Do More Ministry: December 2008 Archives

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December 31, 2008

My New Year's Resolution

Tom Peters said it best in 100 Ways to Succeed #149: Excellence.

Happy New Year!

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December 30, 2008

Churches most optimistic about reaching contribution goals

Religious organizations showed the most optimism, with 10 percent saying they were "completely confident" about 2008 tallies.

Read the entire article here.

I was very encouraged to read this. I hope you are too.

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December 29, 2008

Era of easy money ends for churches too

Churches who borrowed money to buy and build bigger buildings are finding themselves in some very difficult situations these days.

What does it say about a church who is forced to seek bankruptcy protection because they can no longer afford the building payments? Do you think it has any impact - positive or negative - on credibility or reputation? Will this current recession have implications on church building projects in the future?

Personally, I think it could be a wonderful opportunity to publiclly admit the mistake of taking on too much debt, demonstrate your plan for recovery and invite people to rebuild their lives (including financial habits) as the church recovers too.

Your thoughts?

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December 23, 2008

Stewardship principles encourage celebration in tough times

While everyone is rushing to complete the final steps of preparation for Christmas and make sure all the gifts are wrapped and make it under the tree before the "big day," churches aren't sure what to anticipate with respect to giving and the new year. In fact, some church leaders may find little to celebrate this holiday season.

I'd like to offer you a few good things to keep in mind that may make it easier to find something to celebrate this season.

1. Church attendance increases in tough times. History demonstrates that people find their way to places of worship when life throws them into unexpected and overwhelming circumstances. Capitalize on the opportunity to inspire new or less-than-regular-attenders with compelling stories that connect with people on a personal, emotional level.

2. Celebrate your success. In Wealthy donors say they don't make a difference?, Jeff Brooks writes:

But really, a strong, smart, donor-centered nonprofit should make it so abundantly clear to its donors that they matter that it would be impossible for them to say they don't.

Keeping people connected to the cause or organization they support is absolutely essential to building long-term, sustainable funding. It's a good reminder that not everyone "touches" your church as much as you do. Find ways to encourage your membership and thank them for their support.

3. Name your strengths and use them to your advantage. When it comes to funding models, the church makes the rest of the non-profit world jealous. Every week, churches are able to get in front of their membership which reminds people of the work they are supporting and why they chose your church in the first place. The church also offers giving opportunities more consistently because you are in front of your people more regularly than traditional non-profits. Monthly Giving is an undervalued habit to encourage with simple tools like offering envelopes.

4. Use technology to your advantage. Begin exploring ways to connect with your membership using social media tools and through devices such as cell phones. The revolution is coming: either you will roll with it or be left behind. It's time to begin cultivating relationships with a new generation of donors - a generation that is ready to give but doesn't assume the church is the best place for their dollar. It's your responsibility to demonstrate why the church is.

5. Remember, what goes down must come up. Most investors are expecting a slow start to 2009 but do anticipate a rebound by the end of 2009. Remember that phrase from the KJV version of the Bible: "This too shall pass"? Well, it's true. Just because you may see a temporary drop in giving doesn't mean you need to panic. Use it as an opportunity to evaluate every area of your ministry, and make the steps necessary to bring your ministry and budget in harmony with one another. (This is what you're asking your membership to do. Don't find yourself in the trap of All Talk and No Action?.

Stewardship may be the most unusual place for church leaders to look for encouragement this Christmas season. But these 5 things demonstrate that we have a lot to celebrate and every reason to believe the Church will continue to survive and thrive just as it has for thousands of years.

As the Advent becomes the Incarnation, may we be reminded that God is with us.

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December 22, 2008

7 member family lives debt free on $44k income

Generous News points to "America's Cheapest Family" as they have been tagged. Their ability to survive and thrive on $44k is absolutely unbelievable, so unbelieve you might be inclined to discount its authenticity. But it's true. Wow!

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LifeWay Research and Executive Committee study CP

LifeWay Research and the SBC Executive Committee recently released results of their study on the Cooperative Program, particularly how it is preceived among Southern Baptist pastors.

The good news is that there is still a very positive view of the Cooperative Program and many believe it is an essential and vital part of Southern Baptists' ability to fulfill the Great Commission. Where the positive sentiment seems to breaksdown is in respect to allocation.

Stetzer explained, "Although the vast majority have a positive view of the Cooperative Program and a majority believe the funds are used efficiently, it is important to note that there is noticeable drop between those who 'strongly agree' that it is important the Cooperative Program be efficient and those who "strongly agree" it actually is efficient."

Stetzer invites Southern Baptist Pastors and church leaders to read the study and post their comments for further discussion in Cooperative Program Research and Your Opinion.

If you haven't reviewed the results of the study, please take a few moments to do so. This is afterall a conversation about a $200+ Billion dollar funding tool that drives nearly every aspect of our denomination as we know it today.

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December 19, 2008

Pastor's Podcast: Teaching Children About Stewardship

A couple of key words that consistently lead people to this blog are children and stewardship. After doing my own searching, I found very little material or resouces that would help churches teach children about stewardship and giving.

My solution was to dive deeper into this subject that seems to be on the mind of a good bit of my readers with a professional - Jerry Vogel, Director of Childhood Ministry Publishing at LifeWay (and my former Children's Minister growing up in Texas).

Check it out and tell me what you think.

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December 18, 2008

Church giving thrives despite economy

It absolutely thrills me to read about churches who are doing amazing things. With all the bad news, Church giving thrives despite economy reminds us that God will bless us when we are faithful.

Read. Smile. Pass this story on.

May God find you and your ministry faithful too.

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December 17, 2008

Let's be honest about tithing

Tithe Stewardship and Church Tithing recently posted Difference Between Spirit-led, Freewill, & Grace Giving. There is little new information other than some new possible vocabulary options for the concept of "grace" or "freewill" giving. These new or alternative terms are supposed to be more relevant because they are more consistent [sic] with the New Testament principle of grace instead of the Old Testament principle of law.

I think it's time to drop the pretense and the pseudo-theological vocabulary and just be honest with people - especially the people in our pews - when it comes to church giving.

1. The church is a non-profit organization that exists only through the donations of people. As the demands upon churches become more complex, the funding necessary to meet those demans increases. Every non-profit is faced with it.

2. The habits of giving begin with the worldview of the giver. Church leaders should be focused on creating a culture of generosity.

3. Churches have an advantage over every other non-profit: the membership interacts personally with the organization on a regular basis. Most non-profits don't host weekly gatherings of hundreds or thousands of their donor base; churches do. Churches are the best positioned to capture the greatest percentage of dollars available from every member.

4. Churches are the WORST at capturing the dollar. Too many rely on pseudo-theological vocabulary or other empty rhetoric that sounds good but delivers no "call to action" that results in consistent giving behavior. Churches need to shift their focus to demonstrating the ministry impact of every dollar. This is why so many Christians can justify sending their tithe - in portion or in full - to para-church and other non-profits who are much better at demonstrating what every dollar accomplishes.

5. If churches continue to be silent in the area of Biblical stewardship - time, talent and treasure - the number of volunteers, lay leadership and giving levels needed to operate and grow a complex organization such as the church will not exist.

6. Giving levels and habits should be seen as measurement tools. Giving is an outward sign of an inward commitment. If people have a hard time giving money to your church, then they aren't fully committed. Knowing this leads too much deeper, more comprehensive conversations that could reveal some important information about your congregation.

7. Church giving is connected to your ministry plan. What's your vision? Is it big enough to inspire someone else? If not, dream bigger. People want to give to causes that they believe in because they want to accomplish something larger than they could through their own efforts.

Stop using failed persuasive techniques and start inspiring a generous culture. It will change your life, your ministry and your church.

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December 16, 2008

Economic crisis affecting capital campaigns

In areas especially hard hit, such as areas supported by the big three auto makers, commitments were as little as 50 percent of the expected range of results. In areas less impacted, results were off as little as 15 percent of the expected results. It seems people are hunkering down, holding onto their money, and avoiding long range financial commitments.

LifeWay envelopes reinforce 'Every Number Has a Story'

News story posted today on LifeWay.com features our partnership with the Executive Committee of the SBC to demonstrate to the person in the pew the quantitative ministry impact of the Cooperative Program.

Read LifeWay offering envelopes reinforce 'Every Number Has a Story'.

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December 15, 2008

End of year giving projections

How do you expect your church to end the year? The first Sunday in December is typically a big week, perhaps even the strongest, for monthly donations. You should have a good idea where you'll end up.

If you're not on par to make budget, you might want to consider how well you're tying the needs of church members and community with the ministry of your church. Organizations that are doing this well stand the best chance to maintain or increase giving during this economic crisis.

From Holiday-Giving Update: Social-Services Groups See a Surge, But Most Groups Face Big Slowdown in Donations:

...Charities that provide the very poor with food, shelter, and basic services say donors are responding because the bad economy has enabled them to make the case that demand for such services is increasing rapidly.

The fact that some organizations are seeing increases in giving proves that Americans have not stopped giving. Rather, they are being more intentional about who they give their money to.

If giving is down and you expect to come in under budget, you should consider evaluating how well you're communicating and demonstrating your ability to use donations to measurably meet the needs of the people in your church and community. It may be time to shift some of your ministry priorities to focus more on meeting human needs of food, clothing and shelter or even providing job skills training, GED programs, career planning and financial education and counseling.

How's your giving? What's your plan?

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December 12, 2008

Think Christian talks about tithing...without the church

There are some definite shifts taking place in minds of American Christians related to tithing. Two significant ones are:

1. The tithe is not solely for the church. More and more Christians are finding themselves dividing their 10% between local church and other charitable endeavors.

2. Christians want their tithe to count. Churches in the not so near future - maybe even today (or yesterday) - will be required to demonstrate the results of the tithes and offerings received. The luster of undesigned funds is diminishing. American Christians want to know where there money is going, how it's being used and understand the impact it's making.

The end result of these observations is that the church is becoming ONE of MANY charitable giving options instead of the CENTRAL or PRIMARY charitable giving option for many American Christians.

Think Christian explores the changing landscape of tithing in Tithing...without the church.

What do you think? Have you noticed this shift taking place? What does the church need to do or change to ensure every dollar of the tithe remains within the local church? What happens to the church if nothing changes in their approach to member contributions and tithing?

Think about it. Then, let's talk.

December 11, 2008

Decline in church giving could force innovation

It seems like everyone is holding their breath - for-profit and non-profit organizations alike - to see what the results will be when the dust settles for 2008 in just a few short weeks. As churches anticipate a loss compared to giving levels in years past, the new year is bound to generate some very important and necessary organizational conversations.

My prediction is that churches will need to become much more intentional about how they spend their money to ensure every dollar received is maximized for ministry. Innovation usually comes from necessity. And several large non-profits are leading the way.

In Charity donation decline gives rise to innovation, organizations such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army are already taking steps to empower their existing donors to become organizational evangelists by giving them the tools they need to multiply their fundraising effots.

The paradox is this: in order to keep getting bigger, organizations are going to have to get smaller. This doesn't necessarily reducing budgets and staff. I think this refers to how members/donors interact with the organization. More specifically, all fundraising initiatives will happen on a much more personal, individual level than mass market apeals.

When I think about the church setting, every Christian is the pew should be an "evangelist" for the church. And those who are most connected to your ministry will be your biggest ministry multipliers.

Given that you're probably anticipating a decline in giving when compared to past years, how is your church prepared to innovate to continue to fully-fund your ministry budgets so that you have the resources to accomplish the ministry God has placed on your heart? How are you empowering your members to encourage others to join the cause of fulfilling the Great Commission through your church ministry?

It's a difficult conversation but one worth having.

Note: This conversation may result in giving up some control at the top to truly empower the person in the pew. This may be too scary for you. If it is...get over it!

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December 10, 2008

Pastor's Podcast: One pastor sees debt as ministry opportunity

The response to the first Pastor's Podcast was great, so we decided to do it again.

I mentioned the subject of the second Pastor's Podcast in FREE personal money management tools from Joe Sangl.

The church has been handed a great platform to connect again with the culture and eliminate forever the criticism of being irrelevant and not practical for everyday living. And Joe has taken this opportunity and is leading a crusade from WITHIN the church to offer people in the pews of his church and who live in his community the opportunity to win with money - just like he did.

Pastor, if you don't have a strategy for dealing with debt personally and corporately, this will be one podcast that you won't want to miss.

To view the eMediaLink MP3 Player you will need to have Javascript turned on and have Flash Player 9 or better installed.

What makes Joe's ministry different from so many other personal money managers is that the work and ministry of the Church as a corporate body is at the center of everything he does. He's interested in helping individuals connect with Jesus and the Church through personal money management. That means what he is doing is reproducible in your church too.

Maybe you can't afford to have a "Joe Sangl" on your church staff. That's fine (and shouldn't be an excuse for not addressing this need.) I know you have lay people in your church who have won with money. I do, and I've empowered them to develop and lead what is quickly becoming one of our most successful church ministries as we seek to offer financial and spiritual transformation through a strategic approach to Biblical money management.

The easiest way to get your own copy of Joe's book, I Was Broke, Now I'm Not, and preview other materials for your church is to visit the resource page on his Web site.

I have one request: I need your help. The only way this will help pastors is if they know that this podcast exists. Please distribute a link to this podcast to all the pastors you know. The quicker we can provide practical lifelines to our pastors the better equipped they will be to be the spritiual leader God has called them to be.

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Good reminders and best practices about year-end donations

The end of the year is quickly approaching. It's time to refresh your memory of all the rules related to year-end donations. In Gift or Gaffe? How to get the full benefit from year-end donations the writer outlines what the IRS has to say on the subject and identifies some real world examples and advice from church leaders.

You might want to consider making this information available to your membership through your Web site, bulletin insert, etc. It may help hedge against a series of like questions and may even prevent some of those uncomfortable post year-end contribution conversations in the hallway between Sunday School and Worship.

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December 9, 2008

IRS Offers Tips for Year-End Donations

SOURCE: Compiled/Summarized by Bill Townes, CPA, North American Mission Board from IR-2008-138. This ministry is made possible through your gifts to the Cooperative Program and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.

The IRS recently offered a listing of important tax tips for donors. This list includes the following reminders:

Special Charitable Contributions for Certain IRA Owners
An IRA owner, age 70 ½ or over, can directly transfer tax-free up to $100,000 per year to an eligible charitable organization. This option, created in 2006 and recently extended through 2009, is available to eligible IRA owners, regardless of whether they itemize their deductions. (See IRS Publication 590).

Rules for Clothing and Household Items
To be deductible, clothing and household items (furniture, furnishings, electronics, appliances, and linens) donated to charity must be in good used condition or better. A clothing or household item for which a taxpayer claims a deduction of over $500 does not have to be in good used condition or better if the taxpayer includes a qualified appraisal of the item with the return.

Guidelines for Monetary Donations
To deduct any charitable donation of money, regardless of amount, a taxpayer must have a bank record or a written communication from the charity showing the name of the charity and the date and amount of the contribution. Bank records include canceled checks, bank or credit union statements, and credit card statements. Bank or credit union statements should show the name of the charity, the date, and the amount paid. Credit card statements should show the name of the charity, the date, and the transaction posting date.

Donations of money include those made in cash or by check, electronic funds transfer, credit card, and payroll deduction. For payroll deductions, the taxpayer should retain a pay stub, a Form W-2 wage statement or other document furnished by the employer showing the total amount withheld for charity, along with the pledge card showing the name of the charity.

These requirements for monetary donations do not change or alter the long-standing requirement that a taxpayer obtain an acknowledgment from a charity for each deductible donation (either money or property) of $250 or more. However, one statement containing all of the required information may meet the requirements of both provisions.

Additional Reminders (Also See IRS Publication 526 - Charitable Contributions)

Contributions are deductible in the year made. Thus, donations charged to a credit card before the end of the year count for 2008. This is true even if the credit card bill isn't paid until next year. Also, checks count for 2008 as long as they are mailed this year.
Check that the organization is qualified. Only donations to qualified organizations are tax-deductible. IRS Publication 78, available online and at many public libraries, lists most organizations that are qualified to receive deductible contributions. The searchable online version can be found at IRS.gov under "Search for Charities." In addition, churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and government agencies are eligible to receive deductible donations, even though they often are not listed in Publication 78.
For individuals, only taxpayers who itemize their deductions on Form 1040 Schedule A can claim deductions for charitable contributions. This deduction is not available to people who choose the standard deduction, including anyone who files a short form (Form 1040A or 1040EZ). A taxpayer will have a tax savings only if the total itemized deductions (mortgage interest, charitable contributions, state and local taxes, etc.) exceeds the standard deduction.
For all donations of property, including clothing and household items, get from the charity, if possible, a receipt that includes the name of the charity, date of the contribution, and a reasonably-detailed description of the donated property. If a donation is left at a charity's unattended drop site, keep a written record of the donation that includes this information, as well as the fair market value of the property at the time of the donation and the method used to determine that value. Additional rules apply for a contribution of $250 or more.
The deduction for a motor vehicle, boat or airplane donated to charity is usually limited to the gross proceeds from its sale. This rule applies if the claimed value of the vehicle is more than $500. Form 1098-C, or a similar statement, must be provided to the donor by the organization and attached to the donor's tax return.
If the amount of a taxpayer's deduction for all noncash contributions is over $500, a properly-completed Form 8283 must be submitted with the tax return.

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FREE personal money management tools from Joe Sangl

I recently finished our second Pastor's Podcast with Joe Sangl, author of "I Was Broke, Now I'm Not" and Pastor of Financial Planning and Counseling at NewSpring Church in South Carolina.

I knew after I read the book that I would have to sit down with Joe again. While I was browsing his Web site, I found a collection of FREE! personal money management tools.

I'd bookmark this page and visit it often. I especially like the Pay Off Spectacular and the Savings Spectacular that prove accomplishing your personal finance goals are more about discipline than desire.

The latest podcast will be up soon. (The last one answered the question, "How can pastors lead their church through tough economic times?")

In the meantime, play around with these tools. You'll learn a lot.

P.S. Pastor, you should consider linking to this page from your church's Web site. The practical value will capture the attention of your Web visitors and will give a reason for your members to refer their friends to your Web site too.

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December 8, 2008

Get Rich Slowly champions charitable giving in tough times

Get Rich Slowly talks about Why charitable giving is even more important is tough economic times. Below are excerpts from the post.

I would enourage you to read the entire post and look for ways to incorporate his ideas into the presentation of your church's ministry to your membership. Reminding people of need and how they can meet that need is vital when it comes to charitable giving.

As the people in your pews become more selective about the organizations and causes they support, remember - for many - the church is just ONE option rather than the ONLY option. And the responsibility falls to the church leader to ensure every member understands that the church is the best place for their dollar.

People on the "edges" are impacted more. People who are already struggling are impacted more by rising costs or the loss of income. You might feel like you're barely making ends meet, but chances are that if you're reading this, you are not sleeping in the back of a van with your kids (like a family I saw here in Seattle last week), or raising children in a part of the world where clean water and electricity are a distant dream and low-wage work represents your only opportunity to put food on the table.

Charities are struggling to meet basic needs. Charities run on a shoestring, doing as much as they can each year to help people in need. This year, things are particularly tough. Donors are cutting back, and at the same time, need is increasing dramatically.

A chance to teach. My own children are too young to realize that we're cutting back on holiday gifts this year, but they're not too young to understand that they should help people in need. We have already started finding concrete ways to show them that they can have an impact.

Give your skills. Writing a check isn't the only way to give, and it is not always the most effective. If you have a marketable skill or hobby, you can use it to help someone in need.

Work your network. Don't be shy. Spread the word about what you are doing, you'll be surprised at how many people will want to help out, sometimes in bigger ways than you would have imagined.

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December 5, 2008

Make people, not programs your most important priority

It's hard not to think about the economy. It's everywhere. It's on the front page of our newspapers, the titles of blog posts and the lead story on almost every network news show.

And the news isn't good.

I wrote a lot this week about the responsibility church leaders have to lead their organizations in the midst of economic struggle, and I've provided you with some tools to use as you build and implement your strategy for success.

I'd like to end this series with a reminder that while you're managing and leading organizations, don't loose sight of the people who are the fabric of your oganization. It's people who fund our churches. It's people who volunteer their time and energy to teach Sunday School and lead various other activities. It's people who serve in lay leadership roles. It's people who fill the staff positions of our churches. It's people who we are called to love and serve and be Jesus to.

In the flurry of our activity to stabilize and sustain the organizations we've been called to serve, may we never forget that behind our programs are human beings who chose to be a part of our work and follow our leadership because they believed in us and the cause we represent. We must not abandon them in the name of organizational development at any time and especially in this moment in time.

Reach out to your donors is a call to action to prioritize people over programs.

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December 4, 2008

Church leaders should maximize every dollar donated

United Methodist church leaders recently met to consider the impact a decline in church giving would have on funding for denominational ministries. United Methodists aren't the only ones asking these questions.

Most denominational structures are dependent upon giving from local churches. In Southern Baptist circles, we fund our denominational structure and collection mission efforts through the Cooperative Program which is also reporting a slight decline when compared to last year.

We have two options:

1. We can go find our spot in the corner and cry about it.
2. We can make sure everything we are doing is the best use of every dollar.

As one of my first managers told me, "It is what it is." Yes, denominational giving is expected to be down. Church giving may be down. So what? We are still collecting more money through churches than we ever have in history. We have more money to fund more ministry that our parents and grandparents could have ever dreamed of.

It's our responsibility to make sure every dollar we receive on the local level to fund our ministry budgets and to give to denominational structures is being maximized.

Another saying I've picked up over the years is this: "Everything's always on the table." Let's measure the effectivness of every ministry we choose to invest in to determine where we might be able to redirect funds for the purpose of achieving greater results. When the potential for less dollars exists, our expectations for ministry shouldn't decline. Rather, results should drive our decision making.

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History proves church giving outlook is strong

"The data suggest that decreasing giving is not the first thing church members do in tough economic times," said Ronsvalle, who has been studying Christian giving in detail since 1988. "If this is an extended downturn, in the second year you might begin to see a retraction in church-member giving."

Read the rest of the article here.

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December 3, 2008

The senior pastor is the chief fundraiser

"Pastors are the CEOs of their congregations. No single person is more responsible for what goes on in his or her church than the lead pastor. No one has more communication with the congregation than the lead pastor. No one has more ability to raise funds on behalf of the church than the lead pastor. Yet, very few of our pastors accept the responsibility to raise funds for the organization they lead."

Not Your Parents' Offering Plate
by J. Clif Christopher, pgs. 43-4

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Charis Group's president Mark Brooks offers 4 keys to success

Mark Brooks, president of The Charis Group, offers 4 keys to stewardship success today in Not every church is seeing giving decline.

These are ideas to implement NOW...not when the economy gets better and all conditions are perfect.

The 4 keys are:

Compelling vision - "Good vision trumps bad economy."

Do something! - Churches that can not show any return on investment will struggle.

Stewardship education - Churches that focus on stewardship consistently are weathering this downward economic time....

Have a plan - I find that most churches do not have a plan for stewardship. They have a growth plan, a missions plan and many other plans but fail to have a plan to fund all that.

Get moving!

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December 2, 2008

7 things to movtivate pastors to take action

Bob Brooks points out that what can sometimes be labeled a landmark discovery is often the obvious in Somking can cause cancer and the economy is in recession.

No one needs to tell you that we are in the midst of a recession. What is being revealed is that pastors are underprepared and overwhelmed with managing the tension between money and ministry while "landmark" studies are released that verify the obvious: we are in a recession.

Now it's my turn to state the obvious. Here are 7 things to get you motivated to stop talking about how bad things are and get moving:

1. It's never as bad as it seems, and it's never as good as it seems. This is some of the best advice I received from a mentor long ago. It applies today.

2. Difficult times weed out unqualified leaders. I'm not talking about education and degrees. Leadership requires guts. It requires faith. It requires an absolute trust that the organization will succeed. If you can't inspire yourself to believe that, you won't inspire anyone else.

3. Never stop learning. I love overwhelming sitatuations. They force
me to focus, learn, think in new ways and take risks. The most important is to never stop learning. (And my advice is to seek out books AND people. What a great opportunity to call some prominent busienss leaders in your community, take them to lunch, and find out their opinion on the subject. Chances are you'll shock the socks right off of them, and you'll make a new friend (maybe meet a new church prospect).

4. Talk about it. Just because you don't talk about it, doesn't make it any less real. Difficult conversations come with the job. Just be honest and always do what's in the best interest of the church.

5. Pray about it. Wear out the same kneeling bench you ask your members to each week. Here is a hint: Stop talking. Start listening. God already knows how bad it is and all the specifics of your situation. It's you're job to get in touch with his presence in the midst of uncertain times. You can't fulfill the mythic "god-man" role you play in your church without an authentic sense of God's presence in your own life.

6. Act. Success rarely leads to failure. But failure often leads to success. Do something, please!

7. Stop worrying about whether or not you'll have a job. If you allow this to occupy your mind, you'll create what psychologists call a "self-fulfilling prophesy." Do your job. Live up to the calling to which you have been called. And start leading. The church is in desperate need of pastors who will quit worrying about their careers and focus on building the ministry of the Kingdom in the churhces and communities where they serve and live.

You can sum up everything I've said above in a statement a friend made that I'll never forget: Look it in the teeth, even if it bites back.

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Generis strategist offers 6 steps to stewardship success

Generis Strategist, Rubin Swift, offers pastors 6 things to consider as they plan and adjust their stewardship strategy for the remainder of 2008 and moving into 2009. These six steps will ensure you're covering the bases and moving toward action instead of becoming paralyzed with fear.

More than ever, the pastor needs to display a confidence and trust in the God he proclaims.

Pastor, what's your plan? Enough talk. Get moving. Make things happen.

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Economy could spur Christian compassion

Chuck Warnock writes for pastors who lead small churches. He recently conducted an online poll and came to unsurprising conclusion: nearly every church - especially small churches - can expect to be negatively impacted by the economy. Jim Collins would call this a "brutal fact." The quicker we can swallow this pill the better we will be positioned to actually embrace the situation and use it to our advantage.

Chuck believes this economic struggle may be a catalyst for Christian compassion. People who study giving habits know that peoples' willingness to give is in direct proportion to their belief in and understanding of need.

One antedote to the gloomy economic forecast is to talk about it - openly and publically. This may be difficult to do. But in the talking, the "scary green monster" doesn't seem to bad. It becomes a matter of defining a plan to not just survive but thrive.

How the church responds to this economic crisis will either prove the church to be irrelvant or will restore the role of the church as an agent of hope and new beginnings?

Pastor, the ball is in your court?

Posted by bstroup at 9:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 1, 2008

Ashley Clayton points pastors to personal financial solutions

Ashley Clayton, personal money management expert and leader of the latest Executive Committee initative to address the debt of churches, church leaders and church members, believes that personal debt - not faith - may be the biggest obstacle for American Christians today.

In a recent post, Ashley points pastors to sermon resources on the subject of personal financial management from Rick Warren, a pastor who needs no introduction.

In a time when the reports about the economy seem to get worse as the days go by, it's important that people here their pastor talk about a Biblical perspective on money. This may be one of the greatest opportunities for Christians to build bridges with a lost world and demonstrate another perspective on debt.

Read other posts about Ashley Clayon:
New podcast for pastors on leading churches in tough times
Consider stewardship for your next evangelism emphasis
Ashley Clayton and Ken Hemphill on Stewardship
Ashley Clayton on Stewardship and the SBC, Part 1
Ashley Clayton on Stewardship and the SBC, Part 2
It's A New Day

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Barna research indicates churches will lose billions in Q4

The Barna Group released a study today that attempts to quantify the impact the economy will have on church giving.

Here are some notable statistics to consider:

In total, one out of every five households (20%) has decreased its giving to churches or other religious centers.

Among people who have decreased giving to churches and religious centers, 19% dropped their giving by as much as 20%, 5% decreased their generosity by 21% to 49%, 17% reduced their giving by half, and 11% sliced their provision by more than half. In addition, 22% said they had stopped their giving altogether.

Among those who attend a Christian church, the survey found that one-third (35%) said their church had offered a special talk about the financial situation and ways to respond to it.

The average church can expect to see its revenues dip about 4% to 6% lower than would have been expected without the economic turmoil.

Given the shock value of this study, we'll be spending the week discussing its implications and how the church can prepare not just to survive but thrive in the midst of unfavorable economic conditions.

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