The Uncomfortable Relationship Between Preacher, Stewardship, & Congregation: 4 Revealing Conversations
Spirituality, Holiday/Special Sermons Lisa Cressman Spirituality, Holiday/Special Sermons Lisa Cressman

The Uncomfortable Relationship Between Preacher, Stewardship, & Congregation: 4 Revealing Conversations

During stewardship season we preach to our parishioners about the need to offer their time, talent, and treasure.

But we preachers need a different conversation.

We need a frank, "backstory" conversation about our personal dependence on parishioners' donations, and the ways money affects our relationships with parishioners and colleagues and our capacity to preach with our whole selves.

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Using Money for Good: Preaching Tips & Tools to Grow Conscious, Ethical Consumers (A Guest Post)
Spirituality Guest Author Spirituality Guest Author

Using Money for Good: Preaching Tips & Tools to Grow Conscious, Ethical Consumers (A Guest Post)

It’s rather surprising we don’t find ourselves preaching a lot about money since fully 1/3 of the parables are about money and one in ten verses in the Gospels are connected to money. Getting money situated in its right relationship with our lives, and the world around us, is an important spiritual topic. And we need to tackle it.

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Preaching on money and finances: the Church's role in shaping our economy (A Guest Post)
Spirituality Guest Author Spirituality Guest Author

Preaching on money and finances: the Church's role in shaping our economy (A Guest Post)

Money shapes all of life. We—and our congregants—need to think about how we spend our money, how we invest our money, and how we relate to our money. As uncomfortable as these topics are for preachers, I believe we need to be willing to put our personal anxieties aside and walk into the deep waters where our parishioners live to launch some hard conversations. Our people desperately need that from us, and the Church must become a place where these necessary conversations can find a home.

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