STEWARDSHIP
IN A
CHANGING WORLD
Erika F Puni, PhD
Stewardship Ministries Director
General Conference
GIVING TO THE LORD
For I testify that they (Macedonian
churches) gave as much as they
were able, and even beyond their
ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they
urgently pleaded with us for the
privilege of sharing in this service
to the saints. 5 And they did not do
as we expected, but they gave
themselves first to the Lord and
then to us in keeping with God's
will. 2 Corinthians 8:1-6 (NIV)
3
Real stewardship
and giving starts
with the giving of
one’s total self
first to God.
SDA MISSION STATEMENT
“The mission of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church is to make disciples
of all people, communicating the
everlasting gospel in the context of
the three angels’ messages of
Revelation 14:6-12, leading them to
accept Jesus as personal Savior and
unite with His remnant church,
discipling them to serve Him as Lord,
and preparing them for His soon
return.” GC Policy Book 2009/10:29
REALITIES
1. The world in which the
Seventh-day Adventist
Church was born into has
changed, and it continues
to change.
REALITIES
2. For the SDA Church to
be relevant and connect
with people’s hearts today,
it must adapt the way it
does ministry (including
stewardship) in the world.
REALITIES
3. Biblical stewardship is
the total commitment of
the heart to God including
the returning of the Lord’s
tithe and the giving of
free-will offerings.
REALITIES
4. Stewardship is the
spiritual responsibility of
every believer; and it is the
work of every department
with Stewardship Ministries
emphasizing, promoting,
and teaching “financial
stewardship.”
GLOBAL SHIFT
20TH CENTURY
21ST CENTURY
Rural
Urban
Slash & Burn
Conserve
Local Economies Global Economy
Save & Invest
Spend & Enjoy
Life Predictable
Life Uncertain
SDA CHURCH SHIFT
PAST
PRESENT
NAD Based
World Based
Slow Growth
Fast Growth
Few Members
Many Members
Mission
Maintenance
Fixed Structure
Flexible Systems
SDA GIVING SHIFT
OLD
NEW
Offering Calendar Combined Plan
Many Offerings
One Pool
Complicated
Simple
GC Benefit
All Levels Benefit
Program Driven
Worship Driven
STEWARDSHIP SHIFT
DEPARTMENT
MINISTRY
Remuneration
Restoration
Fund Raising
Faith Building
Money
People
Development
Disciples
Finances
Spirituality
FOCUS SHIFT
NARROW
BROAD
Tithe & Offerings Lordship of Jesus
Church Member
God as Owner
Behavior
Values
Pocket & Wallet
Heart
Program
Lifestyle
Stewardship Strategy
Offering
Systems
Stewardship
Education
Information &
Communication
Strategy
Pastor
Local Church
Stewardship Initiatives
1. Development of a stewardship
curriculum for theological
training (EDU).
2. Partnership in stewardship
education programs for field
pastors (MIN).
3. Revision and upgrade of
stewardship education
certification for stewardship
personnel (SS/PM).
Stewardship Initiatives
4. Development of a family
budgeting and financial
management seminar (FM).
5. Development of a personal
budgeting and financial course
for youth (YOU).
6. Development of a visual
stewardship education
package for children (CHM).
Stewardship is ALL of me in response to ALL of God
STEWARD
 Servant of Jesus
DISCIPLE
 Follower of Jesus
 Lives Jesus’ Lordship  Lives the life of Jesus
 Worships the Creator  Worships Redeemer
 Led by God’s Spirit
 Led by the Holy Spirit
 Gives life to Jesus
 Submit all to Jesus
 Loves people sincerely  Loves other disciples
 Cares for the planet
 Cares for environment
 Uses gifts in ministry  Serves in ministries
 Committed to mission  Make new disciples
CONCLUSION
1. Wholistic stewardship
affirms the place of God and
the Bible in Seventh-day
Adventist beliefs.
CONCLUSION
2. Approaching stewardship
as a “spiritual matter” and a
way of life is consistent with
the GC session (2010) action
to include “ministries” in the
department’s name, the
mission statement of the
Church, and the leadership’s
emphasis on “revival and
reformation.”
CONCLUSION
3. The “broad” approach is
consistent with the way
Christian stewardship is
expressed in fundamental
twenty-one (21), and it
includes tithe and offerings.
CONCLUSION
4. Stewardship is an on-going
tool in the Church’s initiative
of “Tell the World” and its
emphasis on Reach Up,
Reach Out, and Reach
Across.