Think You Can't Afford a Stewardship Pastor in 2023?

Most churches recognize the need for a dedicated stewardship pastor role even if they are unsure what that looks like.

Our Inaugural 2022 survey and poll results overwhelmingly supported this viewpoint.

It was encouraging to see that, in nearly half of both larger and smaller churches we surveyed, stewardship and generosity are a shared responsibility…even with a dedicated role. The consensus was:

"Stewardship and generosity should be “a heart that everyone shares.”

While having one person responsible for this role as their sole job is ideal, a fulltime Stewardship Pastor isn’t always within reach. However, a stewardship strategy cannot be successful without someone owning it or without implementing the guidelines described below.

So what can you do?

ALTERNATIVES TO A FULLTIME STEWARDSHIP PASTOR

1. Hire a part time Stewardship Pastor

2. Fully or partially repurpose an existing staff member.

Most churches don’t have spare employees sitting around doing nothing, but it’s possible to streamline processes or use technology to free up staff. For example, streamlining the finance back office (reducing multiple disparate platforms that don’t integrate with a few that do) gives people back their time.

We’ve seen Vision2 users repurpose finance team members to other roles with the time they save using our solution. And we were thrilled to hear that Vision2 freed up one CFO to be a true financial and stewardship leader.

How can you redefine or shift roles to allocate an “owner” of your stewardship program?

3. Divide and conquer: Create a team

Two or three people can effectively add stewardship to their plates when they work together. Due to visibility and influence, the Senior Pastor should be on this team, perhaps even taking the lead.

Here’s why: Whether you have a team or a dedicated person, the pastor plays a significant role in integrating the stewardship program into all aspects of the church’s ministry, from worship services to small groups, and holding the team members accountability for their specific responsibilities.

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS FOR ALL STEWARDSHIP ROLE CONFIGURATIONS

No matter what configuration you choose for your stewardship leadership, you must incorporate these three vital components.

1. Empower your stewardship servant(s)

The first step is to clearly define the role of a stewardship pastor/team. Not just any available body will do. Whether you end up with a person or a team, those involved should:

• Have a clear understanding of the biblical principles of stewardship and be able to facilitate teaching and modeling them to the congregation.
• Be passionate about stewardship and have experience in financial planning, fundraising, and/or nonprofit management.
• Be able to work with existing staff members to develop and implement a comprehensive stewardship plan for the church.
• Have access to training and resources, including financial planning tools, training on fundraising communication techniques, and educational resources on biblical stewardship principles. This could even include mentoring by a fulltime stewardship pastor in another church.

2. Develop a comprehensive stewardship plan.

The stewardship pastor should work with church leadership to develop a comprehensive stewardship plan that includes goals, strategies, and metrics for measuring success. This plan should be regularly reviewed and updated as needed.

3. Communicate regularly with the congregation

The stewardship pastor, senior pastor and other leaders should be comfortable regularly engaging the congregation and communicating about stewardship principles, educational opportunities, and the progress of the church’s stewardship plan. This could include sermons, small group discussions, and regular updates in the church newsletter or website.

HOW VISION2 CAN HELP

We’re passionate about empowering church leaders to develop stewardship and generosity in their members, and it shows in how we innovate our comprehensive online giving solution. We provide all the tools you need to implement your stewardship strategy.

Reach out to learn more.