Stewardshift: An Economia for Congregational Change

by Bob Sitze

Overview

The collective groan that greets stewardship campaigns in most churches can be quelled. This book offers theoretical and practical propositions by which lay and clergy leaders can ensure the sustainability of stewardship ministries to help their congregations flourish. Bob Sitze invites stewardship leaders into a broader conversation of how shifted biblical and secular stewardship concepts, practice, and identity can be incorporated into a congregation's life and help bring about lasting change.

The book has two sections: Part 1, Scriptural Stewardshifts, reinterprets familiar biblical passages on stewardship, introduces new ones, and helps congregations expand their use of the Bible in their life and stewardship work. Part 2, Secular Stewardshifts, examines the resources that are available to congregations from the "continuing revelation" that is occurring in the secular world, including brain science, financial planning, philanthropy, community organizing, and other areas. The book is written in a friendly style, with reflection questions, so-what moments, and engaging sidebars.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780819231918
Publisher:	Church Publishing, Incorporated
Publication date:	01/10/2016
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Bob Sitze is a former ELCA staff member in the ministries of hunger education, Christian education, stewardship education, and family life. An experienced ecclesiological observer, Sitze has more than 40 years of wide-ranging experience as a congregational leader and denominational executive. He is the author of (Not) Trying Too Hard, Your Brain Goes to Church, Starting Simple, It's (Not) Too Late, and Simple Enough. He is a leading proponent of asset-based approaches to congregational development. A graduate of Concordia University, Seward, Nebraska, with an MS in Education, Radio/Television, and Communications from Indiana University, Bloomington, he lives in the greater Chicago area.

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xv

Part I A Net of Stones

Chapter 1 Telling the Stories of Our Lives: Narrative Pastoral Care 3

Chapter 2 The Church's Story: Called to Live Out Love 15

Chapter 3 Stories about God 27

Chapter 4 A Love Story 45

Part II Being Story Companions

Chapter 5 Becoming Story Companions 61

Chapter 6 Reading Stories: Narrative Environments and Development 79

Chapter 7 Reading Lifestories: The Art of Close Reading 101

Chapter 8 Restorying in Transition and Trouble 119

Afterword 141

Exercises and Questions for Discussion 145

Notes 157

Selected Bibliography 195

Index 209

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Bob Sitze gives us a refreshing refresher for a critical subject at a critical time. Be warned: If you skim the section on anosognosia in the opening chapter, you just might be part of the problem!"
—Mark L. Vincent, CEO/Design Group International


“If you are typical and believe Christian stewardship happens on pledge card Sunday or that holistic stewardship is encouraging our members to cut up their credit cards so they can give even more to the church, you will not care for this book. But you need it. Badly. It will help you to understand that true stewardship is actually about how we manage 100% of our time, talents, and treasure, including the spiritual wisdom and traditions of our faith. That holistic spirit is the breath of life itself, which this book could help become the rushing wind of Christianity’s earliest days.”
—Gary Moore, Founder of The Financial Seminary.

Editorial Reviews

"Bob Sitze gives us a refreshing refresher for a critical subject at a critical time. Be warned: If you skim the section on anosognosia in the opening chapter, you just might be part of the problem!"
—Mark L. Vincent, CEO/Design Group International

“If you are typical and believe Christian stewardship happens on pledge card Sunday or that holistic stewardship is encouraging our members to cut up their credit cards so they can give even more to the church, you will not care for this book. But you need it. Badly. It will help you to understand that true stewardship is actually about how we manage 100% of our time, talents, and treasure, including the spiritual wisdom and traditions of our faith. That holistic spirit is the breath of life itself, which this book could help become the rushing wind of Christianity’s earliest days.”
—Gary Moore, Founder of The Financial Seminary.

From the Publisher