Tanto la mayordomía como la recaudación de fondos suelen implicar la obtención de dinero, pero son muy diferentes, y esa diferencia puede ser clave en una iglesia.

Fundraising is the process of asking donors to contribute to some worthy cause, often a non-profit organization. Campaigns usually focus on the good work of the group, its long-range plans and needs, its overall effectiveness, and why specific amounts are needed to support specific projects or programs.

Fundraising is honorable work, though during election season it can seem as if everyone is asking for some sort of “donation.” The Red Cross, United Way, local shelters for needy families – they all probably have an annual fundraising campaign in your community.

Dr. Martha Moore-Keish is the J.B. Green Professor of Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary in Georgia. She has taught classes on Christian, Reformed, comparative, and feminist theologies, as well as a range of special topics. She attended Harvard College, where she studied comparative religions. She earned the Ph.D. in theological studies from Emory University in 2000.

To her, there is a clear distinction between stewardship and fundraising, and they relate to how the traditional worship offering has changed over the centuries.

“Martin Luther in the 16^th century lambasted all talk of sacrifice and offering,” said Dr. Moore-Keish. “The notion of human beings ‘offering’ anything to God was backwards, he argued. God offers gifts to us, not the other way around.

“Instead, starting with the Church of England in 1549, ‘offertory’ came to mean the collection of money. Gradually this became common Protestant practice,” she said. “By the mid-20^th century, a new sort of ‘offertory’ became a high ritual moment in almost every American Protestant congregation: Ushers solemnly passing plates and then marching forward in procession, bearing cash and checks to the front of the sanctuary for a prayer of dedication.”

It is helpful to go back to the original meaning, to remind readers that to steward something, or to be a steward, is to care for something that has been entrusted to your care, Dr. Moore-Keish said. “A steward does not own the property that she cares for, but is trusted to care for it.

“Think about a wine steward in a restaurant, who carefully chooses and serves guests,” she said. “Or think about Jesus’ teaching, about a ‘lord’ entrusting the care of land and property to stewards who then are responsible for the nurture and growth.  That is what makes the concept of ‘stewardship’ different from fundraising at traditional non-profit organizations.”

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 Paul writes, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Stewardship involves more than money. It can include calls for help through time, talents, special skills and management of resources.

From there, consider how people might respond if we re-framed the annual pledge question as asking them to celebrate a renewal of their covenant with the church? It could be similar to a married couple affirming their vows every 10 or 20 years – a symbolic and public commitment to God and the church.

Stewardship grows from our relationship with God and our church. Look at it this way: Fundraising raises money, but stewardship raises hope.