need to be in charge or exert control over others. They are responsible and accountable without any prompting or prodding.
• Good stewards believe in sustainability. They understand that they are building value not for themselves but for their customers, members, shareholders or future generations.
• Good stewards practice inclusiveness. They welcome all into the fold. No one is turned away. They always find a way to bring new blood into the organization.
• Good stewards embrace innovation and change. They understand that while the organization’s principles are unchanging, the means to achieving them are not. They welcome new ideas and fresh perspectives.
• Good stewards are team players, and they’re quick to give others credit. They work together to reach goals.
• Good stewards believe in communication and being transparent. They gladly seek advice and feedback from their stakeholders.
• Good stewards always acknowledge and thank the master they serve.

On the flip side here is a list of what a bad steward maybe like.

• Bad stewards perpetuate the status quo only for the sake of preserving it. They resist change and are afraid of innovation.
• Bad stewards cultivate exclusivity. They may not mean to, but they shut out new volunteers. They stick to themselves and fail to welcome newcomers.
• Bad stewards don’t share information. They make decisions unilaterally because they know best.
• Bad stewards develop an ownership mentality. They want to control every situation.
• Bad stewards let selfishness creep into the organization. They seek to preserve their department or committee at the expense of others.
• Bad stewards have lost sight of the organization’s founding principles, substituting instead what is expedient or best meets their needs.
• Bad stewards are no longer accountable. They have amassed too much power to be challenged. They are beholden to no one.

Many of these examples can be applied to Christianity and serving our God, our church and our community.

How do we want our children to see stewardship? Just about Tithe or much more?

We have received a lovely resource created by Jacinda through the Discipleship Ministries Team – Stewardship, here at the South Pacific Division. Please feel free to use it to explain to your kids at home or at church about tithe and stewardship. Click here to download.