1. The Hesitant herald Why Preachers (and Stewardship Committees)
Hate Talking About Money and What to Do About It
The Rev. Karl Travis
Pastor, First Presbyterian Church
Fort Worth, TX

2. Introduction “Where your money is, there your heart will be also.”
God’s primary, foundational characteristic is generosity.

3. Why is stewardship such a touchy subject? In the secular world …
It’s in our nature.
We’re products of our time.
The New Gilded Age
Globalism and the new materialism
Declining happiness
Life cycle of the empire and the redefining the American Dream
Anti-authoritarian age

4. Why is stewardship such a touchy subject? In the church world…
Seminaries can only teach so much
Pastors carry heavy education debt
Pastors excel at caregiving and creativity, but money management isn’t always a front burner skill.
We have sacralized money.

5. Which adds up to… The Elder’s Reticence The Pastor’s Reticence
Money (dis)comfort rooted in our family life, and family of origin
General discomfort with the church’s financial life
Fear of appearing self-interested
Embarrassment over the high percent of the church’s budget necessary to sustain the pastor
Personal finances sometimes in disarray
Feeling hypocritical

6. Let’s get personal What’s your hurdle?
Does this describe your ministry context?
What additional dynamics make talking about money and generosity uncomfortable in the church?
What’s your hurdle?

7. Leaping the hurdles
“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it” (Psalm 24).
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23).

8. Leaping the hurdles Let’s get practical … for pastors
Authenticity is the antidote. Share your resistances.
Give. Share that you give. Share why you give. Share the benefits of your giving.
Should they know what you give?
Should you know what they give?

9. Leaping the hurdles Let’s get practical … for stewardship committees
Stewardship Committee Generosity Committee
Generosity not about the church’s need to receive. It’s about the disciple’s need to give.
Refine and focus the committee’s task description.
Re-sequence the generosity conversation.
God, THEN the Giver, THEN, the church’s budget

10. Leaping the hurdles Let’s get practical … for stewardship committees
Begin with narrative budgets. Set the number budget AFTER commitments are made.
Choose committee members with demonstrated histories of generosity.
Generosity about more than financial giving: treasure, time, talent, and terra firma, but it includes treasure!

11. Leaping the hurdles Let’s get practical … for stewardship committees
Target the message: two possible ways
By financial context of members and member families
Those not getting by
Those just getting by
Those getting ahead

12. Leaping the hurdles Let’s get practical … for stewardship committees
Target the message: the second way
By generation
GIs,
Silents,
Boomers,
Xers,
Millennials,

13. age matters Gi’s and silents
Early experiences of money and stewardship
Trained from childhood
Nickels/Dimes in the milk box
Fruit Fruits givers
Likeliest to be pledgers
Likeliest to be tithers
Giving is a public responsibility, a necessity

14. age matters Baby boomers and xers
Early Experiences of Money
Post war economic boom
Upward mobility
Television advertising (redefined scope of perceived affluence)
Rapid growth of stock market
Growing disparity between rich and poor

15. age matters Boomers and xers
Early Experiences of Stewardship
Spotty stewardship training in mainline congregations
Many come from unchurched backgrounds, so generosity is a new conversation
Taught that giving is a personal option, personal possibility, not public necessity

16. age matters millennials
Early Experiences of Money
9/11
Perpetual presence of war
Barrage of advertising (5,000 advertising impressions per day)
Education debt larger than consumer debt
Even greater disparity between rich and poor

17. age matters -- millennial impact report (case foundation)
prefer to connect via technology.
share in micro ways. (Interactions are immediate and impulsive.)
facilitate (and rely on) peer influence.
volunteer along a continuum of support. (They begin with single volunteer experiences and their support for the organization grows.)
give to have an impact. (Cause versus organization.)

18. Common steps in a stewardship “campaign”
Session projects coming year’s budget (may be rough draft)
Interprets budget to the congregation
Newsletter articles, Minutes for Mission, letters, brochures
Pastor preaches motivational stewardship sermon on single stewardship Sunday
Pledge Cards toward coming year’s budget circulated by
US mail
Available in the Narthex
Pony Express or other house to house system
Pledge Cards returned by due date
Session totals pledge cards, adjusts budget, dedicates pledges in worship
Following year, process repeated

19. Inspires Boomers/ 13ers/
“campaign” for whom?
Inspires Boomers/ 13ers/
Millenials
Inspires
GIs/ Silents 
Session projects coming year’s budget (may be rough draft)
Interprets budget to the congregation
Newsletter articles, Minutes for Mission, letters, brochures
Pastor preaches motivational stewardship sermon on single stewardship Sunday
Pledge Cards toward coming year’s budget circulated by
US mail
Handed out in church
Pony Express or other house to house system
Pledge Cards returned by due date
Session totals pledge cards totaled, adjusts budgets, dedicates pledges in worship
Following year, process repeated      

20. questions