Reflection on Governance as an act of stewardship by Renette van der Walt

1. Pat likened our role as directors of a ministry nonprofit to that of a steward. How does that sit with you? Is this an accurate portrayal of the role?

2. Nothing as deep and complex as governance and stewardship will be 100% yes or no. If you sense the parallel is not exact, where is it off?

3. If you who agree with the comparison “being a director is like being a steward,” is this: a. a new idea or b. a confirmation of an old idea?

4. This message identifies four underlying principles of stewardship: Ownership, Responsibility, Accountability, and Reward. Is this the right list? Is there something on the list that shouldn’t be? Something not on the list that should be?

5. Of the four principles, which do you find most challenging when it comes to understanding and application? Why?

6. The speaker pointed out that in Matthew 25 and Luke 19, the master wanted to know what happened to his assets over the course of their stewardship. In Matthew, the text reads, “He settled accounts with them.” The parallel passage in Luke makes it a bit clearer: “He ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business.” a. How does this apply in the context of ministry governance? What are the resources we, as stewards, are investing?

b. What is the return you would hope to see from this “investment?”

7. Using the five-point scale below, evaluate the extent to which the typical board members your ministry’s board see themselves as stewards.