Preaching Effective Preaching Effective Stewardship SermonsStewardship Sermons

Rod WiltroutRod WiltroutChurch Finance SpecialistChurch Finance Specialist

California Southern Baptist ConventionCalifornia Southern Baptist Convention

If You Want Your Congregation If You Want Your Congregation to Be Wise Stewards…to Be Wise Stewards…

““You must be You must be an exemplary an exemplary money money manager.“manager.“

You must be You must be out of out of consumer debt consumer debt if you ask your if you ask your people to people to reorganize reorganize their finances.their finances.

You must be a You must be a grace giver if you grace giver if you ask your people ask your people to be grace to be grace givers.givers.

You lead the You lead the church in making church in making wise money wise money decisions. decisions.

They are going to They are going to hear only what hear only what they see you do.they see you do.

““You must reflect the You must reflect the great generosity of God great generosity of God in the way you manage in the way you manage church resources." church resources."

You must lead the You must lead the church to ministries church to ministries that will reach out to a that will reach out to a lost and dying world.lost and dying world.

You must maximize the You must maximize the impact of what you impact of what you spend.spend.

““You need to be You need to be able to lead the able to lead the church through church through intricate money intricate money decisions or get decisions or get help with this." help with this."

"Pastors must "Pastors must understand the understand the profound profound connections connections between between spirituality and spirituality and the use of the use of money.”money.”

Make Stewardship More Than MoneyMake Stewardship More Than Money

Define the purpose of Define the purpose of StewardshipStewardship

Stewardship is an act of love and Stewardship is an act of love and an action.an action.

““For God so For God so lovedloved the world, that the world, that He He gavegave His only begotten Son, His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal shall not perish, but have eternal life.life. New American Standard Bible : 1995 updateNew American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 3:16). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman . 1995 (Jn 3:16). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman

Foundation.Foundation.

The hallmark of the The hallmark of the believer is Love believer is Love (agape).(agape).

Everything the Everything the believer does is to be believer does is to be an act of love.an act of love.

Love is Love is alwaysalways an an action. 1 Corinthians action. 1 Corinthians 1313

Stewardship is a Stewardship is a heartheart issue. issue.

Get past Malachi Get past Malachi 3:6-12, but don’t 3:6-12, but don’t neglect the neglect the truths found in it.truths found in it.

There are 2,350 There are 2,350 verses on money verses on money and possessions: and possessions: use themuse them..

Money is only Money is only one aspect of one aspect of stewardship.stewardship.

Make Stewardship RealMake Stewardship Real

Connect Stewardship as a Connect Stewardship as a lifestyle.lifestyle.

Connect every facet of life with Connect every facet of life with Stewardship.Stewardship. Connect every sermon with a Connect every sermon with a

stewardship issue.stewardship issue. The earth is the Lord’s, and The earth is the Lord’s, and

everything in it, the world, and all everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;who live in it; The Holy Bible : New International VersionThe Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Ps . 1996, c1984 (Ps

24:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.24:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

See Stewardship See Stewardship as a year round as a year round focus.focus.

Guide your Guide your congregation to congregation to see tithing and see tithing and grace giving as grace giving as just one facet of just one facet of stewardship.stewardship.

Stewardship Stewardship involves four involves four areas: time, areas: time, talent, tithe, talent, tithe, touch.touch.

Lift Up Stewardship in their LivesLift Up Stewardship in their Lives

Make stewardship a Make stewardship a positivepositive action. action.

When you give, you allow When you give, you allow God to…God to…

Make stewardship Make stewardship holistic-life encompassingholistic-life encompassing

Make Stewardship go Make Stewardship go beyond your church-beyond your church-Cooperative Program & Cooperative Program & your Association.your Association.

When You Talk About Money…When You Talk About Money…

When you do When you do talk about talk about tithing, tell them tithing, tell them who, what, who, what, when, where, when, where, how, and why.how, and why.

Babies know Babies know what we teach what we teach them. Teach them. Teach your babies well.your babies well.

Close the DealClose the Deal

Ask them to Ask them to immediatelyimmediately take take action on their stewardship.action on their stewardship.

Give them an Give them an opportunityopportunity to do it to do it right then and throughout the week.right then and throughout the week.

Satan Satan lovesloves tomorrow: it never tomorrow: it never comes.comes.

Help them be Help them be accountableaccountable to each to each other for their stewardship.other for their stewardship.

CelebrateCelebrate their stewardship with their stewardship with them-not “showy”, but affirming.them-not “showy”, but affirming.

Get Some HelpGet Some Help

Use Bible programs.Use Bible programs. Talk to fellow Talk to fellow

pastors about pastors about preaching ideas.preaching ideas.

Look at Stewardship Look at Stewardship Promotion packets.Promotion packets.

Preach to specific Preach to specific issues: family, new issues: family, new building, etc..building, etc..

Sermon HelpsSermon Helps Discounted bible softwareDiscounted bible software

http://www.discountchristian.com/?c=GOOGBIBSOFTWARE

Free bible softwareFree bible software http://www.e-sword.net/

Bible software for your PDABible software for your PDA http://www.olivetree.com/http://www.olivetree.com/

Review bible software siteReview bible software site http://www.bsreview.org/http://www.bsreview.org/

BlogsBlogs http://wterrya.blogs.com/stewardship/stewarhttp://wterrya.blogs.com/stewardship/stewardship_news/dship_news/

Sample SermonSample SermonThe Christian who tithes will be surprised:The Christian who tithes will be surprised: At the amount of money he has for the Lord’s At the amount of money he has for the Lord’s

work, work, At the deepening of his spiritual life in paying At the deepening of his spiritual life in paying

the tithe, the tithe, At the ease in meeting his own obligation with At the ease in meeting his own obligation with

the nine-tenths, the nine-tenths, At the ease in going from one-tenth to a larger At the ease in going from one-tenth to a larger

percentage, percentage, At the preparation this gives to be a faithful and At the preparation this gives to be a faithful and

wise steward over the nine-tenths remaining, wise steward over the nine-tenths remaining, At himself for not adopting the plan sooner! At himself for not adopting the plan sooner! Tan, P.

L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : [a treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers]. Garland TX: Bible Communications.

Communicate What You Want for Communicate What You Want for Your congregationYour congregation

To GiveTo Give Become grace giversBecome grace givers

To SaveTo Save Save for their future and for future Save for their future and for future

ministry opportunitiesministry opportunities To LiveTo Live

Without fear of the telephone-debt Without fear of the telephone-debt collectorscollectors

With hope for the future being secure With hope for the future being secure in the Lordin the Lord

Remember: Ministry Remember: Ministry Grows where the Grows where the

Money Flows.Money Flows.

ResourcesResources Religious PowerPointsReligious PowerPoints

http://www.ebibleteacher.com/backgrnd.htmlhttp://www.ebibleteacher.com/backgrnd.html Generous GivingGenerous Giving

http://www.generousgiving.org/page.asp?http://www.generousgiving.org/page.asp?sec=72&page=333sec=72&page=333

Saddleback StewardshipSaddleback Stewardship http://www.pastors.com/http://www.pastors.com/

Building Church LeadersBuilding Church Leaders http://buildingchurchleaders.stores.yahoo.net/hohttp://buildingchurchleaders.stores.yahoo.net/howtotestgu.htmlwtotestgu.html

GuideStone WebsiteGuideStone Website https://www.guidestone.org/Resources/MinTools/Shttps://www.guidestone.org/Resources/MinTools/Sermons/default.htmermons/default.htm

What Questions can I What Questions can I answer for You?answer for You?

Rod WiltroutChurch Finance SpecialistCalifornia Southern Baptist ConventionP2: 559.256.2858F: 559.229.2824M: 559.287.7840E: rwiltrout@csbc.comW: www.csbc.com

Rod WiltroutChurch Finance SpecialistCalifornia Southern Baptist ConventionP2: 559.256.2858F: 559.229.2824M: 559.287.7840E: rwiltrout@csbc.comW: www.csbc.com