Lijalem Yigezu Yadeta (Pastor)
Stewardship Department
Director
Stewardship is a fundamental belief of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Fundamental belief no. 21
- We are God’s stewards, entrusted by Him with time
and opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for their proper use. - Stewardship is a privilege given to us by God for nurture in love and the victory over selfishness and covetousness. Stewards rejoice in the blessings that come to others as a result of their faithfulness. (Gen.1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12; Matt. 23:23; Rom. 15:26, 27; 1 Cor.9:9-14; 2 Cor. 8:1-15; 9:7.)
Mission:
To help leaders and members develop habits necessary for spiritual growth and faithful stewardship.
Vision
Vision: For every church member to establish the habit of putting God First in every area of life.
Areas of Emphasis in order to fulfill the Mission and Vision of this department
1. Christian Money Management – People’s use of money is a reflection of their walk with God. Thus, the biblical principles of money management are important part of integrating the lordship of Christ into this critical area of life. The department of stewardship will continue to develop materials to help in the area of biblical principles for management.
2. Personal Life Management – Stewardship must be integrated into every area of life. Thus, personal and total life management are areas which the department of stewardship seeks to strengthen the resource.
3. Spiritual Growth— personal, family and communal worship. How to develop personal prayer and Bible study habits (using “Revived by His Word,” “Believe His Prophets” and Sabbath School Quarterly), family worship and church attendance.
4. Trust in the lord — Putting complete trust in God is one of the characteristics of living a stewardship lifestyle. It means being generous with all of our gifts; not just one or two things we pick and choose. As well as, the other point of stewardship is to help each other get to heaven — and it all starts with putting our complete trust in God in all things.
5. Faithfulness — is also to be found in God’s children in response to his gracious love and actions. This faithfulness is not required to sustain God’s favor or covenant love; it is simply the only appropriate response open to man. This is illustrated throughout Scripture and the book of Hebrews show cases the names and lives that have lived out their response to God’s faithfulness with reciprocal loyalty.
6. Missionary Mindset Through Financial Stewardship — It’s not just about raising money. It’s about changing people’s mindsets. Base your stewardship strategy on the idea that we serve a God of abundance. Encourage joy in giving.