Six Tips for Pastors and Small Group Leaders
Consistently Americans spend far more on food, vacations, and retail merchandise in the last three months of the year and followers of Christ are prone to the same stewardship patterns. Everywhere we turn—stores, television, email, social media, and the web—we face messages pushing us to buy holiday getaways and the latest gadgets.
As a pastor or small group leader, you can combat worldly messages and stewardship patterns in those you are shepherding and leverage the holiday season to ignite generosity. Autumn is not too late to implement any (or all six) of these helpful tips:
Launch a four-week Sermon Series
October through December offer 13 weeks to integrate a 4-week series on generosity. A good text to draw from is 2 Corinthians 8-9 with emphasis on giving regularly, sacrificially, and cheerfully in weeks one through three with a final challenge and call for personal commitment in week four. Small group leaders can develop discussion questions that align with each week’s sermon theme and that allow for deeper discussion and discipleship.
Distribute a Generosity Devotional
Purchasing and giving out a generosity devotional during a sermon series is a great way to demonstrate generosity as a church. It also serves as a way for your church to practice Romans 12:1, which encourages us to “not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” A daily devotional such as Igniting a Life of Generosity helps individuals renew their minds, learn in unity, and maintain a Kingdom focus Monday through Saturday. Small group leaders can also utilize the application questions within Igniting a Life of Generosity for their weekly or bi-weekly emphasis.
Organize a Low-Cost Local Short-Term Mission
Start by contacting local ministries or community organizations that regularly care for the elderly, widows, orphans, and the poor in your community. Once you identify a need, find a way for the church to support it with a local short-term mission team. Teams can help with light construction or household projects, picking up trash, yard work, making meals, praying, and sharing the love of Christ. Once the church has agreed on a project, promote it church-wide and recruit individual volunteers. Utilize your small group leaders to mobilize their group to serve together.
Advent Conspiracy
Engage your church in the Advent Conspiracy. The concept behind the Advent Conspiracy is to help individuals worship fully, spend less, give more, and love all during the Christmas season. Small groups can pool together to give to a local or global project or you can develop a church-wide gift that will bless those in need.
Church-Wide Giving
Organize church-wide giving opportunities such as Operation Christmas Child, Angel Tree or a Compassion Sunday; these work well during or after a series on stewardship because they provide a way for the church to apply what they have learned. Once again, small groups can participate together as well as the entire church.
Preach the Gospel
When believers fully embrace the Gospel they cannot help but live generously. The Lord’s radical generosity provides everything we need in Christ. We are called to emulate Christ, and when believers fully embrace this call, they release their hold on worldly possessions and follow their Savior’s example. The holiday season once again provides a great platform for the Gospel message.