« September 2008 | Main | November 2008 »
October 31, 2008
Encouraging words for church giving in times of recession
I needed to read some good news today. I needed to read something that reminded me that hope (while not a strategy for success by itself) exists.
I found it.
I hope you are encouraged too.
"That being said, the history of philanthropic giving in the United States supports the notion that our nonprofit sector has weathered every economic downturn since we've been tracking how Americans give more than 50 years ago."
Posted by bstroup at 11:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 30, 2008
What's really happening to churches and church giving
There is a lot of speculation that church giving will plummet and as a result we'll see mass closings of churches all across this nation due to the decrease in individual/family discretionary income which directly impacts church giving.
As of yet, this is not the case. In fact, some churches are reporting little direct impact on church giving due to our current economic crisis.
The LA Times recently picked up an the AP story Churches could be facing hard times financially, just when congregants need help, too.
Here are some interesting quotes from the article:
Among the congregations faring best are those with a strong tradition of tithing -- the biblical mandate to give at least 10 percent of one's income to the church.
Churches who teach Biblical principles related to personal finances and church giving have prepared their congregations for situations just like the one we find ourselves in now.
What is your church doing to provide practical financial solutions for families? You might consider making these classes part of your core christian education goals - maybe even a requirement for your new member classes.
Plan and prepare is the best strategy to hedge against uncertain financial times.
A recent report by the Christian research group Empty Tomb Inc. studied six recessions since 1968 and found that donations by church members declined in three and increased in three. Another study, by Giving USA Foundation, found that religion-related charitable giving fell slightly in six of 11 recession years since 1968.
Despite our "intuition" telling us that we are in the worst position in history, church giving is just about as cyclical as the economy. There are ups and downs. Yes, we are in a down. If we know that church giving is cyclical, we can address it in a comprehensive, systematic way.
What's your long-term strategy to provide for fully funded ministry budgets and sustainable ministries?
However, many churches rely on income from investments for their financial health and are already slashing their 2009 budgets.
Our current economic situation is largely driven by the stock market. Those churches who have placed a significant percentage of their operating expenses in one catagory (i.e. the stock market) ought to consider expanding their portfolio.
Maybe it's time to get some organizational financial planning advice?
A wise person once told me, "It's never as bad as it seems, and it's never as good as it seems."
I think that sums up our current economic situation - especially as to its impact upon church giving.
Posted by bstroup at 11:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Mississippi's Mixon weighs in on church giving in tough times
During a financial crisis the world and our church members do not need to see the church express itself in panic, fear, or doubt. The church should express faith and trust in God. Here are a few suggestions to help you face this crisis.
1. Take an honest look at your promotion of giving. Ask your pastor, staff, and Finance Committee to plan an emphasis on giving the tithe. Your state stewardship office can provide you with free materials. You should develop an annual giving emphasis. The problem is that some churches do get lax from time to time, and they need a gentle reminder that the tithe belongs to the Lord. Wake up your church with a stewardship campaign and share with them the need of reaching your community and the world. The financial experts remind us that during tough times the faithful will continue to give. It is true they may have less money to give, but they will give. Your target should be the casual givers and the casual attenders. Casual givers give when they have extra cash. The casual attenders are those who attend once or twice a month and only give when present.
2. Take a look at spending practices. A purchase system should be set up to control unnecessary spending. All staff personnel should be cautioned to spend only for needs of ministry and delay all non-essential spending.
3. Begin to set aside a three-month emergency fund. Most financial crises are temporary and in time the crisis will pass. Your church should have enough money set aside to operate staff and ministry for three full months without any income from the members.
4. Reevaluate all of the programs and activities of the church. This evaluation should be in connection with your church mission statement. I understand that once you begin a program in a Baptist church, it is difficult to ever bring it to a halt. But frankly, many churches are doing things that are convenient for the membership but have little or nothing to do with the mission of the church.
5. Review your church's insurance policies. There may be some savings by changing companies. Another review may be of expensive literature orders. Many churches order materials that are still lying around and are never used. You might also think about controlling heating and cooling expenses by installing programmable thermostats.
6. Finally, and only as a last resort, consider trimming the budget. Our problem many times is that this is the first action we take instead of the last. The first item easiest to trim is the Cooperative Program (CP). It appears to be the least popular and the one with no face. No one will come from outside your church and make a plea to keep missions at the present level. Your church would never think of downsizing the Lottie Moon goal, but when you cut the Cooperative Program, you also trim funding for the International Mission Board (IMB). In 2008 CP funded IMB with 37% of her budget. That means that Lottie Moon only funded 52% of the total IMB budget. So CP gave only 15% less than Lottie Moon. When you cut your CP gifts, you place a greater burden on Lottie Moon, which has to make up the difference.
Once you have considered these suggestions, consider making a commitment to restore the budget to full funding as soon as possible.
Jerry Mixon is the State Stewardship Executive for the Mississippi Baptist Convention. He's managed to balance being a pastor, husband and stewardship expert with his love and passion for writing books and the occassional country music song. You can contact him directly via e-mail or by calling 601.292.3347. Read more by and about Jerry Mixon.
Posted by bstroup at 11:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 29, 2008
Every pastor is a fundraiser
Fundraising is one of those tasks that some pastors love and some pastors hate. At the end of the day, every pastor is a fundraiser. So why does fundraising lack that sense of "calling" that being a pastor carries with it?
If fundraising is simply a transaction, then we miss the point. Fundraising is about providing a compelling vision that invites others to participate in and support using their time, talents and treasures to bring about a change that is larger than any one single person, organization or program can accomplish.
Read a passionate appeal from one fundraiser who refuses to believe that it's just about a monetary transaction between a wealthy individual and an organization that simply takes place to satisfy the needs of both parties.
"If your ideas and programs and people and vision are so great, shouldn't people be willing to reach into their pockets and fund them? If it's worth spending your life doing this work, shouldn't you or someone in your organization be able to convince someone else that the work is worth supporting?"
Pastors carry the burden of the greatest message and vision of all time, the Good News of the Gospel. If you can't inspire someone to financially support the work of your church, maybe it's time to take a look in the mirror to ensure you believe what your preaching.
Posted by bstroup at 2:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 28, 2008
Giving expert challenges presidential candidates
One giving expert challenges the presidential candidates to stop spending money on political advertising and donate the remaining balance that each campaign has raised to charity in light of our current domestic economic crisis.
He even goes as far as to say that the candidate who takes his challenge will get his vote.
Do you agree?
Posted by bstroup at 11:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 27, 2008
3 steps to position your church to address an economic crisis
As the impact of the economy continues to to impose itself upon family life and church family life, it's critical that churches be positioned as a resource. We have been handed a golden opportunity to provide Biblical, relevant solutions to families who are hurting and suffering from the loss of their jobs, homes, etc.
Here are three things that you need to begin doing (if you haven't already):
1. Name the fear. As one of my communication professors once said, "Until you speak it, it's not real." Get it out in the open. Name the pink elephant in the room. The economy stinks, and like it or not we've got to make some adjustments to weather the storm.
If you choose to ignore it, you'll be the ONLY one who does. The people in your pew need to hear from you. They know that their financial reasoning for the most part is flawed, but they also aren't sure how to correct it.
The other risk you take by keeping silent is that your decision makers could step in and take control. And they may choke the ministry right out of the church in an effort to survive.
You are the spiritual leader. Own your role. Talk about it. It's less scary and managable once you put it into words.
2. Host financial workshops. Getting out of debt programs are a great place to begin. What about leading a community session on mortgages? What about a job skills fair? There are wonderful ways to bridget the work of the church into the community, one full of people in need.
Get some good financial practioners in your church together and create a series of events that help people deal with real issues and offers practical solutions. Quit talking about being relevant and offer something that will change/transform people forever.
3. Prepare for an increase in benevolent requests. Maybe you reallocate resources in your 2009 budget? Maybe you take a special offering to fund additional needs from members of your church and community.
One church where I live actually reallocated an additional $40k to benevolence because it recognized that more people would be coming to the church for help, and it was their responsibility to be ready to help.
Do you have a process in place to quickly respond to needs? If not, now is the time to do so. It shouldn't be an act of congress or a dehumanizing experience to request help from the church. Jesus talked a lot about the poor and spent most of his ministry with them. Aren't we supposed to follow his example?
The difference this time and in this moment in our history is that requests for help will be coming from the family we've sat next to in the pew for years as well as the homeless.
This is a time for action. How are you best positioning your church to be salt and light to a world in need. What we interpret as tragedy, God can transform into an opportunity for ministry.
Are you prepared?
Posted by bstroup at 5:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Study reveals that 50% will donate online this holiday season
A new study on charitable giving revealed that nearly 50% of online consumers plan to donate during the holiday season in 2008. Further, the donations are estimated to be similar to the 2007 holiday season.
This is good news given the fact that most non-profits (this includes churches) aren't exactly sure what to expect over the next several months.
What was most interesting was the emphasis on online donation tools being identified as an essential medium to collect a majority of those donations.
"More than 50 percent of online consumers say that they plan to donate via the Internet during the 2008 holiday season," said Vinay Bhagat, Chief Strategy Officer and Founder of Convio. "This level of online support shows that nonprofits of all sizes need to make sure that their web sites and other electronic communications meet consumer expectations. It is also important to make sure that traditional appeals such as direct mail, television and events provide people with the option to give online. If it is difficult to give to your organization online consumers will find an alternative."
Does your church currently offer online giving? If not, maybe it's time to have that conversation.
Posted by bstroup at 12:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
LifeWay Envelope Service at Missouri Baptist Convention
I'm exhibiting at the Missouri Baptist Convention for the next few days, but you won't find me in my own booth. I'm actually in the Cooperative Program/Stewardship booth for Missouri. Spencer (the State Executive for Stewardship) asked me to come and be present in his booth to talk to pastors about our new Cooperative Program Offering Envelope Series.
So if you're attending also, stop by booth #43 and say "Hi!"
Posted by bstroup at 5:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 24, 2008
How to BE rich
Are you rich? If so, do you remember the moment when you became rich? And now that you are rich, do you know how to BE rich or are you stuck GETTING rich?
This four part video series teaches us how to BE rich.
(Head's up: When you click on the link, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on "CLICK HERE." Tough stuff, I know.)
Posted by bstroup at 12:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Save a tree. Download out latest catalog.
In an effort to be a good citizen of this earth, we have made a commitment to promote the eletronic version of our 2009 catalog. It's easy to download.
Step 1 - Go to LifeWay Envelope Service.
Setp 2 - Find Download Our New Catalog. Right click on your mouse to save.
Step 3 - Open with Adobe Acrobate Reader.
Thanks for your help!
Posted by bstroup at 8:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 23, 2008
Average donation per person may go down in 2009
There is a revolution taking place in the advertising world. Gone are the days where print marketing rules. It's too expensive. And in light of these tough economic times, companies are slashing marketing budgets to the bare minimum. In turn, marketers are looking down the barrel of Web 2.0 and either running away or embracing this new media platform.
The situation facing the business world parallels the NPO/Church World. It's time to take action and begin focusing on the best strategy (acquisition/outreach) to hedge against the worst case scenario (declining membership and giving).
Call it donor acquisition or outreach, in times when charitable giving is expected to stay at current levels in even the best case scenario, it's time to invest in growing the number of people connected to your community. But church leaders are going to have to rethink how they do this because the "old" way can't be funded properly within a minimal budget scenario.
My prediction is that the average donation per person is going to go down in 2009. Those churches who are focused on enlarging the members of their community have the best shot at withstanding the next 12-18 months. More people giving a little can add up to the same if not more than a few people giving a whole lot.
Posted by bstroup at 10:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Best comprehensive church giving research available
If you're looking for the best comprehensive research on church giving in one book, look no further than The State of Church Giving through 2006.
(Note: I recently purchased my copy direct from Amazon.com.)
Posted by bstroup at 9:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Get strategic about church giving
If you're the pastor, church business administrator, executive pastor, stewardship/finance committee chairperson, etc., you're probably feeling completely underprepared for this moment in time. Unfortunately, you are saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that the NPO (a.k.a. Church) that you're leading will have enough resources in 2009 to keep things churning at least the same level they were in 2008.
What are your options? What can you do? In my opinion, you have two:
1. Go sit in a corner and cry about it.
2. Roll up your sleeves and make something happen.
So what if it's going to be a tough year for church giving? Advertisy often creates innovation which creates brands which creates loyalty...you see where I'm going with this. 2009 might be a difficult year, and it might be scary to think about an interruption in the "easy" and "predictable" giving habits of the last 6 years or so.
Experts weigh in with some suggestions for leaders of NPOs to consider as they're hammering out their strategy for 2009 and wondering how they are going to fund it.
Most interesting one to me is: Focus the mission, focus the message. If there is any NPO best positioned to do this, it's the church. No other NPO is in front of their donors (a.k.a. church members) as frequently as churches get to be. (The rest of the NPO world is very jealous of this.)
So take advantage of your strengths. Be proactive. Commit to survive and thrive. The opportunity for ministry will be great, so it's imperative to act strategically to fully fund the ministry God has in store for your church in 2009.
Posted by bstroup at 1:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 22, 2008
3 ways Church Administrators will respond to economic crisis
Is the world of church giving headed for doom and gloom for the next 12 months? Exactly how bad is it? It's easy to allow ourselves to include ourselves in "group think" and begin believing that these are the worst times ever. Below are three contrasting ideas/insights about giving in tough economic times and what this means for the church.
Insight #1 - Church giving will plummet in light of the current economic crisis.
Donors Start Cutting Back is some of the worst news a Church Business Administrator wants to read. If we believe this, then we make the assumption that ALL people give out of their excess instead of out of their first-fruits.
Insight #2 - Church giving will remain consistent in light of the current economic crisis.
One wealth expert believes that the stock market has little to do with people's regular disposable income or the source of much of philanthropic (that includes church) giving. His claim is the the stock market only impacts a nominal percentage of the average households monthly income. This is good news for Church Business Administrators
Insight #3 - Church giving will increase in light of the current economic crisis.
Ok. I realize this might be a tough sell. But one investment firm is claiming an increase of 12% in grant-giving to NPOs from its benevolent investment funds. If church adminsitrators have done their homework and managed the church business conservatively, then there will be a pile of money somewhere to assist the church during an interruption in normal giving habits.
Perhaps there are some who don't want to use these funds. My question is: Why not? That's what these funds are for. Once we emerge from the recession or crisis or whatever you want to call it, the funds will be replenished.
If the church coffers are choked and ministry is suspended for fear of not having enough, then the church won't be able to help or assist faithful members who now find themselves in need and members of the community who are turning to the church for help.
How you respond says a lot about what you believe. Adequate business management should have prepared all churches to thrive even with short-term interruptions in normal giving levels.
This too shall pass.
Posted by bstroup at 10:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 21, 2008
18 ways to live below your means
The biggest criticism of the church is that it's not relevant to everyday living. I think our current state of affairs lends the church the perfect opportunity to extend an alternative take on personal finances.
What are you doing in your church to help your members/people in your community build better financial habits?
Jesus had a lot to say about money. Given our current economic situation, we obviously haven't been paying attention. Or maybe we've just ignored it.
Consider using this international crisis as a bridge-building opportunity with those outside your church to offer them another way to live, another perspective on money and an alternative purpose for life.
And know that practical advice is best. People intuitively know that their approach may not be the best. What they don't know is how to change their behavior to yeild different results.
Maybe this will help you get started: Here are 18 suggestions to lower your expenses and decrease your spending habits.
Posted by bstroup at 9:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 20, 2008
Christianity Today uncovers alarming results from recent poll
Patrick Johnson from the National Christian Foundation e-mailed this to me today along with a few thoughts. I hadn't seen this recent poll. I thought I'd pass it along.
This week's Leadership Weekly, an e-newsletter from Christianity Today, included a quick poll that asked the question:
Which one of the seven deadly sins is your current most difficult foe?
Pride 16%
Anger 19%
Envy 04%
Gluttony 15%
Lust 29%
Greed 01%
Sloth 16%
Total Respondents 441
The US is wealthy beyond reason, but our wealth wasn't enough and now we are so far in debt that our economy is quaking. In that light, the results are alarming. And these results, I have to assume, are from Christian leaders!
Posted by bstroup at 9:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 17, 2008
The faces of poverty
We talk a lot about organizational theory and implementation. We don't spend a lot of time discussing the people to whom the church is called. This collection of photographs reminds me of the faces of those in need, those we are called to love and to serve and to care for.
"The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered." Proverbs 21:13
Posted by bstroup at 8:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 16, 2008
Howard Dayton offers financial advice for newlyweds
Howard Dayton, the co-founder of Crown Financial Ministires, offers some solid financial advice for newlyweds.
Some of his suggestions he admits seem simplistic. But good financial habits are simplistic. The hard part is in the "doing" not the "knowing."
Three pieces of advice that made me shake my head in agreement were:
1. The "more-money-in-more-money-out" syndrome. This is right on. It's so hard to avoid "lifestyle-inflation." It's easy to live lean when you're not making much. The temptation to expand your giving as your income expands is great. With discipline, though, this habit will allow for long term financial peace and the ability to be generous with those in need.
2. Balance the checkbook every month. This is one of those habits that feeds my compulsive nature. I've learned that every time I get paid, I need to set down and record all my known expenses between paychecks. This gives me a realistic perspective on how much money is actually available. Then, at the end of each month I make sure my version of the register matches the bank's. Operating out of an "open-to-buy" method helps us be informed decision makers and spenders.
3. Don't get discouraged. Ignorance is bliss, but the effects of poor financial decision making can linger for a long time. Get in the middle of your spending habits. Know where every dollar is going. And when you notice your expenses are more than your income, don't be discouraged. Use that information as a call to action to re-evaluate your spending habits. This will keep you on track even when life throws you a curve.
If I could add one piece of advice, it would be this: Talk about financial matters together. Talk about finances honestly, openly and often. Money can become divisive when we give it more power in our lives (and marriages) than it deserves.
Good financial habits take a lifetime to cultivate. The earlier you start, the longer you'll experience the benefits. God has blessed us with much, and it's our responsibility to manage all our assets to advance the Kingdom.
Posted by bstroup at 1:44 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
October 15, 2008
3 brutal facts about giving grounded in the Pareto Principle
The Pareto Principle is more commonly known as the 80-20 rule. In other words, 80 percent of the result is generated by 20 percent of the effort.
This can be applied to church giving habits too. 20% of your congregation is driving 80% of your funds. This will either paralyze you or motivate you to become more strategic.
The reality is the it's the 20% who end up on stewardship and finance committees. These leaders can't imagine or understand why 80% of the congregation doesn't give.
What I've found true is the often the 20% thinks they are actually 40% or 50%. Most church leaders think their church is different (i.e. better) than the average. (Ever run into that before?)
Here are the brutal facts:
1. When your long-term funding strategy is hung on the giving habits of a small percentage of your entire congregation, you are tempting fate. Someone in that small group will leave the church, change jobs, loose their job, die, etc. If you're not building giving habits with the 80% group, you are leaving yourself wide open for disaster to happen.
2. Providing things like e-giving and offering envelopes are primarily to encourage giving and make it easy for the 80% to do so. The 20% don't need offering envelopes or e-giving. They are going to give anyway. If the pastor requested all donations be made into pennies, the 20% would take off from work early to stop by the bank and exchange paper for pennies. (Over dramatic, yes. But you get my point.)
3. Stewardship is more important than your sermon preparation. (I'm anticipating getting some negative feedback for this one. So I'm ready.) Stewardship is about discipleship. It speaks to giving of ourselves - our time, talent and treasure - because we recognize that everything we have is from God and is designed to be used to multiply kingdom efforts. While years are spent preparing pastors to preach, without a consistent stewardship education program pastors won't have a pulpit to preach from. (Pulpit can be symbolic if you are natually opposed to the piece of furniture that usually is found center stage at tranditional churches.)
Now more than ever pastors and church leaders must concern themselves with the fundamentals of organizational funding, stability and sustainability.
Let me sum it up by saying this: More Money. More Ministry. No Money. No Ministry.
That's the brutal facts.
Posted by bstroup at 10:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 14, 2008
Anne Jackson talks about tithing
Anne Jackson, blog celebrity and author, talks about a very negative experience she had while on church staff regarding the subject of tithing.
Below is my response. I'd welcome your comments too.
You have uncovered a powerful paradox. Churches are the only God-ordained institution designed to continue and sustain the earthly ministry of Christ until his ultimate return. Churches are also non-profit organizations who are exponentially becoming more complex in structure and needs as the demands from members and communities are becoming more complex.
I've summed up my work with churches in this area into a simple phrase: "More Money. More Ministry." It's essential the we begin bringing a level of sophistication to Church as an organization to ensure that it's fully-funded and sustainable over time. Like it or not, this takes money. So the burden falls upon the church leaders (aka "non-profit managers") to ensure long-term sustainability. Our secular and religious non-profit brothers and sisters have been doing this for a long time. It's time the church steps up to do the same.
It sounds like the conversation you had while on a particular church staff was very inappropriate and most likely is the result of the wrong person being in the wrong position (or at least given the wrong task and strategy). However, that doesn't discount the reality that church leaders should be modeling the behavior that they expect from the membership. It's sounds like you were the victim of poor communication habits.
As church members are becoming less convinced the their tithe should be entirely allocated to the Church, it becomes the Church's responsibility to justify why the tithe should be given completely to the church. They "you-should-give-to-the-church-just-because argument" no longer works--if it ever did.
Thanks for the dialog on the essential subjects of stewardship and church giving!
Posted by bstroup at 10:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
How we talk about stewardship matters
The New York Times wrote a story about psychologist Dr. James Pennebaker who has built a career around the theory that words matter. He has developed a software program to count and catagorize the words people use when talking about certain subjects. He then uses this data to gain insight into subtle shifts that are often beyond the obvious. It's amazing how scientific word counting has become and even more amazing is how accurate the results actually are.
I wonder what data Dr. Pennebaker would uncover if he interviewed denominational leaders, pastors, seminary students and lay leaders about the subjects of stewardship and church giving. What would people say? What words would they use and into which catagories would they be placed? In turn, what would this data tell us about the relative impact the conversation on stewardship and giving is having on our denomination and in our local churches.
If Dr. Pennebaker interviewed you and asked for your thoughts on the subject of stewardship and church giving, what words would you use? In turn, what would this tell us about the future of stewardship and giving in the SBC?
Posted by bstroup at 9:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 13, 2008
Exploring the impact of American Idol on church giving
"Participatory Philanthropy" may be the next revolution in charitable giving. TripAdvisor.com is asking the public to decide which cause the company should support.
Here is how the program works: TripAdvisor.com is offering five options for the public to choose how the $1 million dollar pledge will be divided. Polls close on a certain date, and then the results will determine how the money is spent and which organizations/causes are supported.
I wonder what this might look like in church. What if the initial budget presentation to the church body signaled the opening of the "polls" where members could pledge their monetary gifts for the specific ministries they want to to support? Then after a certain period, the "polls" would close and the results tallied. The end result would be any ministry that was significantly underfunded would be cut from the budget.
This works for American Idol which is arguably the most successful talent-seeking competition in history. It has also produced multiple pop stars who have been and continue to be very successful.
The dark side of the process is that sometimes, even the talented get cut. This would also have to be considered within the church setting. It may mean the a long-standing ministry might end up so underfunded that it would also be subject to the proverbial axe.
The appeal for me (even as a church leader) is that it puts the power back in the people in the pew - the ones who are giving the dollars to fund the budget. And people tend to be more committed and give more when they have a say in how their donations are used.
Given the precedent of undesignated giving within church settings, would an "American Idol" approach to giving work?
Posted by bstroup at 9:44 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
October 10, 2008
Church givers expect ministry to continue in hard times
Some consumers do purchase products from vendors who support certain causes according to a recent article from The Chronicle of Philanthropy. The research cited evidence that when consumers had an option and the vendor demonstrated a link between their product and a greater human cause, the consumer was most likely to choose that product over other options.
Here's what caught my attention. More than a quarter of participants in this study expected the companies who produce the products they buy as a result of their demonstrated link to a greater human cause to continue to give at current levels if not increase their level of giving during these tough economic times.
This made me think about the church. As some churches are projecting their collections to be less than what they had originally budgeted - particularly for the 4th quarter - it seems prudent to evaluate any necessary cuts through the eyes of the church giver and not simply the business administrator.
If the general public is more likely to purchase a product because of its link to a cause they feel is important or connect to on an emotional level, why would we expect the people in our pews to be any different?
People give to church because they feel connected to and support its ministry causes. If in midst of necessary expense cuts the programs or ministries the church giver feels important are cut, this could unintentionally sever the emotional connection that inititated the giving in the first place.
Churches who wish to maintain the financial integrity of their operations must evaluate every decision from two vantage points: the impact of the economy and how essential the program or mininstry is to the larger vision of the church. (One might add that if a ministry or program is determined as non-essential and cut and is never missed, perhaps it wasn't a good investment in the first place.)
Expense cuts seem to be the first solution proposed when contributions take a dip. But church's run a dangerous risk in the midst of making those decisions of cutting program or ministries that the people in the pew see as essential. (The perception of the person in the pew matters more than church leaders wish to admit at times.)
Expense cuts provide an immediate, short-term solution. Loosing the ministry connection with the person in the pew in an attempt to provide an immediate solution may actually create a new long-term problem.
"It's not just about picking a cause off the shelf and saying this is what we stand for," said Ms. DaSilva. Marketers need to show a clear connection between an issue and a product. Companies, she said, should ask themselves, "What are we doing that is authentic, real, and relevant to connect with consumers on an emotional and practical level?"
Posted by bstroup at 9:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 9, 2008
Something really cool happens when people talk
One of the great things about social media is you get to listen in on and have conversations with more people in more places at the same time than you could via traditional communication mediums.
I was reading through the string of conversation within the yahoo users group for church business administrators yesterday when I saw our name.
The question of e-giving service companies was raised by a church considering implementing this functionality. This administrator was evaluating vendors and naturally went to a peer group for recommendations.
In response, one of our customers recommended the fellow business administrator consider LifeWay's e-giving service. (Honestly, I felt like a proud parent.)
There is something really cool when other people talk about your products and services without your prompting.
Posted by bstroup at 1:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 8, 2008
USA Today features charitable giving trends
I was so proud yesterday. USA Today added a complete section to their Tuesday, October 7, 2008, edition of their newspaper that shed a spotlight on Sharing in the USA.
For someone who lives and breathes in the world of philanthropy, church giving, fundraising, stewardship, etc., this was like a candy store experience.
Here are a couple of articles that I hope you'll take the time to read from this section:
1. The new face of giving - Electronic giving methods such as giving via text messaging and online giving are opening the world of charitable giving to younger audiences. And electronic giving options are also increasing the speed at which the donations are being received.
Charitable giving is a serious subject. The article cites that in 2007, giving exceeded $300 billion for the first time. There is also a growing interest among younger givers that don't simply want to write a check to an organization. They actually want to know how there money is being used and see giving more than extending a hand to a fellow human being and less of supporting the causes of an institution.
2. Offerings make up a third of U.S. donations - This article features a LifeWay employee and his family who've made a commitment to tithe. It also discusses the importance the act of giving is within all the major Western religions.
What was very interesting to note was a digram printed in the bottom right hand page (6E) that illustrated a striking reality: personal incoming giving to charity has remained the same (2.3% of disposable income) from 1967 to 2007.
Wow! What a day of news in the world of giving and stewardship.
Posted by bstroup at 11:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 7, 2008
Teaching children stewardship
I've noticed over the past two weeks that the top five keywords/phrases people are searching for which results in finding Do More Ministry are different variations of teaching children stewardship.
I'd like to hear from you. What exactly are you looking for? Are you finding it? If you could wave your magic wand and have the "perfect" resource/solution to help you teach children about stewardship and giving, what would it be?
I'll wait to hear from you.
Posted by bstroup at 1:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 6, 2008
4 tactics to consider for your next contribution catch up letter
We are quickly approaching the end of the year. Many churches will be looking at their ministry budgets and contributions to date closely as well as reviewing past trends in giving during Q4. About this time of year many churches make a final "catch-up" contribution appeal as a final push to ensure contributions fully-fund all ministry expenses.
As more and more people experiment with online giving, I found this research on the success rates of online giving appeals quite interesting.
The internet seems to carry with a sense of urgency. This can translate into an opportunity for your church members to respond immediately to your next "catch-up" contribution appeal.
It's worth trying.
And if you do try it, let me know how it works.
(Shameless plug: we offer churches who purchase their offering envelopes through us e-giving with event manager for FREE!)
Posted by bstroup at 6:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 3, 2008
Empty tomb research reveals the reality of money and power
Analyzing 30 years work of chruch giving, Empty Tomb came to the conclusion that church members often donate to the church for all the wrong reasons.
Some of the notable ones:
1. Control - THEY want what THEY paid for.
2. Service - Some see church as a personal service such as pastoral visits when sick, etc.
3. Membership Dues - Some give as if they subscribed to church much like cable tv or even membership in local country club.
This should be a wake up call for all church leaders that we constantly need to be planting the seeds of Biblical stewardship. Giving is first and foremost a spiritual discipline. I would bet that individuals who view church giving in these ways are not experiencing true spiritual transoformation in their lives.
The ultimate question is how many people sitting in your pews are giving for these reasons. Do you know?
Posted by bstroup at 1:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 2, 2008
Sam Rainer points to financial optimism in the church
Sam Rainer blogs about church giving and the economy today on Church Forward--a topic we've covered consistently. His observations points to the reality that most churches are still very confident that they will meet or exceed their budgets in 2008. And some go as far as expecting and meeting growth in ministry budgets for 2009.
It reminds of an important giving statistic I came across earlier this year. Church giving - per capita - was actually higher during the Great Depression than it has been for the last 50 years.
Posted by bstroup at 4:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 1, 2008
Connecting philanthropic behavior to church giving habits
The Univeristy of Pennsylvania's Center for High Impact Philanthropy recently published a report analyzing the habits and implications of high net worth philanthropists. Four conclusions emerged: practices are changing; peers are the most trusted source for information, high net worth philanthroposts often find it difficult to make informed, need-based giving decisions; most find themselves frustrated with a lack of information available regarding the impact of the organizations to whom they donate.
A few of the questions were featured and discussed in the report.
1. How important is it to touch/see/interact with the people or organizations you are giving to?The response rated very important.
2. How important is a role other than check writer?The response rated very important.
3. How important is it to know someone on the Board or from your peer group that recommends the issue or oganization?
The response rated important and slightly behind that was very important.4. How important is impact data for gifts?
The response rated very important. (Note: The response was measured both before initial gift and repeat gift.)
So what relevance does this have for church giving? Here is what jumps out at me:
1. No matter the size of the gift or the wealth of the donor, people don't just write checks. Donors have a deep desire to get involved with the organization they are prepared to financially support.This supports my theory that giving is an outward sign of an inward commitment.
2. Donors pay attention to what other people say and think. As objective and rational people claim or aspire to be, we are emotionally driven beings that make decisions based upon who we know, like and trust. The same is true for donors.
This supports my theory that it's important for church leaders to tell stories. Stories involve people. And people give to people - not organizations.
3. Donors, whether they are giving their last two pennies or out of their vast treasure chest, want results.
This supports my theory that the organizational leader who is best able to make a case as to the impact of the dollar will end up with the most dollars.
Bottom line is this: Get your people involved. Help your people become personally invested in your ministry. Provide measurable results. Then watch your giving increase.
Posted by bstroup at 4:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack