It's a New Year and a good opportunity to look back and look ahead at the stewardship ministry of your congregation. I suggest you begin the year by implementing two stewardship workshops, one for review, one for planning.
In January, gather your stewardship key leaders (stewardship ministry team, pastor(s), and perhaps some steward leaders in the congregation) to review the past year's activities. Identify what worked and what needs improvement. Begin to think about what stewardship emphasis is needed in the months and years ahead. Can you identify potential new members to your stewardship ministry team? Whatever you do, however, do not leave this meeting until you have scheduled a planning workshop to take place no later than one month after this review workshop.
Give yourselves plenty of time for reflection and strategizing for your planning workshop. Consider an almost-all-Saturday timeframe which takes place somewhere where there will be no interruptions. Think about inviting an "outside" facilitator. Begin with Bible study and prayer. Share stories. Dream boldly! And before the session is over, have a rough, general strategy for the next three years as well as a specific plan for the current year.
You, undoubtedly, will encounter resistance to taking this much time for stewardship. People are busy. I encourage you to be persistent. It is stewardship that fuels your mission and ministry. Faithfulness and excellence takes time and effort. In the long run, the two workshops conserve both.
January 2010
