I’m here to learn how to step into Christian leadership in my congregation and/or community.
I recently came across a stewardship angle totally new to me. That’s a bit strange, though, because it’s in quite an old book. Back in 1954, Jacques Ellul wrote that with our wealth, Christians are called to announce the truth about God. We must use money, Ellul wrote, as a means through which we testify…
At my last place of work, the college administration organized an informal mentorship program for all new faculty. I don’t remember all the details, but I do recall that the Dean promised to pay for coffee or lunch anytime new faculty members met with their faculty mentors. The program wasn’t perfect, but it at least…
The church leader looking for books on stewardship faces a rich supply of options. Recent publications tend to emphasize themes of year-round stewardship, embracing the virtue of generosity, and issuing calls to re-examine our relationship with money. With only a few exceptions, though, the field often lacks much sophistical biblical study. Late last year, scholar…
Many things strike me about today’s post by Kyle Meyaard-Schaap of Young Evangelicals for Climate Action. First, I appreciate the urgency and theology. I’m also struck, however, by how his organization supports its mission with practices in line with their teachings. Such consistency should be normal and expected, but alas, all too often our organizations…
Well, we’re three days into 2017. How are your New Year’s Resolutions going? My gym is bustling with new members, but come late February … well, if last year is any guide, it’ll again be much easier to find an open treadmill. In this week’s newsletter, Bailey Walter shares her stewardship resolutions for 2017. As…
I have a brother who is five years younger than I am. Growing up, I remember when he got to the “why phase.” Whenever my parents would ask us to do something, or when they described an event in our future he would ask, “Why?” Why do we need to go to the store? Why…
Many stewardship conversations consider the question what’s possible? What’s possible for our mission and ministry? What’s possible to do with others? What’s possible for the budget? What’s possible when God is working in our midst? In our newsletter this week Elizabeth Hagen continues her two-part series on the global church and stewardship. She helps us…
When I was in seminary, I was required to take an “Alternative Context” course. At the time, we had programs deep in the Appalachian Mountains, and as far away as the Czech Republic. The point of studying off-campus, however, was not to teach the people we encountered about what we knew about God, but to…
Many congregations are currently in the midst of planning or implementing an annual stewardship program of one sort or another. Such campaigns will have a lot of variety, but they all likely have two things in common: numbers and narratives. In this week’s article, Cesie Delve Scheuermann reminds us of the power of storytelling. In…
One of the joys of teaching at Luther Seminary is the opportunity to learn from my fantastic colleagues. This week Matthew Skinner, Professor of New Testament, reflects on how the vision of giving in Acts 4 can inspire the church today. I’m particularly drawn to Skinner’s description of the scene as a time “when things…
For the last four weeks, our series Funding the Next Church has featured articles by leaders of new worshipping communities. These leaders have described new visions for Christian life together, and for supporting mission with money. Today, Rev. Sara Hayden explains the why behind the how of recent weeks, with a fine article about theology…
A blog post by Terri Elton This weekend I sat behind a grandpa and his preschool granddaughter in worship. It was sweet to watch him guide her and explain the various parts of worship. At one point in worship small group leaders of children, youth, and adult ministry were invited up front, and we prayed…
Courtney Young is a graduate of Luther Seminary – M.Div. with an emphasis in Congregational Mission and Leadership. Missional, a Millennial, and a new mother, Courtney shares her thoughts with us here: Last year when I was taking a class on revitalizing churches, we read Diana Butler Bass’ book Christianity for the Rest of…
Courtney Young is a graduate of Luther Seminary – M.Div. with an emphasis in Congregational Mission and Leadership. Missional, a Millennial, and a new mother, Courtney shares her thoughts with us here: Two observations I’ve had since I am not being paid to be at church on Sunday morning: First, Sunday morning is the only…
A blog post by Jesse Weiss A good friend of mine is about to start his first teaching job in a couple of weeks — high school English. As we were talking about what excited him and what made him nervous, he pointed to one area in which he was very unsure of himself: where…
