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2009 Minister's Conference Resource Materials

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:16:05 -0400

Living Generously is the theme of this year’s Minister’s Conference. Here are the resource materials for the sessions that I (Joanne) prepared and presented. I hope that you find them helpful as you continue to serve your local congregation.

Personal Generosity: How generous am I?
You can download the Personal Generosity Questionnaire here.

Communal Generosity: How generous is my church?
You can download the Communal Generosity Questionnaire here.

Consumerism and the Church:
Here are links to the videos that I used for this session.
Citizens vs. Consumers - Rich Hargrove
Ronnie
Tony Campolo Interview
Brand Jesus
Skye Jethani Interview
Me Church

Turning the Tide of Consumer Christianity:
Click here to download the powerpoint file for this presentation.
Marshmallow Video
Here is the link to get more information about Mary Jo Leddy’s book Radical Gratitude.

What Does Your Church Budget Say?
Click here to download the presentation outlining the different ways to look at how well your church budget reflects your values and priorities.

If you are looking for other materials or have questions about anything I presented at the conference, please feel free to contact me.

Sharing Your Story

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:58:45 -0400

Sharing stories of generosity isn’t easy. For many of us we aren’t sure if we should even talk about our giving and often aren’t comfortable doing so. But stories are powerful in encouraging others. Generous Giving has developed a document to help us figure out how to tell our stories appropriately, ensuring that God is glorified.

I encourage you to check out this link and see how you can share with others how God has transformed your heart.

Emotional Generosity

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:11:25 -0400

I was searching the internet today for information pertaining to generosity of spirit and came across an article on a blog entitled “Are You Emotionally Generous?” I thought it sounded interesting so I clicked and read it. Though I don’t know the blog or the blogger (Celestine Chua), I did like the article enough to include a link to it here.

In the article Celes compares emotional generosity with emotional stinginess. If you take the time to read the article, and I encourage you to, I think you will recognize attributes of each both in yourself and in others around you - I know I did. The question is... what can I do to become an emotionally generous person?

Giving Ideas - Volunteering and more

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:54:44 -0400

The following is from a church secretary who, after reading the Giving Ideas page of the website, sent me in some ideas from her own life.

When our church went into financial problems the first thing I did was resign as a "paid secretary" and resumed doing the job as a "volunteer". This act saved the church a couple thousand a year, plus allowed the money to go elsewhere where it was greatly needed instead.

I feel that with some churches there are too many "paid positions" that could be done by volunteers. When I first joined the Free Methodist family I was put in as a substitute church secretary...which then turned into a full-time volunteer secretary for 12 years. Every position in our church, except the pastor, was a volunteer position. When we built an addition, our new pastor felt that we needed "outside" clerical workers instead of using our very own volunteers. That began the process of of hiring people...we now have a hired custodian and bookkeeper, which in the past was all done by volunteers! When I resigned as "paid secretary" and resumed as volunteer, I had hoped this would set a precedent for others, but unfortunately, with all our church's financial struggles, we are still currently paying for our bookkeeper and custodian!

I am also the church's decorator...so to save money decorating this very large church, I often wait until the end of the season to purchase flower arrangements or decorations at approximately 70% off, this way I will have something new for next year.

Once a craft store in our area was closing, so I managed to talk the owner down on her sale price by purchasing everything she had in stock. I even managed to pick up greeting cards to use for those in our congregation who are ill, grieving, or celebrating something in their lives. These cards normally sold for $3.00 a piece, but because I bought the whole set...I only got them for .50¢ each. I also re-create greeting cards from used cards to use as well. Many in our church congregation have commented on the "lovely pieces of art" they have received from one of my recycled cards.

What is Generosity

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:54:35 -0400

I stumbled upon a website today based at the University of Notre Dame. Christian Smith, a professor and researcher there, received a $5 million grant to conduct research in the area of generosity. The generosity research website may not be too interesting at present given the grant was just given this year, but I expect to see some very interesting research come out of this initiative.

What I did find interesting is this page from their website written about the history of the word generosity and how that may shape our understanding of generosity today.

What is Generosity?

Etymology of Generosity
The modern English word "generosity" derives from the Latin word generÅsus, which means "of noble birth," which itself was passed down to English through the Old French word generous.
• The Latin stem gener– is the declensional stem of genus, meaning "kin," "clan," "race," or "stock," with the root Indo–European meaning of gen being "to beget. "
• The same root gives us the words genesis, gentry, gender, genital, gentile, genealogy, and genius, among others.
• Most recorded English uses of the word "generous" up to and during the Sixteenth Century reflect an aristocratic sense of being of noble lineage or high birth. To be generous was literally a way of saying "to belong to nobility."

During the 17th Century, however, the meaning and use of the word began to change. Generosity came increasingly to identify not literal family heritage but a nobility of spirit thought to be associated with high birth— that is, with various admirable qualities that could now vary from person to person, depending not on family history but on whether a person actually possessed the qualities.
• In this way generosity increasingly came in the 17th Century to signify a variety of traits of character and action historically associated (whether accurately or not) with the ideals of actual nobility: gallantry, courage, strength, richness, gentleness, and fairness.
• In addition to describing these diverse human qualities, "generous "became a word during this period used to describe fertile land, the strength of animal breeds, abundant provisions of food, vibrancy of colors, the strength of liquor, and the potency of medicine.

Then, during the 18th Century, the meaning of "generosity" continued to evolve in directions denoting the more specific, contemporary meaning of munificence, open–handedness, and liberality in the giving of money and possessions to others.
• This more specific meaning came to dominate English usage by the 19th Century.
• Over the last five centuries in the English speaking world, "generosity" developed from being primarily the description of an ascribed status pertaining to the elite nobility to being an achieved mark of admirable personal quality and action capable of being exercised in theory by any person who had learned virtue and noble character.

Modern Usage of the Word

This etymological genealogy tells us that the word "generosity" that we inherit and use today entails certain historical associations which may still inform, however faintly, our contemporary cultural sensibilities on the matter.
• Generosity has not long been viewed as a normal trait of ordinary, or of all people, but rather one expected to be practiced by those of higher quality or greater goodness.
• Generosity— unlike, say, truth telling or not stealing— is more an ideal toward which the best may aspire and achieve than a "democratic" obligation that is the duty of all to practice.
• Generosity may thus, on the positive side, properly call any given person to a higher standard.

Yet simultaneously (and more problematically), this two–tier understanding may have the effect “excusing” the majority from practicing generosity because of their more ordinary perceived status.
We learn from this historical review that the meanings of words can and do evolve, and often do so in response to changing macro social conditions—such as long–term transitions from aristocratic to more democratic societies and cultures.

The Science of Generosity Project Usage

For our purposes, by generosity we mean the virtue of giving good things to others freely and abundantly.
• Generosity thus conceived is a learned character trait that involves both attitude and action—entailing as a virtue both an inclination or predilection to give liberally and an actual practice of giving liberally.
• Generosity is therefore not a random idea or haphazard behavior but rather, in its mature form, a basic, personal, moral orientation to life. Furthermore, in a world of moral contrasts, generosity entails not only the moral good expressed but also many vices rejected (selfishness, greed, fear, meanness).
• Generosity also involves giving to others not simply anything in abundance but rather giving those things that are good for others. Generosity always intends to enhance the true wellbeing of those to whom it gives.
• What exactly generosity gives can be various things: money, possessions, time, attention, aid, encouragement, emotional availability, and more.
• Generosity, to be clear, is not identical to pure altruism, since people can be authentically generous in part for reasons that serve their own interests as well as those of others. Indeed, insofar as generosity is a virtue, to practice it for the good of others also necessarily means that doing so achieves one’s own true, long–term good as well.
• And so generosity, like all of the virtues, is in people’s genuine enlightened self-interest to learn and practice.

Missional Community

Wed, 20 May 2009 10:12:22 -0400

Check out this short video where Matt Carter, Pastor of Austin Stone Community Church, talks about how they were able to develop missional communities. “When we focused on developing community, we were unable to develop either community or mission, but when we focused on mission we were able to develop both mission and community.”

The Story of Stuff

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 10:45:17 -0500

Momentum: From Dave Ramsey

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 17:09:34 -0500

Dave Ramsey has been helping people get on track financially for many years. His organization has developed the “Financial Peace University” tool which can be used by groups to help people get out of debt and get their financial house in order.

Dave has recently initiated a church resource designed to help create a culture of generosity. It’s called Momentum. I’ve taken a look at the website and I’m impressed by what I’ve seen so far. I encourage you to take a look and see if this might be something worthwhile for your church to consider.

Earth Day 2009

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:59:54 -0500

April 22, 2009 is Earth Day this year. As Christians we need to be concerned about the stewardship of God’s creation - stewardship of the environment. Why not suggest to your pastor to preach about a biblical response to environmental stewardship as we approach April 22nd?

I’d also like to suggest that your church consider actively decreasing it’s own environmental footprint. What could you do at your church to do this? What could each of the households in your congregation do to decrease their own impact on the environment. Finally, what together could your church do in celebration of Earth Day 2009 within your community that would express to your neighbours that you care about the environment and want to be part of the solution?

Check out www.earthday.net for ideas about how to get involved.

Stewardship Messages from Randy Alcorn and Others...

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:57:23 -0500

I just found the website www.theopedia.com. When I looked up money I found audio messages from Randy Alcorn and others from the 2004 Bethlehem Conference for Pastors.

You can find the messages here. Here is the list of messages and speakers:

• Money and the Disciple - Randy Alcorn
• When Is Enough Enough? Learning to Live a Life of Contentment - Dwight Perry
• Money and the Pastor - Randy Alcorn
• George Mueller's Strategy for Showing God: Simplicity of Mind, Sacred Scripture, Satisfaction in God - John Piper
• Money and the Church - Randy Alcorn
• Money and Missions - George Verwer
• Questions and Answers - Panel