When you think of good stewardship in the church, thoughts often turn to money.
While finances are a significant part of being an effective steward of God’s provision, managing money isn’t the only way to obey God’s instruction to be a good steward.
The Bible tells us that every good and perfect gift is from God (James 1:17 ESV). That means that every single thing that belongs to your church has been entrusted to you, and you are responsible for its care.
If you want to truly be a good steward of what God has given to your ministry, you have to look beyond finances.
1. Buildings and Campuses
Your physical location is one of the largest resources in your church’s possession.
Whether you have one building or multiple campuses, the care and upkeep of the property is of the utmost importance.
You may be thinking that taking proper care of your buildings and campuses requires money, so doesn’t that bring us back to being a good steward of your finances?
Well, not exactly.
It does take significant amounts of money to manage physical locations. However, it also means taking out the trash, cleaning the spaces regularly, and properly caring for things both inside and out.
Being a good steward of your buildings and campuses looks like:
- Maintaining the lawn and other outdoor areas.
- Cleaning each space regularly (vacuuming, taking out the trash, sanitizing bathrooms, etc.).
- Repairing any damage to the interior or exterior of buildings.
- Maintaining parking lots, sidewalks, and pathways, and repaving or repainting when necessary.
- Restoring spaces to their original states after services and events so they’re ready for the next use.
Caring for your buildings and campuses isn’t simply about making things look good. While first impressions matter when newcomers visit your church, what matters most is honoring God by being a good steward of the physical locations He has provided for your ministry.
2. Tangible Resources
Your buildings are not your only physical resource. Your physical spaces are full of all kinds of resources that assist in the discipleship of your congregation.
You’ve got everything from chairs to Bibles, toys to computers, and so much more.
All of these items are your responsibility and require your attention and care. Whether things were donations or your church spent the funds to purchase the items that fill your buildings, each one was an investment that has been entrusted to you to help further the Gospel.
Being good stewards of your tangible resources looks like:
- Keeping learning materials, equipment, toys, books, and other tangible resources organized and accessible.
- Investing in quality resources that teach and reinforce biblical truth.
- Storing materials properly so nothing gets broken.
- Promptly repairing or replacing any damaged equipment.
- Teaching staff and volunteers to use and care for technology to prevent damage.
3. Data
Data is one of the most important resources in your charge.
Your data includes contact and banking information for your congregants, as well as financial and accounting records for your ministry.
Even a small data breach can be enough to cause significant harm to your church or your members.
Your congregants are counting on you to protect their data and keep their information safe.
Being a good steward of your data looks like:
- Following IT best practices to protect data from cyber threats.
- Establishing policies and procedures that limit those who can access data and how it can be used.
- Providing training on how to use technology and software systems to prevent accidentally damaging data.
- Securing and storing data, ensuring backups and recovery are possible if necessary.
4. Volunteers
Your volunteers are vital to the life of your church. Without their dedication, your staff would never be able to do all they are called to do, and your ministry would not be able to successfully reach your community for the Gospel.
Looking after the well-being of those who are willing to serve is crucial.
Your volunteers look to you and your church staff to show them how to serve with glad hearts. They also trust in your leadership and judgment.
Being a good steward of your volunteers looks like:
- Providing regular, thorough training for all volunteer positions.
- Running periodic background checks for applicable service areas.
- Checking in during and at the end of each serving cycle.
- Watching for signs of burnout and intervening before volunteers become overwhelmed.
- Monitoring the roles of those serving to prevent overcommitment.
Good stewardship is about more than money.
True stewardship is about caring for all of the resources in your ministry’s possession. While that often takes the form of financial prudence, that isn’t the sole responsibility laid on your shoulders.
To fulfill the command to be a good steward, you must look beyond money and make sure you are properly caring for all of the resources God has given to you.
The Lord gives and He takes away, so honor Him by practicing good stewardship in every area of your ministry.
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