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September 3, 2008
Stewardship and student ministry
Why would anyone in student ministry care about the subject of stewardship? It's not relevant. It's not cool. It's a word that represents my grandfathers generation, not this emerging generation, right?
Believe it or not - stewardship is emerging in student ministry circles. Take for examples the new version of Making Change for students. This is an one of many attempts to present the concepts of stewardship to teenagers as they are forming habits and worldviews with respect to their time, talents and treasures.
Don't get me wrong. The study guide for students to Making Change is a good resource. But it's still missing something.
I think if we're going to reshape the conversation on stewardship so that students care about the subject, we're going to have to begin talking about it in a language and using a lens that fits their culture. This requires a much more comprehensive shift in perspective than simply vocabulary and age appropriate life application exercises.
Stewardship must be presented as a holistic approach to life--a lifestyle that leads to ultimate satisfaction and fulfillment. It's so much more than a tithe. Stewardship is seeing everything we have and are as God's gift to us to be "distributed" for the benefit of the Kingdom.
It's the source of purpose and meaning and calling and all that other stuff that occupies the minds of students.
What are you using to teach stewardship to your students? Has anyone found anything that applies a postmodern worldview to the practice of stewardship?
Posted by bstroup at September 3, 2008 11:36 AM
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