Stewardship is not a word commonly used in everyday conversation; however, the principles it conveys are foundational to the life of every believer. In the Bible, the concept of stewardship comes from the Greek word oikonomos, which means “manager of a household” or “administrator” (Luke 12:42; Luke 16:3; Romans 16:23). Biblical stewardship is built on three key principles (Gen 1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chron 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal 3:8-12; Matt 23:23; Rom 15:26, 27; 1 Cor 9:9-14; 2 Cor 8:1-15; 9:7.):
The ownership of God
The managerial responsibility of humans
The accountability of humans to God in all aspects of life
Stewardship is a core belief of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As such, it must be embraced by all, and it is the collective responsibility of church leadership to guide members in practicing stewardship.
One vital aspect of Christian stewardship is supporting God's final mission through the financial resources God has entrusted to His children. However, members' participation in partnering with God's mission does not occur in isolation. Leadership is critical in creating the right environment for this to happen.
The "Mobilizing Partners for Mission" course, an initiative of the General Conference Stewardship Ministries Department, aims to support local church leadership in achieving the following goals:
• Influencing members to prioritize God in all areas of their lives, including managing their financial resources.
• Expanding the donor base of the local church by increasing the number of members who regularly and systematically give tithes and offerings.
• Inspiring members to elevate their current support for God's mission.
The strategies for creating the right conditions to mobilize members for partnership and faithfulness are outlined in the theoretical diagram below:
Key components of the "Mobilizing Partners for Mission" model include:
• Assessing and nurturing leaders' convictions
• Identifying obstacles to giving
• Monitoring participation
• Enhancing knowledge
• Cultivating personal connections
Through the 13 online lessons in the MPM course, you, as a church leader, will learn the fundamental principles of each facilitative element and reflect on how best to implement them in local churches.
