Church Development looks at the three main worldviews and how each group perceives giving. Today’s blog focuses on the third and final main group: Stewards.
As previously covered, there are three dominant psychographic worldviews (“psychographics” is the fancy word for studying all the variables that can make up a common viewpoint, including personality, values, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles). Last time I covered consumers, who make up 47% of the population. The third main worldview in the western world—stewards—makes up 24% of the population*:
Stewards know that all they have is a gift from God and that their material gifts are in their temporary custody. Their approach to work is to use the gifts God gave them as He directs rather than to simply pursue money or prestige. They serve their values in both their jobs and volunteer positions. They feel alone in their deliberate lives, as if they are shedding the constraints of convention.
Those with the steward worldview reject the consumer lifestyle and do not share the fears of those with the traditionalist worldview. They have a sense of responsibility larger than their own sphere. Tithing is an obvious progression in their giving decisions. Of the three main groups covered here, stewards are the likeliest to tithe, as they give out of an outpouring of love and appreciation for God.
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*Source: Ray, Paul. The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World. 2001.
Denis Greene is the Founder and President of Church Development. He is the author of The Stewardship System, Stewardship-Based Capital Campaigns, and How To Ask For Donations as well as numerous articles on stewardship. Denis has helped over 200 churches across the USA raise more than $200,000,000.
A complete list of Church Development’s services (including capital campaign management and consultation, feasibility studies, and year-round stewardship ministry programming) is available here.