For someone who has devoted most of his professional career to fundraising, I admit that I nevertheless accepted the role of Stewardship chair this year with some trembling and trepidation. Our challenges and needs are great — from the operating budget to the building campaign — with special projects such as a new roof and organ also on the docket. How could we possibly cope with all of these challenges successfully and maintain spirit and solvency in equal measure? The thoughts were daunting, the apprehension palpable. Lord God, please help your servants be good and faithful stewards.
God answers prayer. While I was fretting to myself about how we would meet all of our challenges this year, my youngest brother Tim (a Covenant pastor) recommended a thin little book titled Giving and Stewardship in an Effective Church, by Kenneth Callahan. Little more than 100 pages, Callahan's book helped shake out the cobwebs of uncertainty and doubt by simply reminding me of these fundamental truths:
- "Living is giving. This is the first principle for giving. We live life best as we give our strengths, gifts and competencies in the service of God's mission. We are called to serve, not survive.
- "Mission is more important than money. Money is important. It is a means by which a portion of God's mission is advanced, but it is crucial to never let money become more important than mission.
- "In mission congregations, there is never enough money. In growing congregations, there is never enough money. These congregations are always giving away more money than they have. They are always living at the edge of their resources.
- "God calls congregations to mission. Churches that become preoccupied with money have lost their way. Such congregations do just enough mission to delude themselves that they have not lost their way. But their central preoccupations are with money, membership and maintenance.
- "Congregations with a vision of mission will have all of the money they really need. Although it will seem as though there is not enough money, it nonetheless will be sufficient for the mission.
- "Money follows mission, not the reverse!
- "Giving increases in direct proportion to the strength of the mission. Therefore, may your heart be in God's mission."
As Matthew 6:21 states, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Callahan, of course, has got it right, as I believe, do we. "God's Plan: Our Mission" is as apt an operative for the entire life of the church as for our building campaign. Form follows function; money follows mission.
Proclaiming the reality of a mission-based ministry is a role that the Stewardship Committee can and perhaps should perform. Accordingly, we are exploring opportunities for exalting mission in our ministry. In this manner, we endeavor to train the stewardship spotlight on mission, not money.
Therefore, good and faithful stewards of Libertyville Covenant Church, may our individual and collective hearts be in God's mission, for where our hearts are, there will our treasure be also.
