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Beyond the Offering Plate: A Holistic Approach to Stewardship
Everyone knows that stewardship is more than money and finances. Nevertheless, seldom do we give time to explore the profound concept of stewardship in its many dimensions, including stewardship of time, work, body, mind, spirit, community, technology, and more. Beyond the Offering Plate does just that.
Written by ten engaging pastors, seminary professors, and church leaders, this unique resource offers a diverse and holistic approach to stewardship. In ten accessible chapters, readers will learn how they can faithfully and practically discuss and engage with stewardship on a regular basis. Ideal for church leaders, seminary students, and pastors, this book includes questions for reflection and applications for life together at the end of each chapter. Copeland adds a special section with biblical references and preaching themes at the end of the book.
Featured contributors
Margaret P. Aymer, Associate Professor of New Testament at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas
Kathleen A. Cahalan, Professor of Theology at Saint John's University School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville, Minnesota
MaryAnn McKibben Dana, author of Sabbath in the Suburbs
David Gambrell, Associate for Worship in the Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
David P. King, Karen Lake Buttrey Director of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving and Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana
Neal D. Presa, pastor and former moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Ellie Roscher, Director of Youth and Story Development at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities in Minneapolis and author of How Coffee Saved My Life
Mary Hinkle Shore, pastor of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Brevard, North Carolina
John W. Vest, Visiting Assistant Professor of Evangelism at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia
Written by ten engaging pastors, seminary professors, and church leaders, this unique resource offers a diverse and holistic approach to stewardship. In ten accessible chapters, readers will learn how they can faithfully and practically discuss and engage with stewardship on a regular basis. Ideal for church leaders, seminary students, and pastors, this book includes questions for reflection and applications for life together at the end of each chapter. Copeland adds a special section with biblical references and preaching themes at the end of the book.
Featured contributors
Margaret P. Aymer, Associate Professor of New Testament at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas
Kathleen A. Cahalan, Professor of Theology at Saint John's University School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville, Minnesota
MaryAnn McKibben Dana, author of Sabbath in the Suburbs
David Gambrell, Associate for Worship in the Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
David P. King, Karen Lake Buttrey Director of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving and Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana
Neal D. Presa, pastor and former moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Ellie Roscher, Director of Youth and Story Development at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities in Minneapolis and author of How Coffee Saved My Life
Mary Hinkle Shore, pastor of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Brevard, North Carolina
John W. Vest, Visiting Assistant Professor of Evangelism at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia
233 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2017
29 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 21, 2018
When we hear the word "stewardship" we immediately think of money, for good reason. While we might speak during the stewardship moment or in a stewardship sermon about time and talent, what we hear is money. The truth is, money is an important element of stewardship. The biblical story has much to say about money and the way we use it. Malachi speaks of robbing God by not paying one's tithe. Jesus speaks of how we use money, as does Paul, who invites us to be cheerful givers. Yes, money is central to the conversation. When we pass the plates, we assume that money will be deposited rather time or talent.
Stewardship, however, has to do with more than money, or time and talent for that matter. In Beyond the Offering Plate, Adam Copeland has gathered a group of writers who speak to "a holistic approach." The opening chapter deals with calendars, with the author suggesting that they are theological documents. Stewardship begins be determining what is important to us. What are our priorities. This is true for us as individuals and us as congregations. Before we get to money the second chapter deals with death. How do we address end of life situations, with a focus on how we accompany those who are dying. Only in chapter three does money first come up. David King notes that "while many assume that money talk is pervasive in faith communities, rarely are these direct conversations that explore the influence of money in our lives" (p. 32). The problem here is that money talk is focused on the budget and not on the broader conversation about the way we use our money. When we simply speak to budgets we don't get to the idea of generosity. Most church members are generous. Not only do they give to the church, but they usually give elsewhere. But we don't talk about it.
That is the primary chapter on money. The remainder of the book speaks about how we use technology, leverage privilege, use spiritual gifts, our bodies, and our minds. There is a chapter on creating community as investment of social capital. This chapter speaks to the challenges of our age when the way we gather has changed, while the church has not. There is a chapter on work as service. With teach of these topics discussed, the book concludes with recommendations of biblical texts and preaching themes that reflect upon the message of these chapters.
I appreciate this book because it recognizes that we tend to limit our vision of stewardship. This is spiritually debilitating, because it doesn't take into account the fullness of our lives. Church is central to life, but we live elsewhere, and how does stewardship fit there? That is the question raised here. Not every question is answered, but we are put on the right path.
Stewardship, however, has to do with more than money, or time and talent for that matter. In Beyond the Offering Plate, Adam Copeland has gathered a group of writers who speak to "a holistic approach." The opening chapter deals with calendars, with the author suggesting that they are theological documents. Stewardship begins be determining what is important to us. What are our priorities. This is true for us as individuals and us as congregations. Before we get to money the second chapter deals with death. How do we address end of life situations, with a focus on how we accompany those who are dying. Only in chapter three does money first come up. David King notes that "while many assume that money talk is pervasive in faith communities, rarely are these direct conversations that explore the influence of money in our lives" (p. 32). The problem here is that money talk is focused on the budget and not on the broader conversation about the way we use our money. When we simply speak to budgets we don't get to the idea of generosity. Most church members are generous. Not only do they give to the church, but they usually give elsewhere. But we don't talk about it.
That is the primary chapter on money. The remainder of the book speaks about how we use technology, leverage privilege, use spiritual gifts, our bodies, and our minds. There is a chapter on creating community as investment of social capital. This chapter speaks to the challenges of our age when the way we gather has changed, while the church has not. There is a chapter on work as service. With teach of these topics discussed, the book concludes with recommendations of biblical texts and preaching themes that reflect upon the message of these chapters.
I appreciate this book because it recognizes that we tend to limit our vision of stewardship. This is spiritually debilitating, because it doesn't take into account the fullness of our lives. Church is central to life, but we live elsewhere, and how does stewardship fit there? That is the question raised here. Not every question is answered, but we are put on the right path.
December 18, 2023
A new approach to stewardship beyond finances. There are some great chapters in here about stewardship of time, community, body, technology, spirit, and the mind. The chapters are written by different contributors, with questions for reflection at the end of each chapter, and a suggested sermon guide for preaching. A useful book for pastors and lay leaders in understanding holistic stewardship.
March 17, 2019
Not a ton of new info to me, but could be really helpful to use as a book study with a congregation or other group.
November 1, 2019
It's a collection of essays, so some resonated with me more than others. But a worthwhile read for any pastor who is trying to think holistically about stewardship.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews