Learn how to conduct a Crown Financial Small Group Bible Study in your church.

When: Saturday, July 21, 9:00am to 3:00pm
Where: District Resource Center, 6051 S Watt Ave, Sacramento
Instructors: Rich Hopping, Jay Herndon
Cost: $88 includes lunch, and all the materials needed for the training and to launch your first group.
How to register: Please call 800-722-1976 or go to the Crown website. Register for the Crown training (The $88 is payable to Crown not the DRC.)

Stop saying, “someday our church will understand stewardship.” Get the training and teach them! Don’t delay, sign up today!

A note from Dr. Jay Herndon

I want to invite you to a ministry training event that will change your life, each and every day of your life, and your ministry, forever. Is this an audacious claim? I don’t think so. I believe it to be true. The Crown Financial Ministries Small Group will change people’s lives! And it is the best stewardship education program available.

As the Secretary-Treasurer of our District I have adopted a personal mission statement, “To promote and preserve the ministries and the assets of the District Council and its ministries.” This mission statement implies that I assume the role of “Chief Stewardship Education Officer” in order to help our churches, ministers, and members experience blessing in matters of finance.

Let’s admit it, our nation is a prosperous nation and yet we have opened the door to the harsh taskmasters of consumerism and debt. These taskmasters exert incredible bondage over people’s lives—preventing people from living in the dignity and freedom that God intends. Sadly, many of our own church members serve these taskmasters, living under their bondage. But God does not desire this for any person. God wants His people to learn to be good stewards and to live in financial freedom.

These taskmasters divert blessings away from the Kingdom, too—preventing individuals from tithing or supporting missions. They prevent individuals from participating in missions trips, giving to the needs of the poor, or church planting. They hinder the growth of the church.

Can you imagine what it would be like if your whole church was delivered from the harsh taskmasters of consumerism and debt? Can you imagine what it would be like if your whole church was practicing good stewardship? Picture how healthy the church would be! Envision the ministries that you could accomplish! Visualize the freedom that your members would enjoy in their personal lives!

It doesn’t have to be a dream. It is possible! But it’s not automatic. People are not born with good stewardship habits—they have to be learned and practiced.

That’s where Crown Financial Ministries comes in. Crown has developed an incredibly effective stewardship education program that is proven to be successful. Individuals who complete the Crown program show dramatic decreases in debt and marital stress, and remarkable increases in savings and charitable giving. They even show increased prayer and Bible study!

My friend, we all want to make substantial changes in people’s lives—not short-lived changes, but changes that will be benefiting people every day for the rest of their lives. Learning good stewardship has the potential to be one of those substantial, life-changing events.

I want to urge you to attend one of our upcoming Crown Financial Ministries Small Group Leaders Training sessions. If you cannot attend, send some of your best church members.

What will you get?
• You will be certified as a Small Group Leader.
• You will be trained and prepared to begin your first group (with print curriculum and a DVD).
• You will be equipped to train others to begin more groups (with print curriculum and a DVD) so that the blessing can multiply in your church.
• You will learn the unchanging principles of stewardship that God built into our world and that govern us all.
• You will be inspired to help others see the life-changing effects of good stewardship.
• You will receive a free lunch.

Former Secretary-Treasurer Rich Hopping and I will team up to present our next Small Group Leader’s Training on Saturday, July 21, 2007 from 9:00am to 3:00pm. The event will be held at the District Resource Center, 6051 S Watt Ave, Sacramento.

How to register:
Please register call 800-722-1976 or go to the Crown website. Register for the Crown training (Click “register for an event, seminar/training.” And search the California list.)

The cost for the seminar is $88; this includes the student and the leader’s material. Couples should indicate their status in order to receive the couples’ materials (at one price.) You will need to sign up at least two weeks before the seminar date to allow time for Crown to ship you the material, and to allow you to do some advance preparation. (You’ll be asked to complete Lesson 1 & 3 and read the book “Money Counts” prior to the first session, if possible.)

I believe that every church needs to have a Crown Small Group as a regular part of its education/discipleship ministries. I know it will make a difference in the lives of the people, and I believe that the church will reap a blessing, also. Please look at your calendar, choose which training event you can attend, and sign up today!

Blessings

Dr. Jay Herndon
District Secretary-Treasurer