In the September 2017 issue of StewardCAST, LCMS Stewardship Ministry considers the journey for a pastor and congregation in leading stewardship. Only one standard, that of faithfulness, guides them along their way.
However, along this stewardship road exists ditches.
On one side of the road is the programmatic ditch. Congregations get stuck in this ditch when they limit stewardship only to annual stewardship programs and capital campaigns. They view stewardship as only a financial thing.
On the other side of the stewardship road is the ditch marked by a reluctance to directly engage in stewardship at all. Those stuck in this ditch think that stewardship will happen organically without any preaching or teaching about it.
Fortunately, stewardship that takes place between the ditches bears much fruit. These ditches are avoided when God’s Word is central, Sacraments are celebrated and the program is focused on who the steward is in Christ.
Visit lcms.org/stewardship to learn more about LCMS’ Stewardship Ministry.