Stewardship Committee in the local church
(Or, Help! I'm the new Stewardship Committee Chair of my church!)

Introduction:

The Stewardship Committee in the local church exists to educate the congregation in the Biblical principles of whole life stewardship. Therefore the committee should be made up of those who are not primarily responsible for the financial management of the budget but those who are passionate about growing people and extending mission. The task of stewardship is the formation of the people of God into people who reflect God's generous character. This is a grace filled and grace fueled task that gives adequate room for the tension between grace and discipline in Christian formation.

The following job description is suggested:

Purpose:

To serve Jesus Christ and minister in His church in the teaching and development of Christian stewardship to the members and constituents of the congregation.

Responsibilities:

1. Communicate whole life stewardship, that stewardship is everything we do with our lives in response to the Good News.
2. Develop a year-round emphasis on Christian stewardship through various media for all ages.
3. Call people to the adventure of proportional giving.
4. Work with the leadership to produce a clear mission statement and then take on the task of the constant communication of that mission with stories and examples.
5. Be informed of the Evangelical Covenant's Stewardship materials available to the local church, and other stewardship resources.
6. Present opportunities for the application of Christian stewardship in the use of time, talent and treasure.
7. Provide an annual Estate Planning Seminar for the congregation.
8. Present a brief report of Committee activities and plans to the regularly scheduled meetings of the Church Council.

Authority:

This committee is given the authority to perform all duties set forth in this job description and to spend within the limits of the adopted budget of the congregation and according to the appropriate line items.
Accountability: To the Church Council or Board at its regularly scheduled meetings. To the Congregation annually, and more often as is deemed necessary.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men ... It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24

The Stewardship Committee: What it is and how it works.

The Bible clearly teaches that stewardship is obedience to God that is only possible for those walking with God, empowered by the Holy Spirit. That is why the stewardship committee focuses on the task of building people in Christian formation on a foundation of God's grace rather than guilt and compulsion. This formational task includes both inspiration and discipline. It is important that the stewardship committee reflect the grace filled discipline that allows for an atmosphere that fosters the growth of God's people.

Stewardship Committee Members Are. . .

• Mature in their personal commitment to Christ and practicing stewards of their time, talents, treasure, and testimonies.
• Deeply committed to the mission of the church and regular in attendance at worship.
• Committed to being aware of how the dollars and cents of your budget are a vital part of fulfilling Christ's mission. (The task here is not to call people to support the budget per se, but to support the compelling mission of the church. It is the mission, more than the budget that needs compelling communication.)
• Comprised by people with gifts in communication and the arts.
• Eager and open to sharing their testimonies with others, yet humble in their attitude toward themselves.
• Able to work with others and open to God's direction for their lives.

Finally...At least one (usually the chairperson) is a member of the Church Board. Each member's term of office is staggered in orderly rotation for continuity of service.

Some general guidelines. . .

• Its primary responsibility is to study and grow in its understanding of Biblical stewardship so it can help members see the relationship between whole-life stewardship and the life of discipleship.
• This committee will function best as a separate committee, not as part of other committees (Finance or Trustee). It should report to the Church Board.
• It is not a "task force," but a fully-formed, free-standing committee which meets regularly (at least once every month).
• Works to help members understand how the budget is the "mission statement" for the church.
• The committee plans a year-round stewardship program in support of the church mission statement.
• The committee helps personalize giving ("communicate a compelling vision," through newsletters, etc.) so people can see and pray for what their gifts are doing.
• To establish and plan the Annual giving campaign
• It analyzes present and past trends in giving so it can advise the board and church members on stewardship matters.
• It helps people become better acquainted with their spiritual gifts and helps them invest those gifts in the local church ministry.
• The committee promotes the stewardship of accumulated resources through wills and bequests and provides guidelines for receiving major gifts such as stocks.
• It works with other committees, task forces and organizations in the congregation to help plan and coordinate the stewardship education program for all ages.

A key service to your congregation:

The stewardship committee serves your congregation. It does that best when it has a sense of the congregation's mission. If your church family does not have a mission statement, developing one should be a priority. Your congregation's constitution, as well as denominational materials, will help in making this statement.

Finally, since the Word of God is the foundation for the entire stewardship program, committee members are also to become familiar with the Biblical basis of stewardship. A portion of each regular committee meeting should be devoted to the study of God's Word. This will help ensure that your budget is more that just "line item." It is also a tool for new and ongoing outreach.

Church leaders have found time and again that alive, active churches usually have strong, well-defined, highly-committed stewardship committees- committees that understand their responsibilities are ongoing...that budgets, commitment cards, etc. are only part of local stewardship education.