Discipleship should always be our motivation, especially when we’re addressing topics like money and giving. Do these for any other reason, and the results will more than likely not go well. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, Jim Wise, Sr. Partner and Sr. Private Wealth Advisor at Ronald Blue Trust, shares his perspective from his years of training church and ministry leaders on discipling their donors.

One of the most challenging topics to talk about is tithing. There are many opinions on the topic, and everyone, whether for or against tithing, is passionate about sharing their thoughts, including us. At our most recent 2021 CSN Forum, Chris Goulard and I (Leo) had the opportunity to co-teach a breakout session on tithing. In this episode, we’re sharing that recorded session with you and some additional thoughts on why tithing matters today.

We know that good stewardship and generosity are important traits of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Yet, so few churches intentionally work to equip their people with these essential skills. The result is lackluster engagement and commitment, especially in the area of generosity and service. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Chris Willard and Greg Morris from Elevate Group, an organization built to equip and train church leaders to increase the engagement and commitment of their members to a greater level of service and generosity.

Discipleship is crucial to Christianity. We are called to be disciples of Jesus and follow him in all that we do, including the way we manage finances. In his recently released book, Financial Discipleship - Investing In Eternity, author Peter Briscoe invites us on a journey of financial discipleship and shows us why finances are so vital to our intimacy and devotion to Christ.

Financial stewardship and generosity are terms we hear all the time, but we all have different definitions and understandings of what they mean. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Brandon Sieben about financial discipleship and why it can enhance and improve our understanding and application of financial stewardship and generosity.

Over the years, I've met many Christians who don't tithe. There are two main reasons for this, and I'll share my thoughts on them in this podcast. But first, let me be clear, it's not my job to convince you to tithe. Actually, it's no one's job except for the Holy Spirit. So, I'm not telling you to tithe, but I am asking you to do what I did, study it, and ask God for clarity, then do what He tells you to do.

To be a faithful steward requires knowledge, commitment, and action. The journey isn’t easy, especially in our materialistic culture. Although committed to doing things God’s way, we often take back control of the things God has entrusted to us. In this episode, we talk with author Marcus Hall and his devotional book that lays out a path to true and consistent stewardship.

What do you do when the giving at your church is good for 20+ years and then there’s a sudden significant drop? In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Crossroad’s Rob Seddon and Kirsten Schwartz to find out what they learned and what they’re doing to address this and a much more important issue.

Ministry and the way we’re doing it these days has changed. The challenges to financial discipleship during this “social distancing” season are many, but there are also great opportunities. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Blair Graham, stewardship pastor at The Summit Church, in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, to learn how they’ve adapted to these current challenges.

Based on a recent survey by the Lilly School of Philanthropy, church leaders believe stewardship would be the most significant challenge for recovery from the current effect of the COVID 19 pandemic. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, Rev. Dr. Clayton Smith joins us to discuss what church leader can do to help their church and their faith community navigate a way to recovery.

Most people would say idol worship is almost non-existent today, especially in modern western civilizations. After all, people don’t bow down to statues anymore, or do they? It is rare to see anyone bow down to a statue, or offer prayers and burn incense to a figurine, at least not in our part of the world, but that doesn’t discount that idolatry is more prevalent today than in past generations. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we discuss what modern idolatry and materialism look like, how to recognize it, and, most importantly, how to resist it.

Your church has a unique vision, which God wants to fulfill. It’s about legacy and ensuring that this vision is supported and that it carries on from generation to generation. An estate planning ministry helps to ensure your legacy will carry on while providing a much-needed service to your church family members. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, Mike Prior from Financial Planning Ministry explains how an estate planning ministry can be a tremendous benefit to your members now and to your church for years to come.

Few subjects challenge us more than giving, especially in our abundance-driven culture. How do we, as pastors and stewardship leaders, guide and disciple our people in this vital area? In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we talk with Todd McMichen, Director of Generosity at Lifeway Christian Resources, to learn their strategy and the resources they've developed to help pastors disciple in generosity.

For those of us who have been around stewardship ministry for a while, Compass-finances God's way, and its' founder Howard Dayton, are well known to us. For the rest of you, you're about to be introduced to a tremendous ministry! Compass, although only ten years old, has roots that go back many decades. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we interview Brandon Sieben, the new President, and CEO, to learn what Compass is doing in this new season to resource pastors and stewardship leaders, and empower them to promote financial discipleship.

We have the privilege to present and teach on one of the most important topics we face in our generation. It is the topic of money and possessions and how they impact our daily lives, our relationship with God, and our relationship with each other. Should we not do the very best job possible? In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we discuss the keys to being a better presenter so that your message has a powerful and transformational impact.

With many options for stewardship content out there and more being developed every day, what should you be offering through your stewardship ministry? In this episode of Stewardship Insights, we discuss some content options and give you some insight into how you should be going about choosing the best stewardship content to disciple your people.

Your church members’ giving may be more than enough to meet budget, but does that mean you don’t have a need for teaching on stewardship and generosity? In this episode of Stewardship Insights, we discuss the value of having a stewardship ministry regardless of your giving.

If you’ve been married for even a short period of time, you’ve had at least one money fight. What if you could really “get” where your spouse is coming from when it comes to money - and they could “get” you? In this episode of Stewardship Leader, Shaunti Feldhahn talks about her and her husband Jeff’s new book, Thriving In Love & Money, and the research that has led them to the 5 distinct factors that tend to be running beneath the surface of money issues in marriage. Their book and the additional resources they’ve created will prove invaluable as you minister to the couples in your church.

One of the greatest challenges and missed opportunities to your ministry is getting your church staff to understand and buy into the message of stewardship and generosity. You know that if they REALLY get stewardship, it will have a significant and transforming impact on your people, your church, and your culture. So why don’t they buy-in? In this episode of Stewardship Insights, we talk about the biggest reasons for not getting staff buy-in and what you can do to begin turning that tide.

Perhaps the most significant negative influence modern-day Christianity faces today is the influence of the spirit of mammon. In our wealth-driven society, no other spirit is as prevalent, nor seems to be more potent than this spirit. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we reveal the ten symptoms of mammon’s influence, to help you understand its power and how you can overcome it.