Strategy to improve financial stewardship in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Nkoranza South District, Ghana

Abstract

This project surveyed the pattern of giving offerings in the Nkoranza South District of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church. Records and observations revealed that the giving of combined offerings in Nkoranza South District was not satisfactory. This problem is due to inadequate education on combined offering, and the perception that the greater chunk of monies raised in the church goes to the conference while a little is retained in the local church, and noncompliance to the Combined Offering Plan (COP) by both Union and Conference leaders. Also, the members have the misconception that offering is not as sacred as tithe, and that since the giver decides how much to give for offering, giving an offering is not mandatory. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to find out the perceived hindrances to low giving of combined offerings and to find possible solutions, implement and evaluate an effective way to improve financial giving of combined offerings in Nkoranza South District of Mid-North Ghana Conference. To achieve this objective, the researcher used a descriptive method for the research process. Following an investigation of the problem through surveys, interviews, and observations, the researcher designed a stewardship education program to educate the members. The education was carried out from December 7th to December 14th, 2022 in Nkoranza South District. The members' concerns and questions were answered during the education. The study found out that, to improve the giving of financial offerings, both Union and Conference officers must ensure proper education and strict compliance to the COP’s principles without reservation. The conference is to give offering goals to the districts and analyze offering performance alongside tithe performance. The study concluded that the low offering income in the Nkoranza South District is due to non-compliance with the COP’s principles in the area. The study recommends that the whole field follow the COP’s principles without reservation to avoid departmental intermittent fundraisings and crisis giving in the local churches. The union and conference officers are to ensure that members give offering in percentages and that the local churches and districts get what is due them.