Previous | Next 

Winnipeg, Man.
$10 stewardship challenge inspires congregation


The pastoral team at McIvor Avenue MB Church wanted to provide their congregation with a “hands-on” learning experience related to a series of messages on biblical stewardship. They particularly wanted to provide opportunity for children to talk about and learn about creative and responsible use of money. Associate pastor John Neufeld suggested an idea he had used at College Community Church in California several years earlier while studying at MB Biblical Seminary: give out ‘seed money’ and challenge the congregation to use their God-given talents to ‘make it grow’.

The first sermon in the series was titled “Putting your money to work” based on Matthew 25:14-30. At the close of the service each household was invited to take $10 home with them and encouraged to “put their money to work” for a 4-week time period. The money raised would be put toward existing church ministries and to help a sister church with a renovation project. (To prepare for the project $3,000 ‘seed money’ was provided by several members of the congregation.) Taking up the challenge were 136 households, and several additional families used their own “seed money”.

At the end of the sermon series, participants were invited to share their experiences. Responses included what people did with the money and what they learned about stewardship.

One person bought a guitar for $5 and guitar parts for $5 at a garage sale, fixed the guitar and sold it later for $60. Several people sold fresh baked goods. Some helped seniors with yard work and house repairs. Many projects involved people and families working together.

Participants shared what they learned through this experience. Some responses were:

investing our time and money must be deliberate it cost us time, not just a cash investment it was great, especially for the kids, to spend time and not receive the earnings for themselves it was a good family project a little can return much people are enthusiastic about practical Christianity God blessed us with gifts that make it easy to multiply money, but it can be easy to multiply and not give back.

Proceeds from the challenge were allocated to the youth drop-in centre at the church, several other church projects and general budget, and a significant portion was given to the sister church renovation project.

 – lm

Previous | Next 

Last modified October 9, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
Masthead and usage information.