An Introduction to "Faithful Generosity: From Saving to Serving"

Welcome to my year-long blog series, “Faithful Generosity: From Saving to Serving.”

By now you’ve probably gotten word that I will be retiring at the end of August 2027. When discussing with God what my primary focuses should be for my final year as your Executive Minister and, indeed, my final year in professional ministry, it became clear that one is that I am to speak into church financial management in a way I have not yet. I have experienced many budgets, many financial policies, and a whole boatload of finance committee or Trustees meetings through my ministry career. I’ve never actually minded them because I see those meetings as part of how we engage with God in ministry. But I’ve learned a lot through that spectrum of approaches and I’ve tried to bring that to my time with you as Executive Minister.

In recent years, I’ve held seminars on financial management from a logistical perspective and will continue to do so, because that is critical to good stewardship of the gifts that people entrust to us in the name of mission and ministry.

I am planning some regional educational opportunities about fundraising from a Christian ministry perspective, and I am working with the American Baptist Foundation to help your congregations access the valuable tools the Foundation can provide around long-term financial plans.

But I haven’t taken the opportunity to speak more deeply and frankly into finances from a theological and ministry perspective, and these are the issues that make the difference between a church thriving, merely surviving, or quietly its doors.

I pray that this blog series, with included recommended activities, resources, and key takeaways, will help you do that. I recommend you share these with your church leadership and, even better, the whole congregation to engage in meaningful discipleship conversations.

The ten posts will fall into three categories: Framing Financial Stewardship, Addressing Endowments, and Legacy Giving and Estate Planning.

Be ready to be challenged; but know that it’s a challenge that comes from the well of love I have for churches full of good people doing the best they can to discern God’s will and do God’s ministry in their communities. May God help me in the writing, and you in the reading, to understand what God’s intention is for the financial resources God provides.

Peace,

Sandy