Who will do the preaching?

“She was upset, plenty upset. And when she finished, some folks were nodding in agreement. “They promised me I wouldn't have to raise money." I felt she could have kept her voice down just a bit. It was not a pleasant moment. "I told them that I'd come on the board, but I wouldn't call on anyone for a gift. And I told them that I wouldn't be able to make a gift myself." And there were all those other board members concurring. It was obvious they were given the same promise when they were recruited. .... Why had they enlisted board members with the promise that giving and fund raising would not be a function of trusteeship — when this represented the school's most urgent need” (Jerald Panas)

Money talk must be done and it must be done well. It is fatal to divorce leadership from finance, both practical leadership in terms of actual giving and inspirational leadership in terms of vision and direction. Someone will need to preach about money! St. Paul (2 Cor 8-9) invited the Corinthian church to share in an apostolic act and failure to do so would impoverish them spiritually.

If we approach the stewardship task like a beggar pleading with reluctant givers to spare a little more we will always be embarrassed about preaching. We are not begging but extending an invitation to people to join with a cause that matters, that changes lives and makes a difference. Paul spoke to reluctant givers in Corinth about the “privilege (literally “the grace”) of giving” (2 Cor 8:4).

Money is close to us and there is an implicit challenge to lifestyle so it is not an easy subject. Clergy have hesitations around preaching for their pay or being one of few in full time employment and for some their own giving is not sorted. But humour, honesty and directness make for liberating and stimulating preaching. Like the grain of sand in the oyster such preaching can be uncomfortable but it produces pearls: resources for the church and blessings for the giver (2 Cor 9:11-12).

• Clergy must preach on giving or risk being perceived as distancing themselves from both Giving in Grace and personal giving. The church leadership must give permission and encouragement to their clergy to address this subject.
• Lay readers and shared ministry team members who regularly preach should also play their part and they too need encouragement and support from leadership in doing so.
• The deanery advisor will in many cases be able to offer some preaching support. There are deanery advisors in each deanery who can advise on preachers from other parishes.
• The Diocesan Resources officer (or Stewardship officer) will be happy to be invited to preach as part of the programme
• Sharing pulpits across parishes with other churches that have addressed stewardship is always helpful.
• Lay people can make a significant contribution to worship through personal testimony. The all age material in Preach Exodus! and Preach Luke! can provide additional opportunities for lay involvement: e.g. a children's talk or an all age activity.
• A financial presentation is best presented by a lay person with appropriate speaking experience, possibly but by no means always, the treasurer. See Making the Financial Presentation