COMBINED OFFERINGS PLAN
By Mario Niño, D.Min – Former G. C. Stewardship Associate Director.
The goal of Development Service in the North American Division which ran from 1954-1966 at the grassroots level, and its goal was to help churches raise funds for financing church building projects. At the 50th Session of the General Conference which took place in Detroit, Michigan, a vote was taken to change the Development Service of the North America Division into the General Conference Development Department, to serve the world field.The new department’s role would be to promote a spiritual revival, to do fundraising for church budget and development projects, under the Combined Budget. At the Annual Council of 1967, the name was officially changed to Stewardship and Development. Then, in 1980 the department was merged with the Ministerial Association, and in 1985 it became part of the Church Ministries Department. In 1995, when it again became Stewardship Department. The 59th Session of the General Conference which convened in Atlanta, Georgia (2010), voted to rename the department as Stewardship Ministries.