Malawi Union Conference has urged Lilongwe city leaders in Central Malawi Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church to promote stewardship programs in their respective churches and districts in order for them to experience tremendous spiritual growth.

Speaking during the two day stewardship training workshop at Falls SDA church in Lilongwe, the Union Stewardship director, Pastor Dr.Mofati Botolo said lack of vision and poor leadership are some of the factors that are preventing churches from growing.

“We have to make stewardship a life style for Christianity not as a fundraising activity. The church needs to make disciples who can help to spread the good news to accomplish God’s mission of saving lives.Everyone,including children and the youth must be involved. Botolo said.

He further underscored the need for church leaders to come up with strategies for implementing stewardship programs yearly that would help increase participation of members.According to him,strategies like visitations,involvement of small groups(mainstreaming) and organising prayer teams for church's deeper spiritual growth are some of the effective strategies that need to be employed by churches.

Pastor Botolo appealed to church leaders to ensure that churches elect a local auditor to ensure that church finances are properly controlled and accounted for.He strongly advised church treasures to always give periodical reports to their churches to ensure transparency.

Adding on the matter Central Malawi Conference director of Stewardship, Pastor Chancy Mchewere Banda stressed on the need for leaders to monitor and control church finances.

''The success of your church depends on you.You need to strictly monitor and control church finances.You must also ensure that there is transparency in the way you handle finances.As a Conference,we have allocated three stewardship emphasis months this year.During these months we expect stewardship focused sermons and programs in all churches.''He said.

Pastor Mchewere further said it was pleasing to note that there has been a significant growth in tithe collections in most churches.

''The conference collections moved from June 2018 - December 2018.This is encouraging,but we know we

can do better than this.''.Said Pastor Mchewere Banda.

One of the participants, Elder Sangulukani Munthali thanked Central Malawi Conference leadership for organizing such an important training which has come at the right time when some churches are facing challenges in returning tithe and offerings.

"This training shall go along way in the history of the SDA Church because members will not view stewardship as fundraising but a tool towards achieving deeper spiritual growth and mature church membership," Munthali said.

The church has challenged its leaders to be in the forefront in promoting stewardship as stipulated in the Bible.

The stewardship training was held under the theme “Stewardship, a barometer for Christianity".Five hundred leaders attended the training. The members attending the seminar were;church elders,deacons,treasures and Stewardship leaders.