Traditionalist
Faith is formed in childhood. Often this faith development is precognitive, before the age of five.
People who are traditionalist will often say that they have always known God and that they cannot identify a moment when God became real for them. They love the old ways and traditions of the church and are sometimes fearful of change. Often this is true because their understanding of "who God is" and "what the church is" is so intertwined. They are oriented toward pastoral care as an important ministry in the church. Stewardship education experiences have often been limited in the past to yearly canvasses or letter campaigns, often very low key and usually tied to the needs of our church and our budget. This practice encourages maintenance thinking. This invites giving on an external need basis, rather than an internal response to God. When beginning stewardship education with traditionalists, it is important to affirm their experience and to acknowledge that the education program may be uncomfortable because we are inviting change. |