‘Stewardship’ isn’t scary word in Bible

Refections on the church

Have you noticed all the advertisements for scary movies either in the theatres or coming soon?
Those ads coincide with the scary season of Halloween, though why in the world anyone would want to scare themselves by seeing horror fantasies with all the real life horrors in this world, I’ll never understand.
In church life, this season is often the one when we use that scary word “stewardship.” Did the mention of that word send shivers down your spine?
Traveling around the Corpus Christi District, I talk about stewardship, and the faces staring back at me are always grim, never joyful. If I can even engage anyone in conversation about this scary subject, I hear a lot of fear expressed.
Pastors express fear that in congregations where no pledge campaigns have ever been conducted, they will be sent packing if they even suggest trying that for the first time. They express fear that they will be criticized if they ask for specific giving pattern information. (I assume that’s because we all still fear that pastors will use such information unwisely.)
Some pastors are obviously downright scared to talk about money matters at all, and others are afraid to talk too much.
Laypeople express fear that they will be asked to give too much, especially if they live on limited financial resources. They are afraid to make financial commitments that they can’t keep, so they’d rather not commit to anything. They also don’t want others to know about their giving patterns, especially the pastor, assuming others would judge them.
Stewardship isn’t a scary word in the Bible. From cover to cover, there are references to stewardship. Stewardship is simply linked with faithfulness.
On Page 6 is an advertisement for a workshop on the scary subject of stewardship. This workshop will be conducted by the Rev. David Bell, who has been a staff member of the General Board of Discipleship with oversight for this area of our spiritual formation and discipleship.
This event is open to anyone in the Southwest Texas Conference. From the Corpus Christi District, I expect representation from every church, and since we will be at the largest church in the district, we will have room for large groups from churches to attend.
Notice the language Bell uses about this scary subject in his title—joy, generous, discipleship. Those words aren’t so scary, are they?
Come to this event. It might be fun!