The Moravian Covenant Stewardship Series A Manual to Teach and Foster Biblical Stewardship A Word of Testimony and Dedication

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1 The Moravian Covenant Stewardship Series A Manual to Teach and Foster Biblical Stewardship A Word of Testimony and Dedication Biblical stewardship has been an interest of mine for years. As for many people, it began with a realization that I have been given so much, nothing of which had much to do with what I had done or deserved. It just came my way relationships, interests, talents, stuff everything. The thought of how God gives in such abundance first came to mind because of my grandparents, people who lived simple and beautiful lives. I remember my grandmother saying to me, Gary, if I did not have Jesus, I would not have you. I didn t understand what she meant at that time, but for some reason God would not allow those words to escape my memory. They now make perfect sense. God is the giver of all that we have. Stewardship is recognizing that all we have is a gift from God, belongs to God and is to be used to serve God and enjoy life. The psalmist writes, The earth is the Lord s and all that is in it, the world and all those who live in it. (24:1) As I saw my grandparents live their faith, so I desire to live mine. Their words and their lives have been exemplary, something for me to strive for as a disciple and as one who desires to become a more committed follower of Jesus Christ. In all that they did in response to the grace and generosity of God, my grandparents lived each and every day in the following ways. 1. They wanted to glorify God in their thoughts, words and deeds. In all the ways that could be seen and heard, they wanted to live as Christ would ask and expect of a believer. 2. They wanted to bless the lives of those around them. So often I was the recipient of that spirit of giving. They extended and gave of themselves in ways that would help people to smile and to feel cared for neighbors both far and near. 3. They made efforts to strengthen the local church. Through their service and giving, their church was a stronger and more vital presence for Christ within the small town in which they lived. 1

2 So, in memory of my grandparents, Mike and Fannie Bogino, I dedicate this manual. I pray for those who use even a portion of what follows that God may be glorified, that lives may be blessed and that our local churches will be strengthened to do the vital work of ministry. Gary T. Marsh Part One The Annual Covenant, a Part of Our Rich Tradition On September 16, 1741, during a Synod of the Moravian Church held in London, Leonard Dober, the first Moravian missionary, was then serving the Unitas Fratrum (early Moravian Church) in the office of Chief Elder. Because of the heavy load demanded of him, Dober declined to continue for another inter-synodal period. The church had rapidly grown under his leadership, but a change was needed as he felt the weight of increased expectations. Essentially, the task of the Chief Elder of the Unitas Fratrum was to lead in all spiritual matters pertaining to the Unity. With deliberation and prayerful focus, the synod considered those who had the necessary qualifications and would serve well. Several people were suggested, but not one received enough votes. It was after several attempts to elect a new Chief Elder that one delegate offered a question. Would not the Lord our Savior be so gracious as to accept this office? The idea that Jesus be the Chief Elder of the Moravian Church was founded upon the truth of scripture, thus at that Synod of 1741, Jesus Christ was affirmed as the only head of our Church. That decision and remarkable point in our history is celebrated each year within Moravian Churches across the Unity on November 13 th. It is a time to remember the role of Christ in our lives and celebrate that truth at His Table. More to the point of what this Moravian Covenant Stewardship Series is based upon is the covenant that Moravian clergy share annually on September 16. On or very near that day, clergy who serve within our denomination participate in a unique and meaningful service. No matter if the format is a service of worship, retreat setting or fellowship meal, Moravian clergy are invited to personally examine their ministry and 2

3 relationship to the Church. They are invited to commit to life in Christ and service to His Church. In celebration of the Chief Elder, clergy are asked to grow with intention and focus, serve with excellence and covenant anew for another year. To say the least, that service has meant the world to many who are ordained, for it is on that day that clergy can be very honest with God and one another as they take a step forward for another year, to commit to serve in ways that will glorify God, bless lives and strengthen the local church. Clergy are asked to see themselves clearly as followers, leaders, and disciples of Jesus. They are asked to grow and again take very seriously their calling and the importance of the Church. Part Two A Covenant for All Membership in the Moravian Church has a sacred meaning. As a person joins, if it be through baptism, confirmation of faith or transfer from another congregation, a person commits to all that the Church stands for and the faith in Jesus that is our sure foundation. The day when a person becomes a formal member of the Church is a day is of great celebration, but so often the enthusiasm that was a part of that day seems to lessen. It may take years, but, for many, commitment fades. It is obvious to us, for the Moravian Church has been in decline for years. Many members who once committed themselves to Christ and the Church have become far less committed. Some have left the church, no longer involved. Those who search for church often look elsewhere, to a congregation that is vibrant and alive. To be honest, not always is it a Moravian Church. We tend lose more folk than we bring in. The extent to which this has become true can be seen within our denomination across all of North America. Why is this the case? Perhaps it has to do with the fact that we have not expected enough of what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ. Perhaps we have not nurtured and helped to build people up in their faith. Perhaps it is because we have not asked members to take steps of faith formation and growth. Perhaps it is because we have not reminded them, as clergy are reminded annually, of how important their ministry and participation in the Church is. Perhaps is it because we have not really asked our members to grow as followers and disciples of Jesus Christ. If we do, if we sincerely ask believers and members of our churches to grow as followers and as disciples, I believe that the Moravian Church will be strengthened in ways that will be glorious. If we do, I believe that the 3

4 Moravian Church will see the best years yet to come. If we do, we will most certainly see members of our churches begin to glorify the Lord in every aspect of their lives, bless others and strengthen their Church. This can and will happen if we help people to take steps forward in faith formation, discipleship and commitment. Although clergy have been asked to take such steps each year, few members have been asked or even encouraged to do so. Because of that, many churches are underachieving, many members are stagnant and our witness for Christ is not what, I believe, He expects of us. God s expectations of believers is the premise of this series. In these pages you will find a program that will invite, encourage and demand that members of the Moravian Church take bold, exciting and possible steps forward each year in ways that will cause their lives and the Church to shine for Christ. Part Three The Heart of Stewardship is Discipleship Jesus did not say to go into the world and make budgets. Jesus did say to go into the world and make disciples. Every Church needs a discipleship strategy to help grow people into givers and whole-life stewards. In Stewardship for Your People, a DVD produced by the Evangelical Covenant Church, we note that a successful stewardship strategy must be based upon the fact that: God s grace is the foundation. God s abundance is the context. God s economy encourages the discipline of giving. In his book What s So Amazing About Grace? Philip Yancey writes, Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more. He also writes, Grace means that there is nothing we can do to make God love us less. Because we have received so much from God, all free gifts of grace, we are invited to freely give. God s abundance is clearly seen in the act of creation, that within this marvelous world created and sustained by God there is all that we need for all creation to have enough and for all creation to experience sufficiency. Yet, we live within a culture of scarcity. Although abundance is the reality, we have allowed the scarcity assumption to dominate our thinking in ways 4

5 that cause people to avoid steps of discipleship. Because of a scarcity mentality observed even within the Church, we have become a people who selectively obey God and often avoid biblical generosity. This can change as we teach and celebrate God s grace and abundance that can lead to the disciplines of generous giving. Compare and consider these points of abundance vs. scarcity. What do you see played out most often in the world that you live in, including the church? Abundance Scarcity Hope and promise vs. Fear and anxiety Using resources vs. Hoarding resources Using vs. Complaining Focus on assets vs. Focus on needs Half full vs. Half empty Energizing vs. Debilitating Focused on God vs. Focused on self Encouraging vs. Discouraging Because even people of the Church live lives dominated by scarcity thoughts, lives are often not blessed and the Church is often not strengthened. God s economy is the key. To believe that the Lord God has created and provided in abundance is the key. To believe that God gave so that we can give is the key. Such belief begins as biblical stewardship is taught. Such belief develops as people of faith are asked to take steps each year to be increasingly committed followers and disciples of Jesus. In The Personal Life of a Disciple, the Rev. Kevin Frack writes, When Moravians describe what it s like to live as a follower of Jesus, we describe it as a journey. We know where we re going and whom we are growing to resemble, but we haven t yet arrived. A poster caption sums up how we view the Christian life: I m not perfect...but God is not finished with me yet. When Paul wrote to the Christians in Philippi he referred to the greatness of knowing Jesus Christ. I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. One thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I 5

6 press on toward the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ. (Philippians 3:10-14) Christ has not finished with any of us, or with His Church. The best is yet to come for us and for the Church. It will demand our best. It will demand our taking seriously what the scripture asks of us. It will take striving and even straining toward what is ahead. It will take all of us. It will take embracing opportunities, intentional opportunities, that help members of our churches grow as disciples. This is the covenant, a part of our rich and valued tradition. This is at the very heart of stewardship success. Part Four Discipleship Steps of the Covenant Allow me to begin with a premise and a promise. I believe that if the Moravian churches of North America would take these steps each year and offer members the opportunity and the expectation to take these steps each year, in 5 years our church will be transformed. By that I mean that we will no longer be declining, we will no longer be underachieving and we will have helped to develop a pool of active disciples who, each year, take steps to grow as increasingly committed followers of Jesus. In addition, these steps will lead to congregations that embrace their understanding of mission and purpose, experiencing that they have a great commission from the Lord and have been given all of the resources necessary to fulfill that mission and purpose. Days of decline, survival and maintenance will be a distant memory. Days of mission, purpose and vibrant ministry based upon core values of scripture and congregation will be experienced. This is a promise!! So what are these steps to be taken each year as part of an annual covenant? They are: Worship Pray Learn Claim Serve Earn Give Save Spend 6

7 Brief Definitions Worship - To worship means to be within the household of the faithful on the Sabbath to celebrate our faith as a body of believers. To worship means to be present with others who desire to praise the Lord in song, prayer, and liturgy and to learn of His eternal truth. To worship is not to be done reluctantly or under compulsion, but as a part of one s desire and decision to grow in faith formation, a part of the discipline to grow as a disciple. Worship is the most important single activity of the local church. For the believer it is vital and expected. Pray - To pray means to be present before God. Prayer can take many forms and can take place at various times and places. It is not limited to but can include praise, thanksgiving, petition, invitation, and confession. To pray is not to be done reluctantly or under compulsion, but as part of one s desire and decision to grow in faith formation, a part of the discipline to grow as a disciple. Prayer is vital and expected for the local church and for each believer. Learn - To learn means to be present in the Word of God. It means listening, reading, studying, sharing and being challenged by scripture. There are many ways to experience the Bible, from Sunday School to reading the Daily Text Book. To study is not to be done reluctantly or under compulsion, but as a part of one s desire and decision to grow in faith formation, a part of the discipline to grow as a disciple. Learning of the Bible is vital and expected for the local church and for each believer. Claim - To claim means to embrace the spiritual gifts that God has entrusted to each believer. The scripture teaches that every person who claims Jesus as Lord has also been given specific talents and abilities to be used to bless lives and further the ministry of the church. To claim these gifts means to learn of these gifts, understand these gifts and use these gifts. To claim is not to be done reluctantly or under compulsion, but as part of one s desire and decision to grow in faith formation, a part of the discipline to grow as a disciple. The biblical claiming of spiritual gifts is vital and expected for the local church and each believer. Serve - To serve means to use our spiritual gifts, abilities, passions and resources to bless the lives of people and to strengthen the local church. I know that I have used those same words often, but it not intended for redundancy. It is because to do such was the very project of Jesus as He blessed people s lives in remarkable ways and laid the foundation for what the Church would be. Jesus was the perfect servant leader whose project was to bless lives and establish the Church. Jesus served to this end so that 7

8 lives would always be blessed and the Church would always be strengthened. To serve is not to be done reluctantly or under compulsion, but as part of one s desire and decision to grow in faith formation, a part of the discipline to grow as a disciple. Biblical serving is vital and expected for the local church and each believer. Earn - To earn means to use gifts and abilities that can produce needed income. Income allows us to meet our personal and family financial obligations as well as extend generosity. To earn means that no matter what I am employed to do, I will do it with grace, focus and with a desire to do my very best. All work is of value and all work is worthy of hire. To earn is not to be done reluctantly or under compulsion, but as part of one s desire and decision to grow in faith formation, a part of the discipline to grow as a disciple. Biblical earning is vital and expected for each believer and will bless the local church. Give - To give means that the believer offers a portion of what is earned as a first fruits gift to the Lord. Giving from one s first fruits means that from what is earned, God receives the first portion. This can be given to the local church as well as agencies and efforts to meet the needs of people, especially those who need food, clothing, shelter, and health care. Biblical giving is to be proportional, a percentage of what is earned with the goal of the tithe. To give is not to be done reluctantly or under compulsion, but as part of one s desire and decision to grow in faith formation, a part of the discipline to grow as a disciple. Biblical giving is vital and expected for the local church and each believer. Save - To save means that I place to the side a portion of what I have earned for obligations to be met in the near future and goals for the more distant future. Saving can be done in many ways and can include any number of vehicles available at many savings institutions. Saving also creates a surplus, something that few people in our society ever experience. To save is not to be done reluctantly or under compulsion, but as part of one s desire and decision to grow in faith formation, a part of the discipline to grow as a disciple. Biblical saving is vital and expected for the local church and each believer. Spend - To spend means to do so with discipline and responsibility, never spending more than is earned. To spend means that a person knows clearly the extent to which money can be spent for the obligations of home, family, and needs. Spending must be within the reality of one s budget, a tool that is biblical and will lead to the responsible and Godly use of money as one earns, gives, saves and spends. To spend less than one earns is not to be done reluctantly or under compulsion, but as part of one s desire and 8

9 decision to grow in faith formation, a part of the discipline to grow as a disciple. Biblical spending is vital and expected for the local church and each believer. (Appendix F offers a listing of workshops and teaching sessions available from the Director of Stewardship, MCNP that are designed to offer greater detail about these discipleship steps of the covenant and faith formation. The Director is also available to guide your congregation in the process of implementing the strategies that follow.) Part Five Putting the Steps into Action but First I hope that you have read all of the material before Part Five. It is my experience that many church leaders jump to the action steps of a program before they really read and consider the reason behind such steps. It is vital that leaders know what it is they are going to do and even more importantly to know why they are going to implement a tool for ministry growth. So, before reading any further, take some time as leaders to discuss each of the points made in this manual. Answer the following questions. Really dig into them and deeply consider what they mean to you, your life, the life of your fellow members and the vision that you have come to discern that God has for your church. 1. What have you learned from the disciples who have touched your life? Who are they? What did they do as people of faith that you want to do as a person of faith? 2. Have your Pastor share the meaning of September 16 and the value of the annual Cup of Covenant? 3. How do we need to nurture fellow members and help them grow as disciples and committed followers of Jesus Christ? What must we do as leaders to first grow as a disciple and committed follower so that we can better lead in this effort? 4. What is your vision for your congregation 5 years from now? 5. What is God s grace? 6. What is God s abundance? 7. What is God s economy? 8. How do you see, experience and feel abundance vs. scarcity? 9

10 9. What does it mean to you to worship, pray, learn, claim, serve, earn, give, save and spend? 10. Why is each vital and expected of the local church and each member? Part Six Putting the Steps into Action the Seasons of Giving Season One Steps for Solid Faith Formation It is now time to consider how to present these biblical truths and practical steps that can be taken for faith formation and congregational success in ways that make sense and are possible. Again, let me say that to offer each member the opportunity and expectation to take steps in personal faith formation will produce results that, I believe, our Church needs and the Lord expects. Does it take work? Indeed! Does it demand intentionality? Yes! Will the efforts be easy? Hardly! Will the results be worth the effort? Without a doubt! Let s go. Let s continue to take steps (as you have already if you have read this manual and discussed the questions) that will lead to consistent growth for your congregation and your members. The steps of Season One that you will be teaching and inviting believers to take in the coming years are: Worship Pray Learn Claim Serve Why are seasons of remembrance and commitment important? The wisdom of the Church Fathers has proven that to celebrate seasons of remembrance is vital for all people of faith. Advent reminds and invites us to again consider Immanuel, God with us. Christmas reminds and invites us to celebrate the miracle and wonder of Lord s birth. Lent reminds and invites us to be aware of our need for the Savior. Easter reminds and invites us to rejoice in the gift of Christ s death and resurrection. Pentecost reminds and invites us to celebrate how God empowers us to live our faith each and every day. It would make no sense to skip any of these seasons. Why? We would forget not only their meaning but also what each season calls us to remember 10

11 and live. Reminders and invitations to grow and develop one s faith and faith practice are vital and expected for the local church and every believer. A season to take steps for solid faith formation can take place during any portion of the year, but seasons that lend themselves to each of these steps are especially fitting during the days of Lent or Easter. This is true for a few reasons. 1. These days tend to see greater levels of involvement and attendance. 2. These days revolve around a clear understanding of our need for the Savior and what Jesus has done for us. We are called to respond. 3. There are festal days within each season that can be used to offer members a chance to respond, commit and covenant. Creativity is the order of the day as it comes to planning these annual days of teaching and covenant. For the sake of example, I will use the season of Lent to define how these days can be used to invite people to learn of the biblical truths, values and expectations of faith formation in 5 key areas. Please know that Season One can be part of any season that the Boards and Stewardship Committee select. The key is to choose a season or series of weeks when people are more apt to be in attendance. Every Sunday from the second Sunday of Lent through Palm Sunday will present a single topic, a presentation of one area of faith formation. (Appendix A at the end of this manual suggests 5 biblical texts to consider as you present and teach each topic over a 5-year period of time. Again, if you teach, preach and offer an opportunity for every member to covenant with God to take steps in faith formation and what it mean to worship, pray, learn, claim and serve in Season One and to earn, give, save and spend in Season Two, another step covenant taken each year, the lives of believers, the future of the church and impact of Christ within each community will be dynamic and filled with hope and promise. Every year your church and your people will grow!) Select a Leadership Team Vital to the success of any program in the Church is a Leadership Team that will pray, plan, and organize the material and information. These people could be members of the stewardship committee or boards. However, the best teams are usually a special task force gathered for this 11

12 specific purpose and season. It will serve under the guidance of the appropriate committees and boards and must include the Pastor at every level of its work. It is the task of the Pastor, as the primary individual who will preach and teach on Sunday mornings, to offer both theological and methodological leadership to all that will be presented. Members of this Leadership Team must be those persons who will understand the importance of faith formation and who have shown their desire to grow as disciples and committed followers of Jesus Christ in each area that will be asked of members. Use Visuals and Drama The Leadership Team will want to ask those members of the congregation with specific artistic gifts to make those talents available for the success of this series. There are many resources that can be purchased from a variety of places, but to have those within the congregation who have a talent use that ability expresses a visible understanding of what it means to offer God what God first gave. A new part of a collage of creativity can be presented each week to accentuate the specific focus for the day and to add to the theme of the series. Artistic and creative visuals to consider are: 1. Posters and bulletin boards. 2. Theme logos for newsletter and letter. 3. Design for the My Personal Covenant with God - Season One card to be distributed on Palm Sunday (see detail of the basic design of this card below). 4. Brief drama skits and presentations, each a few minutes in length that are written and presented in ways to bring a smile to the congregation and deeper meaning to the topic. Publicize the Moravian Covenant Stewardship Series Season One About five to six weeks before the first Sunday of this series, the Leadership Team should meet to discuss the detail of the program. The Pastor will have decided upon biblical texts to be the focus for worship planning and will have shared guiding thoughts with other worship leaders such as musicians and directors who also need to plan well in advance. Another part of planning is to share with the congregation the coming of the Moravian Covenant Stewardship Series Season One. Through newsletter articles over two months, a letter to the congregation written 3 12

13 weeks before the beginning of the series and special announcements made during the worship hour for each of 3 weeks prior to the first Sunday of the series, every member will be invited to attend and prepare to make a covenant promise a decision to take one step forward in what it will mean to worship, pray, learn, claim and serve. It is also vital that when the series is publicized it is made very clear of the fact that there will be no mention of money during this series. It is often the assumption of many within the local church that stewardship means that a person will be asked to part with money. That is not the case at all in this series. Season One will be an opportunity to teach the congregation that stewardship is about much more than money, but more importantly how one chooses to live the life of a disciple using all that God has entrusted to one s care with understanding, compassion, generosity and obedience. To grow means that I will offer to God what God first gave to me. In Season One we will learn ways that we can offer to God and take steps to grow in our understanding and choice to worship, pray, learn, claim and serve. The First Sunday of Lent Holy Communion This first day of the sacred and holy season of Lent will offer the third opportunity to publicize the series to begin next week. In addition, it can serve as a more formal part of the entire series as the Pastor clearly defines the love, grace and sacrifice of the Savior, calling upon all believers to consider ways that they will respond to the full meaning of the cross and the Lord s Table. The Second Sunday of Lent Worship A brief definition of worship appears in Part Four. The Leadership Team, as part of its planning, can further and prayerfully discuss worship, what it means and what it wants the members to more fully understand. Worship will be designed and planned to convey the biblical understanding of the topic of worship. This will take place in four ways. 1. As a part of the worship experience, a layperson will offer a 3-5 minute personal witness about what worship means to him or her. This will be a time to offer individual testimony, the experience and meaning of worship to that person. It is not a time to challenge members to do more, but a time to touch individual hearts of those who listen, those who will 13

14 be inspired to consider growing in their understanding and practice of worship. 2. The Pastor will present a sermon on the topic and theme of worship. This will not be a personal testimony, although the Pastor may offer a bit of what worship has meant to him or her. It will be a time to lift the biblical theme of worship and its application to people who worship today. The sermon is a craft and skill that every pastor takes very seriously, thus this manual will not offer a specific sermon to be preached. Rather, as was written earlier, 5 passages specific to the themes of what it means to worship, pray, learn, claim and give appear in Appendix A, passages for consideration as this series is taught each year over the coming five years. 3. A member of the Leadership Team will tell those in attendance that on Palm Sunday, as a part of the celebration and meaning of that day, each member will be invited to complete a My Personal Covenant with God Season One card and indicate that he/she will take a step of faith in worship. It is important for members to know that each covenant is personal and not prescribed. This may mean that the person who worships twice a year will covenant to worship 10 times a year. It may mean that the person who worships 10 times a year will covenant to worship 26 times a year. It may mean that the person who worships frequently throughout the year will covenant to prepare for worship in new and vital ways each Sunday through prayer, silent mediation or reading the assigned texts that the Pastor will be preaching on. Each step is a personal choice evidencing a decision to follow where God will lead that individual. (Appendix B offers suggested ways for the Pastor and Boards to track and help members of the congregation fulfill a basic covenant and the fair and needed expectations of membership related to worship attendance and financial support.) 4. A brief letter will be mailed to all members on the following Monday. It will be a review of what those who attended worship experienced and inviting those who were not in 14

15 attendance to consider. The letter will also serve as a tool to inform about the themes for the coming weeks and invite members to attend. The Third Sunday of Lent Pray The Fourth Sunday of Lent Learn The Fifth Sunday of Lent Claim The Sixth Sunday of Lent Serve The format for each of these Sunday services of worship will be the same as for the Second Sunday of Lent. For each of the themes, a brief definition appears in Part Four and the Leadership Team is asked to prayerfully discuss the meaning of each theme for themselves and what they want the membership of the congregation to experience and understand. I suggest that the worship service for each Sunday be designed and planned to convey the biblical understanding of the theme for that day. The same four styles of presentation should take place each Sunday and will again include a personal testimony by a layperson, sermon by the Pastor, explanation by a member of the Leadership Team of what will take place on the Sixth Sunday of Lent (Palm Sunday), and a letter to be mailed on the following Monday highlighting the theme of that Sunday and inviting members to attend in the coming weeks. The Sixth Sunday of Lent A Time to Covenant and Celebrate At the end of this final service in this series there is to be an atmosphere of celebration. Throughout the entire season, the goal has been to have all members participate with their attendance during each of these six Sundays. Each service builds upon the one previous. Members are learning of the vital calling of Christ, that as part of their faith formation intentional steps can be taken in each area of focus. On this final Sunday, after the sermon, a member of the Leadership Team, preferably a layperson, asks the ushers to distribute a card to each person in attendance that day. The card is titled My Covenant With God Season One. The card may be designed using the artistic talents encouraged earlier, but should also include the following: 15

16 My Covenant With God Season One As a member of this congregation and believer who desires to grow in my faith, I choose to take a step forward in the coming year to become a more committed follower and disciple of Jesus in the ways that I check below: Worship Pray Learn Claim Serve Name After the cards are distributed, the card is read and briefly explained. During a time of silence or quiet music, members are asked to prayerfully decide which areas they want to take a step forward in faith formation during the coming year. It will be important for the person giving direction to invite people to take steps that are both challenging and yet achievable. As has taken place each week, that person is to help them consider where God is inviting them to grow. The goal is to have people now covenant to take personal and intentional steps of faith formation. After a few minutes, invite those who are able to come forward and place their card on the Communion Table, a covenant of hope and desire for the coming year. When all cards are on the table, the Pastor will pray, asking God to bless these decisions. Following the service, the congregation will gather in a large meeting area such as a fellowship hall for a Covenant Celebration. This will simply be a time to share in food, fellowship and celebration of all that has taken place throughout this Season One - Steps for Solid Faith Formation. The Leadership Team may plan this celebration or ask others to carry out the detail of this important closing activity. A final mailing will go out on Monday to remind and inform all members about the theme for that Sunday. Also included in this mailing will be a My Covenant With God Season One card for those who have not yet had a chance to commit for the coming year and as a means for those who were in worship to be reminded of their commitment. It can serve as a keepsake and tool to be kept in a place where it can be seen and read frequently. 16

17 The entire congregation has had an important opportunity during this Season One of stewardship education. Again, it is vital that members realize that stewardship is far more than money. The biblical use of money will be covered in Season Two. Personal steps of financial stewardship result best as they follow the primary disciplines of faith formation to worship, pray, learn, claim and serve. Season Two Steps for a Solid Financial Foundation But First, A Word about Money It is now time to consider how biblical truths can lead to practical steps that can be taken for continued faith formation that include a solid financial foundation. As I wrote before, the Church and its leadership must offer each member the opportunity and expectation to take steps in personal ways that the Church needs and that the Lord expects. Does it take work? Indeed! Does it demand intentionality? Yes! Will the efforts be easy? Hardly! Will the results be worth the effort? Without a doubt. Let s go. Let s continue to take steps that will lead to consistent growth for your congregation and for your members. When I assumed the position of Director of Stewardship for the Moravian Church, Northern Province, I also began a relationship with other stewardship professionals through the Ecumenical Stewardship Center. Through this agency I get together with ecumenical stewardship folk several times a year. It is outstanding to be in the company of those who have been around the stewardship block for lots longer than I have. It was at the first of those gatherings that I heard someone say, Stewardship is about much more than money but it is about money! What did he mean by that? As much as we understand the core disciplines of faith formation (worship, pray, learn, claim and serve), people of faith must also decide how to use money as God would ask and direct. This is a tough one because money has a hold on all of us in ways that we 17

18 can t deny. For most Christians, the biblical use of money is a challenge, a part of life that we would prefer God know little about. Mark Vincent wrote these probing thoughts in his book A Christian View of Money Celebrating God s Generosity (Harold Press, 1997, page 9), Money has a god-like power. I think about it a lot. How and when I might get more of it. What I will do with it once I get it. How much of it I want to share. How much I want to keep for myself. What I would do with it if I suddenly came into a large amount. Money consumes my waking moments and shows up in my dreams. Even when I do not think about currency, credit cards, checking accounts or investments, I wonder about good prices on automobiles, clothing, and generic medications should one of my children get an ear infection. I try to keep my taxes down, improve energy-saving measures in my home and seek a cost-effective way to travel from point A to point B. In North America, where being a consumer is considered a birthright, money s hold is so powerful that one-third of all adults say financial worries prevent them from sleeping or relaxing. In more whys than I want to admit, I am right there. We all are to some extent. Money is a very important part of our faith and faith expression. It is critical that those within the church be given every possible encouragement and tool to live as an increasingly committed follower and disciple of Jesus. Money is a part of that life. How do we live our life of faith and handle money? The answer begins with the fact that the heart of stewardship is discipleship. As I wrote earlier in this manual, the answer is built on the belief that: God s grace is the foundation. God s abundance is the context. God s economy encourages the discipline. I need to give permission of pastors and congregational leaders to do something in your local setting that you may not have done before. We all know that there tend to be three topics that many churches do not want spoken from the pulpit. The topics do not include worship, pray, learn, claim and serve. Those are very easy to preach and teach. The BIG three tend to be sex, politics and money. Yet, we also know that each of those topics needs to be taught and preached within the life of the local church. We are not to invade personal privacy at all, but still, sex and politics and money are part of life and a part of the biblical testimony. The Bible offers 18

19 guiding words about how to best handle life as it relates to sex, politics and money. I will not touch sex and politics. I will leave that writing to another, but I will write about money so that you may better teach, preach and extend to your people what the Bible says. It will be a blessing and will lead to a stronger faith formation and a more sure financial foundation, for the Church and its people. Season Two When to Offer this Series As I wrote earlier, the time of year that a congregation chooses to implement these covenant seasons is a decision for those who lead. The important thing is to have a whole-life stewardship series that helps believers grow as committed followers and disciples of Jesus, a season for faith formation and a season for considering the importance of the biblical use of money. There are many creative ways that these discipleship steps of the covenant can be presented, but the key is to present them. I see these steps as vital for the local church and for each believer. So, if you want to blend these seasons into one, go for it (See Appendix C). If you want to have a series that lasts for two seasons back to back, such as Lent and then Easter, go for it. Again, the key is to allow members to understand these core discipleship steps, decide to use them as tools to grow as disciples and committed followers of Jesus. That is the reason for this manual, to offer a plan that will bless lives and strengthen the church. For the sake of example, I will use the Sundays of October for Season Two. Select a Leadership Team Vital to the success of this series is the Leadership Team that will pray, plan and organize Season Two. It will be selected by and will serve under the guidance of appropriate committees and the boards. The Team will again include the Pastor as he/she gives theological and methodological leadership to all that is presented. Members of the Team must be those persons who understand the importance of faith formation and its relationship to how one uses money. You will want people who are committed, practicing and disciplined in their use of money according to biblical principles. 19

20 Use Visuals and Drama The Leadership Team will again want to ask those with specific gifts to make use of those talents for the success of this series. Money is a more challenging topic than those in Season One. Artistic expression can lead to lots of fun through creativity, and as one talks of money, one certainly wants people to smile!! A new part of an artistic collage of creativity can be presented each week to accentuate the specific focus for the day and to add to the theme for the series. Artistic and creative visuals and drama to consider are the same as listed for Season One. Publicize the Moravian Covenant Stewardship Series Early in September, as a part of the publicity surrounding the beginning of new season of church activity now that summer is past, begin also to publicize with excitement the season to consider financial stewardship. Already you may be thinking that to be a bummer, but it must be cradled around the fact, even more than belief for many, that we are a blessed people. Each day we have the chance to celebrate the abundance of God. We celebrate as Rally Day kicks off another year of Sunday School, as choirs form with voices in harmony, as numbers swell and the Church begins a series of weeks unlike any other. It is a wonderful time! About five to six weeks before the first Sunday of this series, the Leadership Team should meet to prayerfully discuss the detail of the program. The Pastor will have decided upon the biblical texts to be the focus for worship planning and will have shared guiding thoughts to other worship leaders such as musicians and directors who also need to plan well in advance. Through newsletter articles for September and October, a special letter to the congregation written mid-september and special announcements made 3 weeks prior to the first Sunday of the series, every member will be invited to attend and prepare to make a covenant promise a decision to take one step forward in what it means to use money as a believer and follower of Jesus. Many church leaders feel that people will avoid church if there is any mention of money. Please allow me to say that our people need to hear money taught from a biblical perspective at least once a year. Why? Because a person can t travel around any town or city for any portion of one day and not see hundreds of devices that will try to pry money from people and have them use money in very self-centered ways. Money is a gift. Money is an asset, an excellent part of God s design. But, God also has a prescription as to how money is to be used. If we do not teach the use of 20

21 money well, it will not be used well. People know that because they have seen and experienced it not being used well. We can t leave the teaching of money to MSNBC, Money Magazine and Suzie Orman only. Please, if we teach the biblical use of money and teach it well, people will attend. They need it and they want it!! People and the Church will be blessed. Here are some hard, cold facts about money in North America. In the DVD mentioned earlier produced by the Evangelical Covenant Church is listed a Financial Audit of Americans. It states that: - 8 out of 10 Americans spend more than they make. - In the year 2000, the average person spent $1.17 for every $1.00 earned. - 9 out of 10 people have no consistent savings plan. - 80% owe more than they own. - 7 of 10 people will live in debt and die in debt. - Average consumer debt, excluding car and house, is $9, The average American family owes 15 to 19k on credit for cars. - More than 60% of failed marriages cite money problems as a root problem of divorce. - 63% of bankruptcies cite credit card abuse as the root cause. - The percent of income that Christians give has been on decline for the last 26 years. - The percentage of Christians who tithe is less than 5% (17% say they do). - The average church member gives about 2% of after tax income to benevolent agencies, the church being one. - 1/3 of churches are severely under-funded. - Typically 1/3 to ½ of church members financially support their church. - Typically 37% to 50% of adults attending church give $ % of the money given to church is by members over age % of churches have no stewardship program. Stewardship is recognizing that all we have is a gift from God, belongs to God and is to be used with compassion, wisdom, understanding and obedience to bless lives and strengthen the Church. 21

22 The First Sunday of October - Worldwide Communion Sunday - Earn A brief definition of earn appears in Part Four. The Leadership Team, as part of its planning, can further and prayerfully discuss what it means to earn and what it wants the members to more fully understand. Worldwide Communion Sunday can be an excellent time to consider the idea of what it means to earn as we also consider that we are at the Lord s Table with many of the Christians of the world. It can be an annual opportunity for those in worship to understand the fact that 2/3rds of the world s population lives in poverty. This does not need to promote a guilt trip. A reality is that most of the world s population has very little and that most in North America have so very much. Again, an effort must be made to dismantle the myth of scarcity. I recently heard someone asked the question, How much is enough? The person carefully considered his answer. He had a delightful family, a comfortable home, opportunities to travel and vacation, money in the bank and very real hopes of a comfortable retirement. His answer was, A little more than I have now! Are we rich? By the world s standards, we are incredibly rich, but most people do not see themselves as rich. Look at the Audit of Americans again. In the pews across America are people who want more, think they need more, misuse money, have no clue how to use it better and biblically, and would love to be able to feel secure in its use at every level. Merchants won t teach this. Advertisements won t teach this. Our consumer driven culture won t teach this. For obvious reasons, most families don t teach this. Our market based economy tries to teach this, but selectively. The Church must teach this with a desire to help people to live as those who have been blessed to be a blessing to others...even with their money! The worship service will be designed and planned to convey the biblical understanding of the topic earn. This will take place in four ways. 1. A layperson will offer a 3-5 minute personal witness about what it means to earn a living, to use one s skills, abilities and interests to bring needed income into the home. This will not be a time for this person to preach how to use that money or how to earn that money, but a witness of what it means to be gifted, trained and able to earn an income. 2. The Pastor will present a sermon on the topic and theme of what it means to earn. This will not be a personal testimony, although the Pastor may refer to ways that he or she has earned over the years. It 22

23 will be a time to lift the biblical understanding of what it means to earn and the scriptural application to life. Appendix One offers a few suggested scripture passages for consideration. 3. A member of the Leadership Team will tell those in attendance that on the final Sunday of this series, as a part of the celebration and meaning of that day, each member will be asked and encouraged to complete a My Personal Covenant with God Season Two card and to indicate that he/she will take a step of faith in what it means to earn. This is a personal covenant, not prescribed. It may mean that a person will strive to see his/her work as a calling from God and a place to give witness to God. It may mean that a person will commit to searching for a new kind of work, one that will be more satisfying and in harmony with that person s skills, interests and abilities. It may mean that a person will strive to be content with his/her work and level of earning. Each step is a personal choice evidencing a decision to follow where God will lead that individual. 4. A brief letter will be mailed to all members on the following Monday and written as a review of what those who attended worship experienced. It will invite those who were not in attendance to consider these same points. The letter will also serve as a tool to inform about the themes for the coming weeks and invite members to attend. The Second Sunday of October Save The Third Sunday of October Spend The format of each of these Sunday services of worship will be the same as for the first Sunday of October. For each of the themes, a brief definition appears in Part Four. The Leadership Team is asked to prayerfully discuss the meaning of each theme for themselves and what they want the membership of the congregation to experience and understand. The same four styles of presentation should take place each Sunday complimented by artistic creativity as chosen. Again, the thoughtful presentation about the disciplines of saving and spending are of critical importance as they relate to the understanding of biblical stewardship and use of money. The Fourth Sunday of October Give If one were to list how money should be used after it is earned, the order would be to give, save then spend. In fact, there is a how to handle money formula that can be well substantiated in scripture. I believe that a perfect 23