10 Resources for Equipping Leaders and Congregations
Cultivating Generous Congregations: The Lake Institute of Faith & Giving has created an online and interactive experience for church teams to “create lasting cultural change within a congregation” around generosity. Lake Institute leaders will offer a “sampler event” in the fall if we have 10 churches interested in the process (in early 2022). The cost of participation is fully funded by our Lilly Grant initiative (with the exception of any miscellaneous cost of a five-person team gathering together at their local church). Contact Diane Owen if you are interested by Aug. 15.
Creating a Culture of Generosity offered by Luther Seminary’s Faith + Lead is a series of four live webcast sessions beginning July 29 to help you create a narrative grounded in abundance and not scarcity. Creating a culture of generosity requires a better story. Too often, it’s a scarcity mentality that debilitates leaders and congregants alike. When that happens, operating out of fear—not abundance—can become the over-arching narrative. This course is designed to help you harness the skills of agile leadership and faithful stewardship—and be nimble enough to respond to a changing cultural landscape. Invite your leaders for a way to prepare and plan your stewardship efforts.
Generous Church Leadership, offered through UMC Discipleship Ministries, provides online curriculum designed to help clergy develop their understanding and confidence with local church finances and the components of a growing authentic disciples of Jesus Christ.
Disciples Living Generously from UMC Discipleship Ministries is designed to help church leaders see stewardship and generosity as more than “how do we pay the bills” but rather “how do we grow generous disciples?” moving the focus beyond the church’s need for money to clearly highlight a disciple’s need to experience the joy of a generous life. This is a free course!
Oikos Accelerator: How can you be good stewards of your property and building, an often beautiful, but underutilized resource? An initiative of Rooted Good, the Oikos Accelerator empowers congregations around the US to align money and mission by creatively using their buildings and property to further their mission and build financial resilience by helping them launch a social enterprise. We are hoping to create a cohort of congregations from the Dakotas and Minnesota Annual Conferences. We can support your participation with a $500 financial ministry grant. Contact Diane Owen if interested!
Rooted Good: A team of innovators who are producing resources (including tools for communal reflection on money and mission) to help organizations make positive change. Some of their resources are available with a subscription, but the blog posts and much of the thought leadership is free. Co-founder, Mark Elsdon, just released his new book, “We Aren’t Broke: Uncovering Hidden Resources for Mission and Ministry,” highlighting creative social enterprises and describing how church property and investment assets can be put to work for innovation, transformation, and financial sustainability. A FREE copy will be sent to the first five people sending Diane Owen an email to request the book! Order here.
Ramsey+: Better known as Financial Peace University, Ramsey Solutions has improved FPU to include EveryDollar and BabySteps.app, all for the same fee of $129 per member. Complete this form to get started. For personal assistance, email Steve Gilmore or call him at 629-223-6462. We can support your church’s small group experience with a $500 financial ministry grant. Contact Diane Owen if interested.
Saving Grace: A Guide to Financial Well-Being is a six-part study based on Wesleyan values that provides the tools you need to address the topics of saving, earning, giving, spending, and debt, along with helpful strategies for creating healthy relationships with money and possessions. A Financial Ministry Grant up to $500 is available to purchase the Saving Grace curriculum with two different pathways—one for clergy and one for your church. Contact Diane Owen if interested.
Six Weeks on Money: Creator, Tim Schuster, has developed a unique opportunity for churches in the Dakotas and Minnesota Annual Conferences to offer Six Weeks on Money as a small group experience. Six Weeks on Money provides a personal experience on improving financial well-being helping people grow in their relationship with money and with God. This is both financial education and stewardship enrichment! A church can buy scholarships or individuals can purchase directly. We can provide your church a significant cost reduction for your participants with a $500 financial ministry grant. Contact Diane Owen if interested.
The Financial Leadership Series for Churches, created by Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary for Connectional Learning, will collectively cover three modules of financial stewardship for churches. Each online module will explore one of three recognized qualities which correlate with growth in generosity: 1) belief in the mission, 2) trust in leadership and 3) sound financial practices. The cost is $250 for all modules for a pastor and leader. Additional church leaders may participate for slightly more by contacting Katye Chambers with Garrett. Contact Diane Owen for a financial ministry grant for you and your leaders to participate.
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