Plaza Heights to host Crown Financial workshop
By Lee Warren
Contributing Writer
February 8, 2005
BLUE SPRINGS — Larry Burkett and Howard Dayton co-founded Crown Financial Ministries in 2000 after realizing that their separate financial ministries would compliment each other well. Burkett founded Christian Financial Concepts in 1976 to teach biblical principles for handling money, and he did so for more than two decades on national Christian radio. Dayton founded Crown Ministries in 1985 and focused on small-group financial Bible studies.
Under the banner of Crown Financial Ministries, Burkett and Dayton were able to continue teaching on the radio while at the same time providing materials for small group studies. Before Burkett’s death in July of 2003, both he and Dayton set forth an ambitious plan to teach biblical financial principles to 300 million people (approximately five percent of the world’s population) by Sept. 15, 2015. Dayton is still committed to their dream, with the hope that once believers truly understand what God has to say about finances, they will fund the Great Commission like never before.
In the spirit of Burkett and Dayton’s dream, the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) is partnering with Plaza Heights Baptist Church, Blue Springs, to bring a Crown Financial Ministries workshop to the Kansas City area. The March 5 workshop is called, “The Treasure Principle,” and it will last from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Plaza Heights. Cost is $15 per family or individual and includes one workbook, a continental breakfast, and snacks. Extra workbooks will cost $10 each.
“This particular course,” said Spencer Hutson, MBC biblical stewardship specialist, “deals with the biblical concept set forth by Jesus in Matthew 6:21 that states, ‘Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’”
The workshop is designed to equip pastors, directors of missions, and church leaders with knowledge and materials to take back to their places of ministry so they can help believers discover the joy of giving. Hutson said that the materials would be good for discipleship, Bible studies, or cell group settings.
Carl Eichenberger, administrator at Plaza Heights and certified Crown Financial Counselor, said that his goal is to “create a forum in which we can teach our people what the biblical principles of giving are. Not just of our monies, but of our time and talents. God looks upon that with favor. I truly believe that we can’t out-give God.”
The partnership between the MBC Biblical Stewardship program and Plaza Heights combines entities with similar visions regarding giving.
Eichenberger said that he recently told Plaza Heights Pastor Bob Collins that “if everyone in the church tithed we would never have to be concerned about needing any money to do the ministry of the church.”
Hutson said he believes that “when Missouri Baptists give from the heart, there will be enough to do His work.
“Our office plans to do this type of event throughout the state by partnering with congregations and associations. We know we must address this issue of giving if we are to ever reach our statewide church planting and evangelism goals.”
Those interested in attending the workshop may call Plaza Heights at (816) 229-4077 to register.
