The Church around the world has been charged with the command to “go into all the world and make disciples of all people.” But the young, emerging church in developing countries faces two realities; one very encouraging and the other very debilitating.
The encouraging news is that the potential for reaching millions in their own culture rests securely in the lives of nationals in positions of ministry leadership. These are men and women with remarkable dedication and unending commitment.
The debilitating reality is that the potential in these remarkable people lies dormant, unusable because of the economic dependence that has accompanied the birth of the emerging church. By default, this young church has become dysfunctionally co-dependent. Accompanying its birth has been the development of an unintended ecclesiastical welfare system … and her people are robbed of the “grace of giving.”
INTERNATIONAL STEWARD is committed to training current and future ministry leadership in developing countries on the Biblical principles of stewardship and fund development. Our vision is that every ministry in every community would be locally funded because every Christian is a maturing steward of the resources entrusted to them by God.
Dr. Charles Roost – Founding Partner
Dr. Charles Roost became the founding partner of International Steward in May of 2000, with over 20 years of consulting experience in the field of development. He invested the prior 15 years serving as Executive Pastor and Missions Pastor of Kentwood Community Church, in Kentwood, Michigan. Dr. Roost has served as national director of the Youth Guidance Division of Youth for Christ, served as president of a Christian college, and for the past 10 years has helped to design development strategies for Christian ministries.
Dr. Roost holds a Master’s degree in counseling and a Ph.D. in curriculum. He is an excellent communicator and has a talent for helping individuals discover who they are and how God has gifted them to accomplish their goals.
Brett Elder – Senior Partner
There is an important principle that God has spent years impressing upon me. The principle: That the needs of people are best met at the most local level possible. This Biblical notion was the catalyst that caused me to help launch the ministry of International Steward.
You see, this world is full of more critical needs than you and I can scarcely contemplate, much less effectively address. Standing in the midst of some of the “least of these” in underdeveloped countries, the task seems insurmountable.
Jesus Christ, however, doesn’t call us to solve all the problems of this world. He does strongly urge us to take care of the needs of people around us. Meeting needs around us is not simply a statement of our responsibility toward others, it also reflects the privilege that God has entrusted to us. When we abdicate this responsibility, we lose the privilege.
Around the world, millions have never known the privilege of giving of themselves and their resources to meet the needs around them. Why? Because for so many years organizations, government, and even churches have stepped in to fill in the gap. As a result, people have not been encouraged to grow in the grace of giving.
At a recent workshop in Haiti, I was so encouraged to hear national ministry leaders testify to the fact that the responsibility and privilege for the growth of the church in Haiti falls squarely on the shoulders of those within their country. I was awed to see many of these ministry leaders more excited about cultivating stewards within their local communities than simply getting their ministries funded.
It has been just a few short months into this new ministry and I am excited to see, what I believe is, the beginning to a “turning of the tide.” It is because of your faithful financial stewardship and our common vision, that we are seeing needs of people being met and many exercising the privilege of stewardship … even in the most poverty stricken regions.
I have the dual privilege of helping others around the world to understand stewardship principles and at the same time being a “student” of those of you who model effective stewardship of what God has entrusted to you.
Thank you for your ministry in making this possible.
Hello All,
This is a very good idea, being able to learn from each other is one of the easiest and most effective ways to learn.
Since the Symposium, I have really tried to be alert to opportunities to share the material. I have taught the basic principles to church leaders participating in the Operation Christmas Child event of which I am the National Coordinator and it was well received, I also challenged them to raise the funds amongst themselves to provide the funds locally to clear the container and transport the gifts and they have taken the challenge.
I have also provided some training to youth leaders at our Secondary School, Western Christian Academy and they have begun an initiative amongst the students to raise funds and resources for a Christmas project in which the student body will be meeting a need in the community.
I also taught it at church and we had a great response in our recent Harvest celebrations.
I will be teaching some of it at a women’s conference in January. Pleas pray for these efforts, that God will use them to get His Word out and also be watchful for doors He will open to share this word.
Glory to God and thanks to International Steward.
By: Diana Shaw on November 28, 2007
at 4:23 pm
Diana,
What a great report. Thank you for sharing that information with us. It is so exciting to hear about students at the school getting involved in the grace of giving. I think for many societies it will be today’s youth generation that leads that society in an explosion of giving … and in understanding stewardship. Keep us posted as these initiatives develop.
By: croost on December 7, 2007
at 8:28 pm