I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, quality and freedom for their spirits.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

Links

Here are links to websites that where we have found helpful tools for stewardship ministry:

Stewardship Resources

• Center for Christian Stewardship, United Methodist Church www.gbod.org/stewardship
  A rich resource of materials related to Christian stewardship.  The site includes an extensive bibliography, listing of annual stewardship campaign materials, capital campaign resources, planned giving information.  Also includes sermon starters, children’s time ideas, workshops and events

• Ecumenical Stewardship Center, www.stewardshipresources.org
  Features a variety of resources to strengthen congregational stewardship ministries. Included are those developed by the Center as well as several offered by our member denominations and friends.

• Christian Stewardship Association, www.stewardship.org
  The site offers church stewardship research, best practices for conducting annual campaigns, grant tips and major donor contacts.  Also includes articles on a variety of topics.  This resource may be helpful to church-related agencies as well as local churches.

• The Stewardship Connection, www.stewardshipconnection.com
  Articles, links and other tools offered, including information about capital campaigns.  Many of the resources are from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

• Electronic Funds Transfers Services http://www.gcfa.org/fundstransfer.html (GCFA has negotiated with Vanco Services to offer local United Methodist Churches the opportunity to set up EFT services for donors’ pledges to the local church.  Check the web-link for details.

• Ministry of Money, www.ministryofmoney.org
  This site offers resources to assist people in exploring their relationship to money from a faith perspective.  An online and print newsletter is available as well as curriculum and retreats on money and faith.

Personal and Family Financial Management

• Crown Financial Services www.crown.org
  Crown’s resources equip people to learn, and apply God’s financial principles in their family finances.  They offer curriculum, training, and articles of interest to assist churches with financial stewardship resources for family financial management.

• Good Sense Ministry, www.goodsenseministry.com
  A variety of resources for use in local church settings to assist families with financial management from a Christian perspective.  The Good Sense Ministry was developed through Willow Creek Community Church.  Regular Train-the-Trainer seminars are offered at their Barrington, Illinois site.

• Empty Tomb, Inc. www.emptytomb.org
  The site contains a wealth of information about consumerism and giving patterns in local churches.

• Sound Mind Investing www.soundmindinvesting.com
  Comprehensive information about money management and financial planning from a Christian perspective.  The site contains many useful links.

• Smart Money www.smartmoney.com
  A broad range of information regarding financial management.

• Three Simple Rules, www.ThreeRules.org
  A curriculum of free, downloadable materials to assist individuals and families with Christian financial management.  The resources can be used by a family or within a group context.  The author Theo A. Boers developed the materials based on his experience in the field of financial planning.