What does it mean to be a faithful steward in today’s world? This comprehensive workshop invites participants to explore stewardship as a theological, spiritual, and practical discipline rooted in Scripture and lived experience. Beginning with foundational definitions and types of stewardship, the course examines stewardship’s deep biblical roots and its connection to generosity, mission, and discipleship.

Participants will reflect on their own experiences with money, time, and space, using those reflections to begin shaping a personal theology of stewardship. The workshop also explores how historical and cultural forces—particularly within the American context—have shaped contemporary understandings of stewardship, helping participants distinguish between theological convictions and cultural assumptions.

Throughout the course, key stewardship principles are emphasized, including sufficiency over scarcity, the primacy of relationships, and stewardship as an expression of faith rather than obligation. The workshop concludes with practical tools for congregational and organizational leadership, equipping participants to communicate impact with honesty, narrate budgets faithfully, and plan stewardship as a year-round practice that is thoughtfully integrated into worship and communal life.

In this workshop, participants will develop a deeper, more integrated understanding of stewardship as a theological and spiritual practice. You will explore how Scripture, generosity, and lived experience shape faithful approaches to money, time, and space, and you will be invited to articulate your own theology of stewardship grounded in reflection and discernment.

The course will help you recognize how historical and cultural influences—particularly within the American context—have shaped contemporary stewardship practices, and how to distinguish those influences from theological convictions rooted in mission and discipleship. You will engage key stewardship principles such as sufficiency over scarcity, the primacy of relationships, and stewardship as an expression of faith rather than obligation.

Alongside theological reflection, you will gain practical tools for leadership, learning how to narrate budgets in ways that reflect values, communicate impact with honesty and clarity, and approach stewardship as a year-round practice. By the end of the workshop, you will be equipped to integrate stewardship meaningfully into worship, congregational life, and communal leadership with confidence and integrity.

Tim Brown is a pastor in the ELCA-serving parishes in Chicago, Illinois, and Raleigh, North Carolina. He currently serves in the Office of the Presiding Bishop as Director for Congregational Stewardship Support, where he creates and curates relationships and resources to help synods and congregations fuel their ministries. Tim lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife and two sons. You can usually find Tim at a coffee shop or brewery, reading or writing something I think is interesting.

M1 — Toward a Theology of Stewardship

This module invites participants into deeper theological reflection by examining biblical narratives that shape Christian understandings of stewardship. Participants explore how Scripture frames generosity, responsibility, and trust, and how those themes intersect with lived experience. Through guided reflection, participants analyze their own relationships to money, time, and space and begin constructing a personal theology of stewardship that integrates faith, practice, and vocation. 

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Define stewardship and distinguish between its various theological expressions.
• Interpret key biblical narratives that shape Christian understandings of stewardship and generosity.
• Analyze personal stewardship experiences related to money, time, and space.
• Construct a personal theology of stewardship grounded in Scripture, reflection, and lived experience.
• Articulate a guiding stewardship statement that integrates faith, practice, and vocation.

M2 — Considering the History of Stewardship

This module examines stewardship through a historical lens, beginning with practices in the early church and tracing developments through the American context. Participants explore how economic systems, cultural norms, and social movements have influenced stewardship practices over time. Through case studies, participants learn to distinguish theological convictions from cultural assumptions and assess how historical patterns continue to shape contemporary stewardship models.

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Describe stewardship practices in the early church and identify their foundational theological principles.
• Analyze how historical, social, and cultural forces shaped stewardship practices in the American context.
• Distinguish between theological convictions and cultural assumptions embedded in stewardship models.
• Evaluate case studies that illustrate differing historical approaches to stewardship and their outcomes.
• Reflect critically on how history informs contemporary stewardship practices.

M3 — Practical Considerations Regarding Stewardship

This module focuses on core theological principles that shape faithful stewardship in practice. Participants explore the shift from scarcity to sufficiency, the primacy of relationships in stewardship, and the connection between stewardship, mission, and discipleship. Through applied case studies, participants consider how stewardship flows from identity and calling rather than obligation, and how discipleship forms the foundation for sustainable stewardship practices.

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Explain the theological significance of sufficiency over scarcity in stewardship practices.
• Analyze how relationships function as the primary context for faithful stewardship.
• Articulate the connection between stewardship, mission, and discipleship.
• Assess stewardship practices through the lens of discipleship formation.
• Apply theological principles of stewardship to real-world congregational and organizational scenarios.

M4 — Practical Application for Stewarding Life Well

he final module equips participants with concrete tools for practicing stewardship in congregational and organizational life. Participants compare narrative and line-item budgets, practice articulating values through budget narration, and develop skills in honest and effective impact communication. The module also addresses year-round stewardship planning, integrating offerings into worship, and cultivating sustainable stewardship practices that support faithful leadership and communal flourishing.

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Distinguish between narrative budgets and line-item budgets and explain their respective purposes.
• Develop narrative descriptions that communicate values, mission, and impact within a budget.
• Communicate organizational or congregational impact with honesty, clarity, and theological grounding.
• Design a year-long stewardship plan that supports sustained engagement rather than episodic giving.
• Evaluate and integrate stewardship practices into worship and liturgical life.
• Propose strategies for cultivating a culture of faithful, year-round stewardship.