The Finish Line Podcast Zenet Maramara, Founder and President of Christian Stewards, on Multidimensional Generosity Growth in the Philippines (Ep. 110)
Zenet Maramara is the founder and president of Christian Stewards in the Philippines. After Zenet became a born-again Christian in her thirties, she enrolled at a seminary where she stepped into a fundraising role. Wanting to master the art of fundraising, Zenet attended Regent University and there experienced a “second conversion” into biblical stewardship, understanding the principles of managing God’s money for His Kingdom purposes in a way that is transformational to the giver, not just transactional.
Zenet became passionate about advancing biblical stewardship education and has since built a multi-dimensional platform to empower the Filipino Church with generosity champions across the realms of business, ministry, and the local church. Christian Stewards has become a beacon of generosity in the Philippines and beyond, and Zenet had much wisdom to share.
Major topics include:
- How Christian Stewards began
- The difference between transactional and transformational fundraising
- Articulating your theology in fundraising and stewardship
- Intentional integration of generosity and discipleship training
- Empowering business owners to share the gospel by integrating business and faith
- Steward-leadership theology
- Core beliefs for a conversion as a biblical steward
- The blessing and challenge of collaboration
- “Whose money are you fundraising? Isn’t it all God’s money?”
- “It’s not just about money. It’s about the heart.”
- “Giving is a barometer for our spiritual condition, and money is a great way to test if we are fully surrendered to God.”
- “Fundraising is as spiritual as giving a sermon, a prayer, or going on a mission because you’re helping people understand who they are and how to relate with the resources that God has entrusted to them.”
- “My vision is that every one of the 92,000 evangelical churches in the Philippines would have at least one generosity champion who will coordinate the teaching of generosity in their church.”
- “Business is the new ‘Roman Road’ for the Gospel because we’re in the marketplace more than we’re in the church on Sunday.”
- “The steward-leader theology and practice is an upside-down leadership. Most leaders have the power, but a steward-leader shares the power, shares privilege, and shares in the purpose of the organization or company.”
- “If we hold lightly the material things that God has entrusted to us, then it is easier for us to listen to God when He calls us to move that resource to where it is most needed.”
- Christian Stewards
- The Spirituality of Fundraising by Henri Nouwen
- Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman)
- Stations of Generosity from the MacLellan Foundation (see our interview with Director of Generosity, John Cortines)
- Generous Church (see our interview with founder Patrick Johnson)
- Faith Driven Entrepreneur
- Rooting for Rivals (see our interview with author Peter Greer)
- Lausanne Movement
- The Finish Line Community Facebook Group
- The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group
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