The people in your pews are most inspired by a mission that changes lives. But, do you ask people to support your budget, to pay the light bill, to keep the doors open? Do you need help reframing money talk in your congregation? For more information, see the latest Cheerful Giving podcast. Here’s the transcript: […]
There are four essential components in a successful capital campaign – the Case, Leadership, Prospects, and the Plan. Each one of these is critical to the success of the campaign. What is a Case for Support in a Capital Campaign? The Case is a written document that gives the rationale for the campaign. After reading […]
Churches frequently ask me: “What’s the best way to increase our endowment funds?” Smart leaders know that an endowment can help the mission of their congregation. Once we do the hard work of establishing the Endowment – creating the Endowment Policy, opening the fund accounts, and establishing the invesment and disbursement strategies – then the hard work of funding begins. […]
Mortgage debt could be crippling your ministry. Imagine how much fun it would be to burn those mortgage papers! Then imagine how much relief your budget will have when “Debt Service” is no longer a line item and a monthly drain on finances. What a time for a party! Mortgage burning parties used to be […]
The next worship war might be over the offering plate. As blogger Wezlo says about the offering: The impending extinction of the offering envelope is not something I am mourning. In fact, I’ll be quite happy when it comes to a close. On the other hand, I find the idea of seeing the act of […]
Pete Hawker serves a United Methodist congregation in Anniston, Alabama. I don’t know Peter, but a friend sent me a column he wrote that appears in the Anniston Star, the local newspaper. A great column on the spiritual aspect of generosity, here’s a quote: People who are dying spiritually stop giving in all areas of […]
Everything you send to your church members communicates the core values of your church. That includes your Annual Giving Statements. Share your values with a few simple tweaks to your statements this year. You can touch your donors’ hearts and encourage deeper generosity by following these guidelines: 1. Include a cover letter on top of […]
Here are the answers to last week’s quiz: 10. Know Your Numbers. Pearson’s Law states, “That which is measured improves. That which is measured and reported improves exponentially.” Here are some important numbers to know: average giving per worshiper, new givers, how many stopped giving (and why!), aggregate giving by age group. 9. Remember the […]
Top Ten Ways to Grow Givers’ Hearts (answers to follow, but can you guess?) 10. Know Your ____________________. 9. Remember the _______________ in Your ___________. 8. Be a _________________ Leader. 7. Start _________________. 6. ________________ About Stewardship. 5. Ask Your Tithers Why They __________. 4. Launch ______________ Giving. 3. Start an _____________________ Service. 2. Plan […]
Many Christians struggle with the issue of giving and tithing. Pastors also find it hard to express their own beliefs about the subject. Money-talk in the church can be thorny. It’s easier not to mention money. Some believe that tithing is biblical. To them, it is the right thing to do as a Christian disciple. […]