Reverse Stewardship

Recently, I attended a conference of the Consultation of Endowed (Episcopal) Parishes. During the conference, the idea of “reverse stewardship” was explored in conversations with participants. We’re all familiar with the regular idea of stewardship: People pledge their money to support the ministries that the church is doing. But “reverse stewardship” turns that model around 180° and does the following: Instead of collecting money from people, the church gives each member money—say, $20—and the church member is to invest that money back in the local neighborhood community. The church has the people do their homework by researching and making a list of businesses in their community that support the local economy.  That is, these businesses utilize local resources and hire local people, and these business owners live in the neighborhood and pay local property taxes.  Alternatively, groups of church members can pool their money together in order to do things such as sponsoring a neighborhood sports team, or starting a scholarship fund. This way, you are teaching church members—and this includes children—how money can be a currency that exchanges into blessings for the local community.

If you do this every month, your church might become famous in the local community, and you will have increased your currency of relationship a great deal. Another side benefit is that you are teaching your congregation to use the currency of money in an ethical manner to rejuvenate the local economy and when the local community is moving toward a healthier local economy as a result of “reverse stewardship,” over time the money will come back to support the church through your expanded currencies of relationship, truth and wellness!

If you want to learn more about ideas such as this, come to the Kaleidoscope Spring Institute next month!

2013 Opportunities to Study with The Sustainist: April 15-19 Missional Ministry in the Grace Margin and Holy Currencies Orientation Los Angeles, CA July 15-19 Holy Currencies: Beyond Time, Talent and Treasure Los Angeles, CA August 19-23 Fundamental Skills for Building Inclusive Community and Holy Currencies Orientation Rainbow Lodge Retreat Center, North Bend (near Seattle), WA Register at:  www.kscopeinstitute.org

Reflection Questions for Palm Sunday (Year C ) Luke 19:28-40    What are the things that we welcome enthusiastically at first but reject later? Why? Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29   What does it mean for you to enter the gates of righteousness? Isaiah 50:4-9b   How do we sustain each other in time of adversity? Philippians 2:5-11   What does it mean to have the mind of Christ?

Eric H. F. Law
Kaleidoscope Institute
For competent leadership in a diverse changing world
www.kscopeinstitute.org