Stewardship Ministry

To glorify God by helping you become complete in Christ

The Stewardship Team was first established in January 2004 at the same time LBC started the “For This Purpose I Live” campaign. In 2004, the church also introduced Brad Brestel as the first stewardship pastor. At the time, he was involved in several business endeavors. Since 1982 he worked as a local attorney helping people write their wills and form small businesses. He was also partner in a registered investment advisory firm managing portfolios and also formed a small mortgage company. With that background, the church felt he could be qualified to help people with just about any financial question. Brad is in his fifth year with the church and claims he has the best job at LBC.

The Stewardship Team has several resources available to help you make biblical financial decisions. Stewardship classes are listed in the current Atlas ranging from pure theology, to practical budgeting, to planning your will and more. LBC also offers oneon- one financial coaches upon request.

Not long after the Stewardship Team was formed, Wayne Smith joined the team as the Coordinator of Financial Coaches.Wayne has skillfully and faithfully managed the workload of the 25 coaches serving our people at LBC.Wayne and his wife Susi came to Lincoln to be near family and have given generous amounts of time and energy to the financial coaches and individual attendees. Financial Coaches help people decide how to pay down debt and create budgets. They are available, without charge, by calling the church.Wayne offers a class titled “Financial Freedom” that teaches the budgeting skills we all need; and if more personal help is still needed after the class, the student can get a financial coach as well.

Following are some of the most often asked questions:

With my high level of debt, what is your advice for handling my finances?
Work as though you were working for the Lord; give something; save a little; maximize debt repayment; and live a Spartan lifestyle. In addition, call the church office and ask for a financial coach.

When is the worst time to go shopping?
When you are under stress.This is because when you are under stress you tend to try to satisfy a short-term goal (relieving the stress) at the expense of achieving your long-term goals.

Why do I feel guilty about all of my spending?
Because you don’t have a spending plan (budget). If you had a spending plan, then you would not feel guilty about spending what is in the plan. Plans include entertainment and eating out.

What myths is the world of advertising constantly throwing at us?
“Things bring happiness.” “Debt is expected and unavoidable.” “A little more money will solve all our problems.”

We are a two-income family. What should our strategy be?
The strategy for a two-income family should be to cover all the basics (giving, savings, housing, food, clothing, transportation, basic household) with one income.The second income can be used for “extras,” such as additional giving, additional savings, accelerated debt repayment, and other non-essentials. If your second income stops for any reason, your basic needs can still be met. If your present situation makes it impossible to meet basic expenses with one income, then put a significant amount of that second income into savings so that there is money in reserve in case that second income is lost, which happens frequently.

Why do people overspend?

1) Keeping up an image:
Feel like if they fall below a certain image, the neighborhood will think less of them, i.e., keeping up with the Jones’.The truth behind this is that the neighbors are thinking and feeling the same way.

2) The money is on its way:
When people hear they are getting money, they spend it before they have the money in hand.

3) Credit doesn’t feel the same:
Plastic simply does not feel the same as cash. For this reason, people use credit more often and tend to overspend much more than they would if they had used cash instead.

4) Immediate gratification:
When you can go into a store, see something you think you need NOW, then get credit in 5 minutes or less, you get a false sense of accomplishment.

5) Lifestyle maintenance:
After a person has lived a certain way for a while and suddenly find themselves in a bad place financially, it is hard to give it up. The lifestyle they have become accustomed to, they feel, must be maintained even if it means more debt followed by bankruptcy.

6) Sense of power:
Spending money actually makes many people feel more powerful. Whether it is handing over a wad of cash or pulling out a gold credit card, the simple act of spending a large amount of money gives them a rush of false power.

7) Proof of self-worth:
Spending $40 on a haircut, $120 on a designer dress, $130 on a pair of shoes and maybe $75 on a facial every other week sounds pricey to most people. However, for many people who are “of the world”, it makes them feel like they are someone.

8) Just can’t say NO!:
This is the one that is heard the absolute most. Whether it’s a child asking a parent for the newest fad toy or a spouse wanting the newest computer game, some people just cannot say no! Even if they cannot afford to say yes, they feel like a failure to some degree if the money is not there to meet the wants of the other person.

More information about the Stewardship Ministry.