About Lecture - BB-01 - Creating a Culture of Generosity

by Bruce Barkhauer

A biblical, theological, and best practice view of stewardship for pastors and local congregations.

For complete information, be sure to see all of the pages listed in this section.

The word “stewardship” means many things to different people. In many churches, it is a topic only raised for a few weeks only once a year at budget time. However, stewardship should be understood as a spiritual discipline that informs all aspects of faithful living.

In this course, we will explore the biblical and theological understandings that define stewardship as a spiritual discipline. We will learn specific tools to help your church grow in generosity and how to develop year-round programming that keeps a holistic view of stewardship as a part of your congregational life. Discover methods that make conversations around money more effective. This course will provide a more complete grasp of God’s people can live in response to Divine generosity. Discover the joy of giving and processes for building the capacity for greater expressions of generosity among the people in your congregation.

This course delivers in five sessions an exploration of stewardship as a spiritual discipline. It examines the broad biblical understandings and theological underpinnings that proclaim that God is a God of abundance, not a God of scarcity. The first two elements of the curriculum provide a foundation for seeing stewardship as a whole life response to the generosity of God. In the third session, students will discover why the conversation about generosity is so vital to the success of our mission; and begin to examine the best practices that encourage the practice of generosity. Do you have a “live the vision” or a “pay the bills” mentality? The fourth portion of this learning seminar focuses on policy and further defines practical methods that help a congregation achieve its financial goals. In the final experience, students will learn how to build the capacity for their own generosity and how to teach this to others. The only reason the church has a conversation about money is to resource its mission and ministry.