The document discusses the need for the Seventh-day Adventist Church to adapt its approach to stewardship and ministry to remain relevant in a changing world. It notes that the church's focus needs to shift from money and programs to developing disciples of Jesus Christ. The church also needs more flexible systems to connect with people. The conclusion emphasizes that stewardship should be viewed as a spiritual way of life that affirms God and is consistent with the church's mission to tell the world about Jesus. Initiatives are proposed to develop stewardship education curriculum and resources for various groups.

2. STEWARDSHIP
IN A CHANGING
WORLD
Erika F Puni, PhD
Stewardship Ministries Director
General Conference

3. GIVING TO THE LORD
3 For I testify that they (Macedonian
churches) gave as much as they
were able, and even beyond their
ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they
urgently pleaded with us for the
privilege of sharing in this service
to the saints. 5 And they did not do
as we expected, but they gave
themselves first to the Lord and
then to us in keeping with God’s
will. 2 Corinthians 8:3-5 (NIV)

4. Christian
stewardship and
generosity starts
with the giving of
one’s total self first
to God.

5. SDA MISSION
STATEMENT
“The mission of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church is to make disciples
of all people, communicating the
everlasting gospel in the context of
the three angels’ messages of
Revelation 14:6-12, leading them to
accept Jesus as personal Savior and
unite with His remnant church,
discipling them to serve Him as Lord,
and preparing them for His soon
return.” GC Working Policy 2010/11:29

6. RREEAALLIITTIIEESS
1. The world in which the
Seventh-day Adventist
Church was born into has
changed, and it continues
to change.

7. RREEAALLIITTIIEESS
2. For the SDA Church to
be relevant and connect
with people’s hearts today,
it must adapt the way it
does ministry (including
stewardship) in the world.

8. RREEAALLIITTIIEESS
3. Biblical stewardship is
the total commitment of
the heart to God including
the returning of the Lord’s
tithe and the giving of
free-will offerings.

9. RREEAALLIITTIIEESS
4. Stewardship is the
spiritual responsibility of
every believer; and it is the
work of every department
with Stewardship Ministries
emphasizing, promoting,
and teaching “financial
stewardship.”

10. GGLLOOBBAALL SSHHIIFFTT
2200TTHH CCEENNTTUURRYY 2211SSTT CCEENNTTUURRYY
RRuurraall UUrrbbaann
SSllaasshh && BBuurrnn CCoonnsseerrvvee
LLooccaall EEccoonnoommiieess GGlloobbaall EEccoonnoommyy
SSppeenndd && EEnnjjooyy
SSaavvee && IInnvveesstt
LLiiffee PPrreeddiiccttaabbllee
LLiiffee UUnncceerrttaaiinn

11. SSDDAA CCHHUURRCCHH SSHHIIFFTT
PPAASSTT PPRREESSEENNTT
NNAADD BBaasseedd WWoorrlldd BBaasseedd
SSllooww GGrroowwtthh FFaasstt GGrroowwtthh
FFeeww MMeemmbbeerrss MMaannyy MMeemmbbeerrss
MMaaiinntteennaannccee
MMiissssiioonn
FFiixxeedd SSttrruuccttuurree
FFlleexxiibbllee SSyysstteemmss

12. SSDDAA GGIIVVIINNGG SSHHIIFFTT
OOLLDD NNEEWW
OOffffeerriinngg CCaalleennddaarr CCoommbbiinneedd PPllaann
MMaannyy OOffffeerriinnggss OOnnee PPooooll
CCoommpplliiccaatteedd SSiimmppllee
AAllll LLeevveellss BBeenneeffiitt
GGCC BBeenneeffiitt
PPrrooggrraamm DDrriivveenn
WWoorrsshhiipp DDrriivveenn

13. SSTTEEWWAARRDDSSHHIIPP
SSHHIIFFTT
DDEEPPAARRTTMMEENNTT MMIINNIISSTTRRYY
RReemmuunneerraattiioonn RReessttoorraattiioonn
FFuunndd RRaaiissiinngg FFaaiitthh BBuuiillddiinngg
MMoonneeyy PPeeooppllee
DDiisscciipplleess
DDeevveellooppmmeenntt
FFiinnaanncceess
SSppiirriittuuaalliittyy

14. FFOOCCUUSS SSHHIIFFTT
NNAARRRROOWW BBRROOAADD
TTiitthhee && OOffffeerriinnggss LLoorrddsshhiipp ooff JJeessuuss
CChhuurrcchh MMeemmbbeerr GGoodd aass CCrreeaattoorr
BBeehhaavviioorr VVaalluueess
HHeeaarrtt
PPoocckkeett && WWaalllleett
PPrrooggrraamm
LLiiffeessttyyllee

15. Stewardship Strategy
Pastor
Local Church
Offering
Systems
Information &
Communication
Strategy
Stewardship
Education

16. Stewardship Initiatives
1. Development of a stewardship
curriculum for theological
training (EDU).
2. Partnership in stewardship
education programs for field
pastors (MIN).
3. Revision and upgrade of
stewardship education
certification for stewardship
personnel (SS/PM).

17. Stewardship Initiatives
4. Development of a family
budgeting and financial
management seminar (FM).
5. Development of a personal
budgeting and financial course
for youth (YOU).
6. Development of a visual
stewardship education
package for children (CHM).

18. SStteewwaarrddsshhiipp iiss AALLLL ooff mmee iinn rreessppoonnssee ttoo AALLLL ooff GGoodd
SSTTEEWWAARRDD
SSeerrvvaanntt ooff JJeessuuss
LLiivveess JJeessuuss’’ LLoorrddsshhiipp
WWoorrsshhiippss tthhee CCrreeaattoorr
LLeedd bbyy GGoodd’’ss SSppiirriitt
GGiivveess lliiffee ttoo JJeessuuss
LLoovveess ppeeooppllee ssiinncceerreellyy
CCaarreess ffoorr tthhee ppllaanneett
UUsseess ggiiffttss iinn mmiinniissttrryy
CCoommmmiitttteedd ttoo mmiissssiioonn
DDIISSCCIIPPLLEE
FFoolllloowweerr ooff JJeessuuss
LLiivveess tthhee lliiffee ooff JJeessuuss
WWoorrsshhiippss RReeddeeeemmeerr
LLeedd bbyy tthhee HHoollyy SSppiirriitt
SSuubbmmiitt aallll ttoo JJeessuuss
LLoovveess ootthheerr ddiisscciipplleess
CCaarreess ffoorr eennvviirroonnmmeenntt
SSeerrvveess iinn mmiinniissttrriieess
MMaakkee nneeww ddiisscciipplleess

19. CCOONNCCLLUUSSIIOONN
1. Wholistic stewardship
affirms the place of God and
the Bible in Seventh-day
Adventist beliefs.

20. CCOONNCCLLUUSSIIOONN
2. Approaching stewardship
as a “spiritual matter” and a
way of life is consistent with
the GC session (2010) action
to include “ministries” in the
department’s name, the
mission statement of the
Church, and the leadership’s
emphasis on “revival and
reformation.”

21. CCOONNCCLLUUSSIIOONN
3. The “broad” approach is
consistent with the way
Christian stewardship is
expressed in fundamental
twenty-one (21), and it
includes tithe and offerings.

22. CCOONNCCLLUUSSIIOONN
4. Stewardship is an on-going
tool and process in the
Church’s initiative of “Tell the
World” and its emphasis on
Reach Up, Reach Out, and
Reach Across.