You've got a few people together to visit members of your congregation to talk about stewardship. How do you train them to talk about a sensitive topic like money?

Norman Porath, pastor of Trinity and Immanuel Lutheran Churches in Schuyler, Nebraska has some ideas to share. "If someone approaches another in a threatening way, it really makes communication difficult," he says. "On the other hand, if people are approached in God's name, the response is different," observes Porath. "Our money is God's; we have been entrusted to use it in this setting in a way that lifts up God's name."

Rev. Porath presented In Heaven's Name, Why on Earth to his congregation last spring, exposing them to truths about God's ownership of all creation, including our so-called possessions, which we simply manage on God's behalf.

Those sent out on stewardship visits have been more thoroughly trained in the the same concepts.  The common understanding of the visitor and those visited will be a real asset in the conversation about stewardship, Porath believes. "I'm excited about the possibilities. The Crossways materials challenge us to develop a new paradigm for thinking We are in deep trouble if we think this earth is ours and it is for us to use willy nilly as we choose. We are the recipients of God's beneficence. We need to be using the things God has endowed us with in a way that brings honor to his name."

Some folks have boosted their weekly offerings even without a personal visit. "One of the things that has happened since a number of people have been exposed to In Heaven's Name is that I have a significant core group of people who are giving wonderfully and generously — even sacrificially."

Rev. Porath has been using Crossways International's materials for almost as long as they have been available.  He has used The Divine Drama® for junior high confirmation classes, and shorter courses, like The Christmas Story and The Parables of Jesus , in small group settings. He leads a group of women each Tuesday morning, and an ecumenical group of men —Presbyterian, Methodist, two Lutheran synods, Catholic —that meets at a restaurant. He has also guided the staff of a local Christian camp through See Through the Scriptures®.

Schuyler is in rural Nebraska, and the community challenges are great:  farmers are on the economic edge; youth are leaving the area; the many Hispanic immigrants are in need of welcoming and care.
Rev. Porath is currently looking at CI's Spanish-language offerings, and notes one advantage to CI's teaching methodology: "The graphics are universal."

"The mission field is here," concludes Porath. Whether the people in his care are white, Hispanic, financially struggling or more comfortable, his motivation is the same: "It is always my plan to draw them close to the Word." 

For more on In Heaven's Name, Why on Earth, click here.

Please contact us with your questions (& pictures!) and tell us about your own experiences with Crossways International's materials and resources.