Although I was raised in a Catholic home I pretty much abandoned the faith for the first ten year of my adult life. One of my most cherished memories following my conversion and subsequent return to the Church were the years that I was blessed to be leading a class of grade five children in our parish religious education program.
The lesson that I most looked forward to each year was the story of Cornelius. In that class the students were directed to put on a short play re-enacting the story of Peter baptizing Cornelius’ entire family. What I found most inspiring about that event in scripture was that it only happened because of a vision the Apostle Peter had in Joppa (Acts 10 & 11). In that vision Peter came to realize that God does not show favoritism but accepts people from every nation who put their faith in Him.
Without Peter’s vision in Joppa Cornelius’ family would have been left out of God’s plan of salvation because they were Gentiles, and up until that point Gentiles were not given an opportunity to hear the Good News. However, God had shown Peter in the vision that the life-saving message of the Gospel was for all people, not just the Jewish people.
In a similar way I have always felt God calling me to share the life-changing message of stewardship with all people. There is a sense that I am called to share the spirituality of stewardship with all Christians, regardless of their denomination. Moreover, this is a philosophy for living that I desire to take to the streets…to non-believers and other-believers.
Stewardship is an approach to living that is radically different and remarkably rewarding. It invites us to look at life and happiness differently. Stewardship will give anyone who embraces it a better experience of life! It’s for all people…so, Joppa Stewardship it is.
It is my hope, and prayer that Joppa Stewardship will be a place where all the people of God, whatever your tradition, can come and share your experience and wisdom. In doing so, together we will build the leaders, who build a movement, inspire conversions, and change the order of things.
Stewardship inspired me to look at life and happiness differently. Once I began to look at all of life through the lens of stewardship the view was much better.
Daring to think differently has freed me from financial debt and spiritual debt that weighed me down so heavily. Moreover, stewardship thinking has released me from the anxiety and worry (the dis-ease) that accompanied the debt. Life just keeps getting better!
Joppa Stewardship is not a charitble organization, business or private pompany. I hope it is a community of like-minded people seeking to share the beauty and power of Christian stewardship with anyone who needs a change for the better!
My formation in Christian stewardship came during a fourteen year period (1999-2014) under the guidance and teaching of the Roman Catholic tradition as the Director of Stewardship at the Archdiocese of Winnipeg. In addition I have been blessed to have gained many valuable insights through my association with many sisters and brothers from other Christian denominations. My desire is that this blog will inspire thought and wisdom from a diverse group of God’s people.
Always grateful & hopeful in our good and gracious God,
Joseph Daniel Potvin
Dare to Think Differently...No More Debt and Dis-ease! 