The Passionate Steward: Recovering Christian Stewardship from Secular Fundraising

A.J. Pell is rector of Christ Church in Hope, B.C., editor of the
Canadian Evangelical Review, and an instructor of Liturgy, Anglican
Studies Programme at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Along with all the other nonprofit organizations in Canada, churches are
in constant need of money. So why not do what the other nonprofits do,
and run slick continuous or periodic campaigns organized by professional
fundraisers? After all, if it works for the Vancouver Playhouse or the
Toronto Symphony or Covenant House, why not use the same methods in the
church on the corner? While there are some very practical arguments
against this way of thinking, the author of The Passionate Steward
contends that there are more important theological problems to consider.

In the first 100 pages, O’Hurley-Pitts makes clear the problems with
using secular methods for sacred purposes. In his terms, secular
organizations pursue donations, whereas churches seek gifts: “The
distinction between a donation and a gift is not merely semantic: a
donation is motivated by the recognition of need; a gift proceeds as an
offering of one’s plenty set beside the poverty of one’s soul.”
Fundraising in our society publicizes needs to be addressed and offers
rewards (such as a plaque or cocktails with the artistic director). By
contrast, stewardship in the church “is a relationship with God that
both receives and gives.” Because the motivations differ, most
fundraising techniques are inappropriate, and the author carefully shows
why, bringing his most forceful points together in a summary chart
titled “Different Approaches to Giving.”

Then, starting on page 101, O’Hurley-Pitts shifts ground by proposing
positive steps that churches can take to return from secular fundraising
to Christian stewardship, beginning “by restoring time and talent to
their proper place.” Christian stewardship is a lifestyle of giving
one’s time, one’s talents, and one’s treasure for use by God and
the Christian community for the welfare (spiritual, moral, and economic)
of humanity. While direct appeals for money will always be necessary,
they must be conducted in ways that recognize and build up a stewardship
lifestyle. The future of the church, O’Hurley-Pitts argues, rests not
on the manipulation of donors, but on the cultivation of passionate
stewards.