“In fact,” Brown says, “stewardship is the way we order all aspects of our lives after we say, ‘I believe.'”
Various aspects of stewardship will be explored by three keynote speakers and more than a dozen workshops during the conference. The gathering kicks off with Karl Travis, pastor of First Church in Fort Worth, Texas, “laying the groundwork for a spirituality of stewardship,” Brown says.
Rodger Nishioka, associate professor of Christian education at Columbia Theological Seminary, will present trends and patterns that are important to know in order for 21st century stewardship practices to be relevant and effective.
And Michael O. Emerson, professor at Rice University and author of Passing the Plate: Why American Christians Don’t Give Away More Money, will share his research and conclusions about American Christians’ stewardship practices.
“Stewardship is a practical matter for our churches and church leaders, so the conference will be ‘hands-on,'” Brown says. “But it’s grounded in the spirituality of ordering our lives and making faithful decisions,” he added, “so it’s also a spiritual practice.”
For more information, see the Big Tent Web site: www.pcusa.org/bigtent/.
