The holidays are upon us again. And along with the holidays come expectations - our own, and those of others. Those expectations are often built up over years of developing and following traditions - some of which serve us well, and some probably not so much.

One reason that the holiday season is so exhausting is that we feel like we're along for the ride. We're driven by traditions and expectations that in some cases we wouldn't choose if we were given the choice. But here's the thing: We are given the choice.

If we approach the holidays with intentionality, with a stewardship mindset, we can make the most of the opportunities that come our way. Perhaps we choose to maintain a tradition that's important for family relationships. We need to recast our thinking from "I have to…because…" to "I'm choosing to, because I value this relationship". To steward the holidays well, we need to be intentional about the choices we make. We may need to be willing to disappoint some people in order to fully engage with others.

Host James Lenhoff helps us think through some key areas that will benefit from our intentionality and stewardship:

• Our time and energy
• Our relationships
• Our finances and generosity

To learn more check out www.GoodSenseMovement.org

Email James at: JamesLenhoff@GoodSenseMovement.org

You can see the full video of this podcast episode on our YouTube channel.

Stewarding our finances is a foundational part of discipleship. But so is stewarding our time. Each week, each day, each hour is a gift from God. And he gives us this time for his own glory and for our benefit.

But just like marketers attempt to control how we steward our money, there are those who demand our time. Children's sports or other activities; work, where we're expected to be constantly available; social media clamoring for our attention - these and other influences can drive how we spend our time just like marketers try to drive how we spend our money.

The Psalmist wrote,

"Teach us to number our days,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12)

Wisdom requires that we steward our time well. But what does that look like? While the details may vary from person to person (and even for one person, may vary over time with circumstances), some key principles can serve us well. Principles like remembering the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11); setting aside time for God daily (Psalm 5:3); intentionally choosing our times to engage and times to disengage (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

Time is like money in that it all belongs to God and He gives it to steward well. Podcast host James Lenhoff explores stewardship of time with principles and examples to help us make the most of the time God gives us.

To learn more check out www.GoodSenseMovement.org

Email James at: JamesLenhoff@GoodSenseMovement.org

You can see the full video of this podcast episode on our YouTube channel.

Generosity. For some of us, the term conjures up images of offering plates and pledge envelopes. Of capital campaigns and fund drives. And this is indeed part of generosity, as evidenced in the Biblical capital campaigns for the building of the tabernacle and later of Solomon's temple and its replacement.

But is this really the extent of what generosity means? Or is it something more?

Not all giving is generous giving. Paul talks about giving cheerfully rather than reluctantly or under compulsion. The Pharisees tithed but their hearts were not generous, as evidenced by their lack of concern for mercy and justice - the more important matters of the law.

True generosity costs something. It's not giving out of excess or offering the leftovers at the end of the month. True generosity is a priority in our finances and in our lives. It's giving of the firstfruits. True generosity requires some "instead of" thinking.

But generosity also has significant benefits. It draws us closer to God and breaks the hold that money has on us. It results in praise to God and blessing to others.

Join us as podcast host James Lenhoff discusses the costs - and benefits - of generosity, and encourages church leaders to equip their congregations with Biblical teaching on the subject.

To learn more check out www.GoodSenseMovement.org

Email James at: JamesLenhoff@GoodSenseMovement.org

You can see the full video of some of our podcast episodes on our YouTube channel.

Fall brings change. Change from a more laid-back, less regimented season to one of more routine. Vacations are over, the kids are back in school, and rhythms of life are being re-established.

This is a great time for a financial check-in. Summer expenses like vacations have impacted our spending plan. Maybe a physical move has led to a different financial picture. Looking ahead, back-to-school expenses like clothes and children's activities may pose some additional challenges for our spending plan.

Podcast host James Lenhoff leads us through a three-step process for a fall financial check-in:

1. Review the summer and compare it financially to the spending plan.
2. Project expenses for the fall.
3. Make adjustments now!

This is a particularly crucial check-in because we all know what's coming - the holiday season. Gifts, travel, events, and other potential expenses. Reviewing our financial status now helps us plan well for the remainder of the year and avoid those last-minute crunches!

To learn more check out www.GoodSenseMovement.org

Email James at: JamesLenhoff@GoodSenseMovement.org

You can see the full video of some of our podcast episodes on our YouTube channel.

In our last episode, we saw the importance of having those congregation-level conversations about money. Of teaching Biblical principles and helping our people understand the concepts of God's ownership and our stewardship. And of separating that conversation from the one we usually have about funding church programs. We need to teach our congregations the "why" and the "what" of stewardship.

But when it comes to the "how", a different kind of conversation is required. Because the "how" varies according to a person's individual circumstances - it's not a one-size-fits-all conversation. The person who has no income, for example, gains nothing from a sermon about tithing.

The conversation about the "how" of stewardship, especially for those who are struggling financially, happens best in the context of a one-on-one coaching relationship. A relationship between a couple or an individual and a trained financial coach. These conversations can be intense. They're much more personal than a sermon to the congregation. And that's the strength of these discussions - they can be applied to an individual situation.

A well-rounded stewardship ministry includes both - the congregation-level conversations through pulpit teaching, and the one-on-one conversations through financial coaching. Join host James Lenhoff as he walks through the coaching relationship, highlighting best practices and potential pitfalls.

If you'd like help training financial coaches for your church, check out our Coaches Training curriculum. And see the blog articles below for more information about financial coaching.

Equipping Financial Coaches for Your Stewardship Ministry

Training Good Sense Coaches

Identifying Coaching Clients

To learn more check out www.GoodSenseMovement.org

Email James at: JamesLenhoff@GoodSenseMovement.org

You can see the full video of some of our podcast episodes on our YouTube channel.

If you're a stewardship leader or a teaching pastor, you know that talking about money to the congregation is hard. It's not comfortable - for you or for the congregation. People get defensive when they feel that you're prescribing rules that don't make sense to them in their situation.

Part of the problem is that over time, we've conflated the concept of stewardship with giving. Stewardship is about managing resources in a God-honoring way, recognizing that He is the owner. But when we run "stewardship campaigns", we're not teaching people about how to manage money in a God-honoring way. Instead, we're focused on raising money for the church. So people come to equate stewardship with giving to the church. Good stewardship means giving more; poor stewardship means not giving enough.

Another part of the problem is that people in our congregations are in all different kinds of financial situations. So inevitably, when we prescribe rules, people respond with "You don't understand my situation." When we dive into the details of giving and tithing and treat these as one-size-fits-all topics, we miss out on opportunities to truly disciple our congregations in real stewardship.

Join us as host James Lenhoff encourages and equips pastors and stewardship leaders to teach the "why" and "what" of stewardship. Learn how important stewardship teaching is in the context of overall discipleship and how to approach the topic Biblically with confidence. And come back for our next podcast episode, in which we'll take a look at the one-on-one conversations needed to teach the "how".

To learn more check out www.GoodSenseMovement.org

Email James at: JamesLenhoff@GoodSenseMovement.org

You can see the full video of some of our podcast episodes on our YouTube channel.

August 21, 2024 marks the one-year anniversary of The Faithful Steward. In this year, we've worked to bring topics to help individuals grow in their understanding and practice of stewardship and to help church leaders disciple their congregations in this important area. In this episode, we look at some of the highlights of the year past and anticipate some exciting topics for the year ahead.

The year began with a foundational 6-part series on what it means to be a faithful steward. These podcasts are still among our most popular, covering topics such as the Diligent Earner, Prudent Spender, Generous Giver, Wise Saver, and Cautious Debtor. We tied these together into a holistic picture of stewardship and financial freedom.

Our 3-part series on Marriage and Money helped couples understand the importance of being one in finances and navigate some of the complexities of bringing together disparate family backgrounds and money motivations. A key learning in this series was that most fights over money aren't really about the numbers - they're about the priorities and motivations behind those numbers. Crafting a set of agreed-on priorities for life and finances is key to couples getting - and staying - on the same page financially.

A 5-part series on kids and money highlighted the importance of discipling our children in this area and also touched on some key milestones as they grow older.

Financial rhythms was another key recurring topic, as we offered quarterly podcasts on seasonal financial reviews, a 2-part series on looking back over the past year and forward to the year to come, and our most recent episode on four key financial rhythms.

Throughout the year, we've highlighted key topics for stewardship leaders, such as the significance of differentiating stewardship from giving and stewardship ministry from benevolence ministry. We emphasized the importance of training the entire congregation in stewardship and provided help for establishing a stewardship coaching ministry.

Join host James Lenhoff as he reviews Year 1 of The Faithful Steward and previews some of our inspiring topics for Year 2.

To learn more check out www.GoodSenseMovement.org

Email James at: JamesLenhoff@GoodSenseMovement.org

You can see the full video of some of our podcast episodes on our YouTube channel.

We've all had the experience of setting big goals at the beginning of the year and then getting to the end of the year and being disappointed at having fallen short. Maybe the goal was to lose weight. Maybe it was to get out of debt. Or maybe some other really good - but really big - goal.

Goals are great for helping us envision the lives we want to have. Without them, we drift. But even with clearly defined goals, it's still possible to drift. Have you ever set a goal like, "I want to pay off X credit card by such-and-such a date"? Maybe the date comes and the card still has a balance. Why?

As it turns out, goals are only part of the equation for success. Another key element is habits or rhythms we put in place to help us make progress toward those goals. Setting a goal of losing weight probably won't help without also establishing a rhythm of regular workouts. It's the same with finances.

Podcast host James Lenhoff leads us through four key rhythms that will help ensure that we're on track for meeting our goals - or that will help identify when some of those goals may need adjusting. Join us, and establish the practices that will direct your journey to financial freedom and Christian stewardship.

To learn more check out www.GoodSenseMovement.org

Email James at: JamesLenhoff@GoodSenseMovement.org

You can see the full video of some of our podcast episodes on our YouTube channel.