FAQ's

Q. What Churches/Districts Have You Worked With?

A. I have worked with the following districts:

The Elizabeth River District, January 16, 2016, Training Day, at Deep Creek UMC
The Arlington-Alexandria Bi-District Training Event, January 9, 2016, at Floris UMC
The Charlottesville District, November 14, 2015, at Aldersgate UMC
Staunton District Clergy, January 5, 2016, at Fairfield UMC
The Arlington-Alexandria Bi-District Training Event, January 2015, at Floris UMC

Places where I have preached:

Calvary UMC, Stuarts Draft
Greenville UMC, Greenville
Main Street UMC, Waynesboro
Fairfield Charge, Emory and Fairfield UMC
Mount Vernon UMC, Alexandria
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Waynesboro
Churches I have consulted with or provided campaign leadership:
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Waynesboro
Church of the Good Shepherd, Vienna
Emmanuel UMC, Stephenson
Manor Memorial, New Market
Memorial UMC, Appomattox

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I invite you to submit your question below.

Information concerning my background and experience.

Q. Where Have You Learned the Best Practices in Stewardship?

A. Horizons Stewardship, Academy of Faith and Money, March 3-5, 2015, sponsored by The Florida UM Foundation. This was a mutual venture by Horizon’s Stewardship Services and the Foundation, and the classes were in Lakeland, Florida. Dr. J. Clif Christopher and Dr. Michael Reeves were the presenters.

Institute of Planned Giving, University of Richmond, School of Philanthropy, March 15-21, 2014. This was a 36-hour intensive small group experience, with guest faculty of professional fund raisers, lawyers, foundation executives, and academics.

Planned Giving School, sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic UM Foundation, September 10-13, 2013, in Wilmington, Delaware. Teaching was primarily by Dr. Ken Sloane, Director of Stewardship Ministries, Nashville, TN. Attendees were almost all UM clergy and the focus was more broadly stewardship in the life of the church.

Dr. J. Clif Christopher events:

Academy of Faith and Money – see above, March 3-5, 2015

Five-Talent Academy, March 2014

Richmond Presbyterian Synod, 1 day event, 2012.

Q. What is Stewardship Matters of Virginia?

A. Stewardship Matters of Virginia is a one-person ministry provided by Rev. David A. Rash, retired United Methodist pastor, with a desire for all churches to develop generous and faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, by providing hope and encouragement to churches in this aspect of vital Christian ministry. As a ministry-in-retirement, it is my way of having some continued impact for the Kingdom of God. While United Methodist is my primary frame of reference, I am aware that the teaching of faithful and generous stewards is important everywhere.

Q. Why Should We Call On Dave Rash to Help with Matters of Money, Generosity, and Stewardship Within Our Church?

A. That is a good question and deserves a good answer. Local church pastor for over 30 years, dependent on the tithes and offerings of God’s people for the weekly mission and ministry of the church.

Acquainted with the pastoral issues of ‘never enough money’ / mission / finance committees / budgeting / financial reports / Congregational aversion to saying anything about money…all of which bring anxiety into a church.
Aware that all churches and pastors need help to get a new message across that focuses on abundance not scarcity; generosity, not law; hope, not fear.
As pastor, engaged in three capital funds campaigns, and numerous fall stewardship efforts.
District Stewardship Chair in two districts and leading the stewardship workshop for lay/clergy training about five times.
For over 30 years of pastoral ministry I have found this aspect of Christian ministry to be a place of enrichment for me personally. As an example, for no reason other than I wanted to, in 1990 I participated in Stewardship University, sponsored by the UM Board of Discipleship, Stewardship Ministries. I heard some of the finest teaching at that time on this important matter.

Through the years this has frequently caught my attention and I have found myself drawn to it. I have tried to effectively teach and preach the best of Christian stewardship in very challenging situations. I was not afraid to speak of this part of our relationship to Jesus Christ in sermons and meetings, though, like most every other pastor, some heard it as about money.

It really is not. It is about what matters most – God, not us. If the love and the grace of God fills our hearts with joy and peace, then gratitude becomes the motive for giving. No longer is the budget our primary concern.

I am convinced that if we can speak the right truth and call our people to obedience to the biblical understanding of first-fruits, as practiced by the tithe, and to generosity as a fruit of the Holy Spirit, we can release our churches from the stranglehold of a scarcity mentality.

Effective stewardship is the most difficult work there is to do in a local church given the culture of most of our churches. But it is also the most rewarding.

Q. Where Do You Turn for Your Own Learning About Christian Stewarship?

A. In recent years I have taken the opportunity whenever it presents itself to be in the audience when Dr. J. Clif Christopher is speaking. He is a UM ordained elder, a certified church growth consultant, a member of CFRE (fund-raising) and founder and CEO of Horizons Stewardship Services.

I have had that opportunity four times and they are listed below. As the author of Not Your Parent’s Offering Plate (2008, revised 2015) and followed by Whose Offering Plate is It? (2012) I have gained a deeper and greater understanding of how churches can be far more effective than we have. He has also written: Rich Church, Poor Church (2011), The Church Money Manual (2014). He blogs at HorizonsStewardshipServices.com

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Disclaimer: While I am a pastor, now retired, with a love for God and for Christ’s Holy Church, I am not an attorney nor a professional certified financial advisor, nor a professional fund-raiser. If I were, most churches could not afford me. What I bring is years of experience as a local church pastor, greater than average reading and education in these matters, and a desire is to help churches develop faithful and generous stewards and for Christians to be better money managers.