Someone wrote, “Consistency is either a ‘jewel’ or the hobgoblin of little minds.”
In other words, consistency can be an action which is of great value or it can become a tyrannical obsession which dictates and determines what we should do.
If there is anything which characterizes many churches, it is their lack of consistency, especially in the area of stewardship. Stewardship — especially stewardship training — becomes a “hit or miss” situation, with the emphasis on the “miss.” About the only time when stewardship receives an emphasis in some churches is either during the annual financial campaign or when there is a need for additional finances.
One of the hallmarks of the “Effective Stewardship” program is its consistency. Each part of the program — including the bulletin “boxes,” the lay speaker presentations, the newsletter articles, and the discussion sheets for Sunday school classes and youth groups — is provided in a consistent manner. This allows a church to utilize these materials consistently.
Week after week, month after month, and year after year, in a low-key way, the “Effective Stewardship” program keeps before people scriptural truths concerning money, material possessions and giving. Using the biblical pattern of learning (“line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little”), the program heightens a congregation’s awareness of what God’s Word says about their resources and usually leads to an increase in overall financial support of the church. And because the program uses both written and oral means for communicating, the impact is enhanced.
The effectiveness of the “Effective Stewardship” program can be traced to two elements. First and most important, God is faithful to honor the Scriptures. As Isaiah 55:10-11 clearly indicate, God causes the Word to prosper and to have a marked effect which these verses liken to that of rain and snow upon the earth. Second, the program is effective because of its consistency. It is not a “shot in the arm” nor a “quick fix.” Rather, it is a long-term approach to stewardship education and training that seeks through its consistency to continually keep before people God’s claims concerning their possessions and financial resources.
Yes, consistency can be a “hob-goblin of little minds,” but it can also have great value. As you continue to utilize the “Effective Stewardship” program, you can be confident God will provide a blessing and cause the consistent application of the Scriptures to prosper.