More Good $ense — February, 2010
The monthly e-publication of the Good $ense Ministry Movement
In This Issue:
Dick's Column | Transforming Truths | News You Can Use | Your Point of View
Spotlight | Market Indicators | Ministry Builders | Resources  Dear Good $ense Friends and Colleagues,
My mind is whirling as I sit down to write this month’s column. In the past two weeks I have been with a group of leading stewardship pastors from around the country, spent 3 days learning about and interacting with staff and supporters of an incredible inner city ministry and read two books that have stirred my soul.
One of the books was “In Celebration of Simplicity” by Penelope Wilcock. (Her novel “The Hawk and the Dove” is a classic.) Here are some excerpts:
I love that first excerpt… do we really want to wind up where we’re headed? Based on my understanding of the direction the charts and graphs of our culture and world are pointing, I don’t think so. Simplification of our much too complex lives is a key stewardship practice. This book has much to say to you and me as stewardship leaders.
The second book was “Theirs is the Kingdom” by Robert Lupton, a social justice/ community development activist in Atlanta. He has devoted his life at considerable sacrifice to seeing Christ “in the least of these” and advocating and serving on their behalf. The book and the meeting with the inner city ministry folks reminded me of how both the causal factors of the plight of the poor and the solutions to a more just society are fundamentally stewardship issues. I also witnessed what a group of talented and called individuals can accomplish in the midst of often overwhelming circumstances. How can our ministries take our people beyond their personal finances and open their minds to much broader stewardship issues like social justice?
At the gathering of the stewardship leaders (check out Christian Stewardship Network) there was a feeling that change for the good related to personal stewardship is taking place. People are beginning to save again, consumer debt is decreasing and there is greater openness to matters of stewardship. But there was agreement that much has yet to be done to encourage continuation of these positive trends and to ensure they are anchored in a solid biblical foundation. Are our ministries positioned to do so?
I know I will be wrestling with these and related questions in the days ahead. I invite you to do so as well.
Sincerely in Christ,
Dick Towner
Executive Director
Good $ense Stewardship Movement
[ top of page ] GARY MOORE AND THE FINANCIAL SEMINARY
"I confess to being one of the worst - or best if you're a dealer - car men ever. I even bought a car recently with a sticker price nearly a hundred thousand dollars. (Don't stop reading. I didn't pay that!!) While I struggled with the money I spent, I didn't wrestle with God at all. I've learned that may be the most important stewardship concept I share with Christians who've graduated from financial elementary school through university and want to mature to the financial seminary. Here's why."
Click here for the full article.
[ top of page ] GOOD $ENSE MOVEMENT UPDATES AND INFORMATION [ top of page ] What are the Attributes of a Generous Church? Ever wondered what those attributes were and whether or not your church was a generous church? The Christian Stewardship Network has developed a tool that can answer your questions! You can read about the attributes here.
[ top of page ] A Great Stewardship Message!
Andy Stanley gave a great stewardship message last weekend at Willow Creek. You can hear it here. It would be a great one to listen to personally and perhaps to pass on to your preaching pastor.
[ top of page ] Got a Question About Good $ense or Stewardship Ministry?
Feel free to email us your question(s) at Good SenseBus@willowcreek.com and we’ll be delighted to respond.
[ top of page ] Promoting Stewardship Events
Just in case you missed it last month, and because we get so many questions about it, we’re including our list of ideas for promoting your stewardship events again this month. Here they are:
[ top of page ] A Book For Your Pastor
An excellent book for your pastor (or for you to read and pass selected thoughts on to him or her if you think they may not read it) is The Chief Steward by Richard Borg. It’s a very challenging message to pastors stressing they are, whether they like it or not, the “chief steward” in their congregations. Borg suggests that the congregation cannot go further in becoming good stewards than the pastor has themselves gone.
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