Savvy Stewardship
Simple financial solutions that inspire fearless generosity.
That's our goal.
Many financial talking heads "sprinkle" Jesus in the discussion but misrepresent Him and His word. Greed is often masked as the "blessing" of the Lord.
We are unapologetically Christ-centered in our approach.
My wife and I have experienced nearly every imaginable financial faux pas. When we began untangling our money mess our net worth was negative, our debt load was massive, our bank account was empty, stress levels were sky-high, our giving was paltry, and legitimate answers seemed elusive.
We’ve celebrated giftless birthdays and anniversaries. Many of our cars required prayer to get them started and additional prayers to get them to stop (only kind of kidding). Our children wore hand-me-down clothing out of necessity.
We’ve prayed the “fishes and loaves” prayers over our paychecks.
Life, for many years, was one large financial pain in the posterior.
Yet, God’s grace was sufficient during the struggle. He didn’t give up on us when we repeated the same money blunders. He was always gracious and patient.
We learned and applied Biblical financial wisdom. We pivoted when necessary and called audibles when it made sense.
God was with us every step of the way.
I want to share what we've learned over the past three decades.
Savvy Stewardship
Gracious Stewardship In The Local Church (With Heath Hiatt)
In this conversation, Tim Kiser interviews Heath Hiatt, the lead pastor for Heartland Church in Indiana, about stewardship in the local church.
They discuss why people give and the challenges of balancing the church's vision with the congregation's financial needs. Heath shares his experience of navigating financial difficulties and emphasizes the importance of integrity and faith in difficult times.
They also talk about the connection between giving and the impact on people's lives and the need for empathy and understanding when people face financial struggles. The conversation explores the topics of giving, prosperity gospel, and dependency on God.
It emphasizes the importance of giving graciously and being a conduit for God's resources. The speakers discuss the dangers of extreme poverty and wealth and the need to find a balance. They also touch on the role of faith and trust in God's provision and the importance of prioritizing a relationship with Him over material wealth.
The conversation concludes with discussing Heartland Church's model and its efforts to help churches in small towns.
Takeaways
- People in the local church either give a lot or almost not, with very few giving an average of 2.5% of their income.
- Churches can encourage giving by explaining where the funds are going and their impact on ministries and people's lives.
- Balancing the church's vision with the congregation's financial needs requires strategic budgeting and maintaining integrity.
- Financial difficulties can be an opportunity for growth and empathy, and faith is not the absence of problems but trusting that God is bigger than the problem.
- Empathy for those facing financial struggles, regardless of the circumstances, is important in supporting and understanding their situation. It is also important to give graciously and be a conduit for God's resources.
- Extreme poverty and wealth are dangerous, and finding a balance is crucial.
- Faith and trust in God's provision are essential, and prioritizing a relationship with Him is key.
- Heartland Church is working on church adoptions to help struggling churches in small towns.
Sound Bites
- "People either give actually quite a bit or almost not at all."
- "Explaining what they're giving is going towards and why we give."
- "You should be generous because this is best for you."
- "But when you actually receive in humility and brokenness like that, it's easier to give graciously later on, and you won't come across as the savior of anybody being the one who's meeting the need."
- "God is looking for pipes and not puddles. He's looking for someone to grab ahold of and put something in, especially now."
- "They're a conduit, and it's not stopping up with them."
Chapters
00:00
Introduction and Background
02:45
Challenges in Encouraging Giving
07:21
The Addictive Nature of Generosity
23:09
Giving Graciously and Humbly
26:48
The Prosperity Gospel and Money
30:46
Dependence on God and Maturity
33:28
Trusting in God for Provision
35:12
Serving and Supporting One Another
Thanks for listening!
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