Stewardship Saturday is something new we are running this year, but it is not a new idea. As we know, Jesus talked about money in the bible. In fact, he talked about it a LOT. But as a society, we don’t talk about it at all. Alex Cook runs Wealth with Purpose and has written a series of courses to help people understand their relationship with money and how this impacts their relationship with God. Last year, Janet Sutton took the Young Adults through his ‘Young and Financially Fit’ course, throughout term 3, and the feedback was that the discussions and the practical tools were really helpful. So, having started with the Young Adults, we then went about adapting some of the other courses so that the whole church could benefit from this material, since it is an area of growth that effects us all.
So, you are probably wondering what on earth this Stewardship Saturday thing is all about …
Firstly, what is stewardship?
Biblical stewardship covers a broad spectrum of topics for discussion: from serving God, to being trustworthy Christians, to helping your neighbour, honouring God with your earthly possessions, and so much more. A steward is a person who has been entrusted with, and who manages, another’s resources according to the owner’s vision and values. The gospel calls us to recognize that everything we have is a gift from God (James 1:17) — and that those gifts are to be used for his glory and to further his kingdom.
So what, then, is Stewardship Saturday?
Well, it is taking place on Saturday 27th August from 9-3 and will be a great opportunity to come and learn how to be a good steward of all that God has given us. We will start with an all-in session looking at topics like ‘God & Money’, ‘Stewardship’, ‘Giving & Generosity’. Then we will break out into 3 different areas where you can learn more about one of the following:
- Wealth With Purpose – this will give you the tools and wisdom you need to get your finances on track and in line with God’s word.
- Strong Finance, Strong Marriage – this will help you to manage your money as a couple in the way God intended for you.
- Retirement Revolution – this will help you get your finances on the trajectory of financial independence, without losing your God dependence.
What will it cover/why should I come?
The day will include the following:
- Time in the bible, looking at what God has to say about money, giving, stewardship etc
- Discussions around every day topics – buying vs renting, separate vs joint bank accounts, how much to save
- Reminders about conversations we need to have with our families/spouses/children and how to have them well – pocket money, wills, jobs etc
- Practical tools – budgeting, saving, understanding your values, tracking your debt etc
The best part is, you don’t need any pre-existing financial knowledge. All you need a passion to learn and a willingness to put it into practice.
This is an area of growth for all Christians but it is traditionally not something churches have been good at in the past. Stewardship Saturday is NOT about the church getting more money. In fact, some people may be challenged to get their debt under control and so, for a short period, their giving will go down. The aim of the day is NOT for the church to get more money, but rather for people to grow in their understanding of what their relationship with both God and money looks like and how they can be true stewards of all that God has given them.
What stage of life will it relate to?
There is something for everyone at Stewardship Saturday. The topics we will start with are for everyone and then we will break out into the three separate courses (see above) for more targeted discussions. So whether you’ve just finished school or just finished uni; whether you’ve been working for a few years or 40; whether you’re married or single; whether you have children or not; whether your children are at kindy or just about to finish high school; whether you think you’re good with your money or not; Stewardship Saturday is for you!
Why a whole day?
Each course has 6-10 modules and could be done over as many weeks. The benefit of doing it on one day, though, is that we can consolidate some of the material into the morning so that we can benefit from larger group discussions. Then, we can break off into the targeted courses and continue the discussions on a smaller scale. Whilst a whole day might not suit everyone, we thought it would work well to have it as a one-off day where you get all the information and the resources at once. Of course, even in a whole day, we won’t be able to tackle everything. But it also gives an ooportunity for people across the church to come together and enjoy some social time over morning tea and lunch, where we can share what we’ve been learning but also just chat to someone who goes to a different service.
There will also be childminding available so that families can come and both parents can participate.
I’m still not sure …
If you’re still not sure, please contact our Finance Manager, Janet Sutton, who will be running the day – she is super passionate about this stuff and can answer any questions you might have (janetsutton@livingchurch.org.au). Or, find a young adult you know in the church and ask them what they got out of the course last year.