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May 29, 2009
Crown's Chuck Bentley talks about children and money
Children and money continue to remain in the top 5 keywords people use in search engines who end up at the Do More Ministry blog. With that in mind, I want to point out a two part series from Chuck Bentley, the president of Crown Financial Ministires.
Teaching Children About Money, Part 1
Teaching Children About Money, Part 2
Related Posts:
Teaching children stewardship
Teaching our children about money
Pastor's Podcast: Teaching Children About Stewardship
Teaching children about stewardship and giving
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (Part 4)
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May 28, 2009
Follow Do More Ministry on Twitter
I saw this comic strip today and wanted to share it with you. (Warning: If you're not a Twitter user, this may not make sense. Double Warning: Not being on Twitter is equivalent to not having a telephone.)
I want to take the opportunity to remind you that Do More Ministry extends beyond this blog. You can follow Do More Ministry on Twitter. While a lot of the information shared on this blog is shared via Twitter, you can also expect to be pointed to many more important articles, quotes, and updates in the world of church stewardship and the larger non-profit development world.
I would welcome your "follow." (Sorry...it's a Twitter thing.)
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May 27, 2009
Stewardship in Arkansas: Help & Hope for Tough Economic Times
I noticed an update on Denny Wright's Facebook page that he was preparing a one day emphasis to encourage and empower churches to react bodly to the current economic conditions. I immediately contacted him (via Facebook, of course) to see if he'd be willing to expand on what he is doing. Below is what he shared with me.
Help & Hope for Tough Economic Times
I'm in the process of writing a new one day stewardship emphasis called "Help & Hope for Tough Economic Times." Four churches have agreed to pilot this new project. It is based on the same schedule as the very successful "How to Take the STEW out of Stewardship" which has been taught in over 300 churches. The schedule is: a large group teaching time during the Sunday School hour with adults and youth; a sermon during the morning worship hour; and a 90 minute seminar on Sunday night.
The new "Help & Hope" Sunday School hour is based on Romans 15.13. It directly addresses the fear, worry, and anger many people are experiencing. Due to job loss, injustice, and shrinking retirement accounts, the pain of unwelcome change is addressed with biblical passages that give hope in what God does when He is the priority of life.
The sermon time uses Jesus' parable of the talents in Matthew 25 to provide wisdom for living in tough times. This "use it or lose it" sermon focuses on what people of God CAN do instead of what they have lost or can't do.
In the evening we look at insights and practical advice gathered from various Christian sources. It addresses the issues that always are critical in family finances: debt, credit cards, spending plans, saving, investing, prayer, giving, and work. It is all introduced with a short commentary on today's economy compared to the Great Depression.
Over the past 10 years "How to Take the STEW out of Stewardship" has resulted in as average increase in giving for the three months following the event of 15%. The Sunday School hour explores 10 myths the world believes about finances countered with scriptural truth. The sermon is a Malachi 3 tithing sermon. The Sunday evening time deals with getting out of debt and living frugally with a budget. The conclusion is 10 reasons to be a cheerful steward.
Denny, keep up the great work! If you are a pastor in Arkansas, you need to know Denny Wright. (Judging by the week I spent with him talking to pastors about sustainable funding, I think he knows just about everyone in the state already.)
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May 26, 2009
4 strategies for the cautious donor
The recession has reminded many of us how smart our parents were when they kept telling us that money doesn't grow on trees.
Giving - across the board - is down. For those who are choosing to continue to donate, there is rising concern about what causes and organizations they will fund. As discretionary income evaporates, those who have money to give are looking to do so cautiously and carefully.
Tough Times Call for Smarter Giving outlines four strategies donors ought to consider.
The first one is Vet your charities. This should be of particular importance to church leaders. There is a growing practice among American Christians that stems from the assumption that the tithe is not solely reserved for the local church. That opens the door to more than 2 million other non-profits, people and organizations who are doing good things. In the end, the one with the most compelling story will get the dollar.
Your church members are faced today with the decision to choose to give to your church or to more than three times the number of traditional non-profit and para-church organizations and causes. What decision will they make? Which organization or cause will they fund?
What are you doing today to ensure every available dollar of the people who sit in our pews finds its way into the offering plates of our churches and ultimately funds the work of local church ministry?
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May 21, 2009
Donors rethinking their giving strategy
Those organizations who depend on the faithful giving of a specific donor base (this includes churches) are paying very close attention to the giving habits of their core contributors. Many in the traditional non-profit world are hurting and simply trying to survive as they balance growing needs with the increasingly limited availability of the necessary resources to fund the desired relief.
Giving to churches has not suffered as much as the traditional non-profit world has recently. Nonetheless, there is a shift taking place among the people who sit in our pews. They are wrestling with the same issues many donors are: should I (or will I have to) cut my funding to some non-profit and/or charitable causes in light of a struggling economy?
One couple featured in Smart Giving in a Troubled Climate outlines their strategy. They decided to cut back on what they determined were non-essential causes in part so that they could in turn increase their funding to those organizations/causes who are directly impacting the greatest needs.
"In tough times...people tend to gravitate toward direct service because they want something concrete from their giving."
This couple didn't stop giving. Rather, they redirected their available resources to those organizations or causes who were the best at demonstrating their ability to accomplish the work they seek to do.
As church leaders, we must be absolutely convinced that the Church is the primary institution God empowered to carry forward the earthly ministry of Christ until his return. And we also carry the burden of ensuring we are leading people to perform measurable acts of ministry that are consistent with what we teach about our faith. If we don't, we risk losing our funding as the people in our pews direct those resources to those who can.
Julie A. Lucas, an assistant dean who raises money for Fordham Law School in New York, said that "people are really thinking more carefully about what they will support, and while they may have supported a broad range of causes before, many are now giving less to each or giving to fewer organizations."
If the people in your pews had to choose, would they classify the ministry of your church as non-essential? (Hint: They are already faced with making that choice. What are you doing about it?)
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May 20, 2009
Pastor tells church members to take the money
Pastor Toby Slough led Cross Timbers Community Church to give away more than $500,000 through the practicing of a reverse collection plate that he said is important to teach people to be good givers. Pastor Slough believes that before anyone can be a good giver, they have to learn to be a good receiver.
So has the church ever run out of money on a Sunday morning? No.
This is something worth talking about and a church, honestly, I would visit simply because of their practice of generosity. Not because I want the money. Rather, I'm inspired that this church encourages behavior that matches what we read about money in the Bible.
What can your church do this Sunday to inspire a climate of generosity within your membership? Casey Graham with The Change Group says, "The cure for fear of economic disaster is to give, give, and then give some more."
The church should be leading the way in generostiy. The world is watching.
Posted by bstroup at 1:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 19, 2009
4 new Delicious articles about church giving
I want to take the opportunity to remind you about the Do More Ministry Del.icio.us page that is a collection of articles and videos related to stewardship and giving. Almost every link I use in a blog post can be found on this page along with a few extra. Let me encourage you to bookmark this page and visit it regularly as you look for information about church giving.
Here are four articles I added today that you don't want to miss:
Posted by bstroup at 4:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 18, 2009
Preview new book Church Giving Matters by Ben Stroup
My first book, Church Giving Matters, will be available very soon. I wanted you to have the first opportunity to preview the book. My hope and prayer is that this book will ignite a conversation on stewardship and giving that results in more churches operating with fully funded budgets. It's time to stop asking what we have to cut to survive and start thinking about what God wants us to do next.
Click here for a PDF Preview of Church Giving Matters by Ben Stroup.
Church Giving Matters will be available to purchase June 1 through the CrossBooks Publishing bookstore. It will soon (could take up to 30 days) be available on Amazon.com, Google, etc. but there is a slight delay in that process.
If you're planning to come to the SBC Convention this year, I'll be there signing books. (Specific times will be announced soon.) I'd love for you to stop by and say hi. I always enjoy talking to people who follow the blog.
While a national sales campaign will soon launch featuring LifeWay's new imprint, CrossBooks Publishing, and Church Giving Matters, I hope you'll take a few minutes to preview the book and pass it along to a few people you think might benefit from this material. Word of mouth marketing is still the most effective way to promote anything.
Note: If you have a blog that focuses on church administration, leadership, financial development, stewardship, giving, etc. and would like to review the entire book, please e-mail me. Once the book is "live," I'll forward you a complete electronic version to read and review. And be sure to send me a link to your review too.
Posted by bstroup at 4:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 15, 2009
What do online giving and weather the economic storm have in common?
The answer is nothing.
But there are two blog posts that I want to point you to that do:
Online fundraising growing, but slower; Donors giving but less
Weathering the (Economic) Storm Podcast
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May 14, 2009
Leadership Network studies how economy is impacting churches
Sam Simmons pulled some excerpts from a recent Leadership Network study on how the economy is impacting churches.
These excerpts will give you a good flavor for the type of information found in the study. Check out the complete report.
(Note: You'll have to register to see the report. Sorry. Not my rules.)
Posted by bstroup at 3:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 13, 2009
Guess which non-profit sector is down...and why
In a time of economic recession, giving to human services should be up to match increased need. The reality is that this unlikely sector of the non-profit world is down 3.4%. Donor Power Blog raises a great question:
In a down economy, when the very situations these organizations are built to help change are everywhere and top of mind, why are they raising less money?
If giving is down in your church, are you ignoring the problem in hopes that it will go away, or are you asking the hard questions that lead to organizational change?
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May 12, 2009
Church giving back 100% of Donations to Struggling Families
This church is changing the rules...and changing lives in the process.
Thanks to Hand to the Plough for highlighting this compelling story of ministry and money.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
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May 11, 2009
NCF gives away its two BILLIONTH dollar
Congrats to Patrick Johnson and everyone at The National Christian Foundation! It's good to see examples of Christians leading the way in generosity.
You guys are doing a great job!
--
ATLANTA, Ga., May 6, 2009--The National Christian Foundation (NCF) reached a major milestone in giving with the distribution of its two billionth grant dollar since 1982. This record illustrates the exponential growth of the non-profit as it took almost 25 years to reach their first $1 billion grant mark, while the $2 billion grant milestone came in just over three years.
NCF President, David Wills said, "We attribute this growth to God at work in and through believers as they seek to be wise and faithful stewards, even in these difficult economic times. Additionally, our expanding network of over 37 Affiliates around the country has allowed us to work more closely with those whom we are privileged to serve."
Currently, NCF and its 37 Local Christian Foundation Affiliates are ranked as the nation's
22nd largest charity.(1) Givers make contributions to their donor-advised funds at NCF and then recommend grants to organizations that are making a difference here and around the world.
The $1.5 million grant that made this milestone possible was recommended by "The Green Fund," a donor-advised fund of Hobby Lobby, one of America's fastest growing arts and crafts retail chains. Their grant will go to OneHope (www.onehope.net), a ministry that brings the Bible to children around the world through publications and film.
David Green, C.E.O. of Hobby Lobby says, "At a time when our nation's charities need help like never before, we are delighted to be a part of this new milestone in the history of American giving. With the help of NCF and their Kansas City Affiliate [The Servant Christian Community Foundation], Hobby Lobby is able to give more to the causes that are closest to our hearts, such as needy children."
For more information on The National Christian Foundation and Affiliates, visit www.nationalchristian.com or call 800.681.6223.
(1) 2008, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Non-Profits Ranked by Revenue
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May 8, 2009
Looking for some good ideas on saving money
Joe Sangl is on a crusade to empower churches to implement the ministry of money in their churches, specifically helping churches help others with issues surrounding personal money management. He is incredibly passionate on the subject and is doing a fantastic job. (You should check out his book I Was Broke. Now I'm Not. and companion small group study.)
He recently requested creative ideas on saving money. I want to echo his request and encourage you to respond.
Related Posts:
Pastor's Podcast: One pastor sees debt as ministry opportunity
FREE personal money management tools from Joe Sangl
Posted by bstroup at 2:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 7, 2009
Do your church members trust you?
Trust is an overlooked and undervalued asset in the world of fund-raising. In the same way that people tend to buy things from people they know, like, and trust, donors give to causes or organizations that they know, like, and trust.
A drop in giving or an inability to gain or sustain a measurable increase in giving could indicate that the things you are doing (or not doing) aren't building the level of trust needed to achieve fully funded budgets and long-term sustainable ministry.
We know that people haven't stopped giving to churches. In fact, a large number of churches have seen no drastic change in giving over the last 6-8 months. On the other hand, we also know that people are more mindful of who they give their money to because our economic situation has reminded everyone that money is limited resource and should be used to generate the greatest "return on investment."
The responsibility falls to the pastor and church leaders to do the things necessary to generate and build trust levels among the membership of your church that result in generous giving.
Are you up for the challenge? Your giving depends upon it.
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May 6, 2009
The Silent Middle
I was contacted recently by an individual who was frustrated because she was unable to find a way to learn how to invest in Kingdom work beyond her tithe to the local church. She isn't covered in debt yet also doesn't fall into the general definition of a high capacity giver or someone who has an extraordinary amount of money they wish to donate out of their excess.
She explained that God was calling her to give more but didn't know where or how to begin. Certainly, she isn't the only one who feels this way.
I have to admit I was stumped. After sending a few e-mails to people I know who have been instrumental in the world of generosity, I discovered that there is a known (but unquantified) group of people who aren't drowning in debt and have the desire and capacity to give beyond their tithe yet don't fall into the high capacity giving category as defined by traditional industry standards.
In fact, one generosity leader already had a name for this group: The Silent Middle. It appears that there is an underdeveloped, overlooked population of people who wish to be generous but are getting little to no attention.
Have you found this to be true? Do you agree? Are you frustrated because you want to give more but don't know how, who, or even where to begin?
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May 5, 2009
Sustainable Ministry PowerPoint Presentation
I've received several e-mails asking for the PowerPoint presentation I used during last week's seminar on sustainable funding. I'm also learning my way around Google Documents as a way to share, present, and collaborate on documents. I thought this might be natural opportunity to attempt to address one request and experiment with technology all at the same time.
So, here it goes.
Let me know if you have any difficulty accessing the presentation.
Also, I'd welcome any feedback or questions you might have related to the presentation itself. (Maybe one day I can learn how to merge a recorded audio version of this presentation with the slides itself...maybe.)
Posted by bstroup at 3:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 4, 2009
A tribute to state convention stewardship leaders
Denny Wright (@dennythestewguy - for those of you who use Twitter), Stewardship Director for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, invited me to come last week and tour Arkansas. I led six two-hour seminars in five different cities.
By Friday, I had touched every corner of the state. It was an exciting week! I gained a new appreciation for every state convention staff member who carries the banner of stewardship. It is tireless work.
My days consisted of getting up early to meet the associational missionary and a few key pastors for breakfast (if not breakfast then we had lunch after a morning session), a trip to the presentation location to set up, the seminar, tear down, pack up, drive to the next location, eat with another group, and do it all over again that evening. We were in constant motion as we drove more than 500 miles last week (and that didn't include the trip from Nashville to Little Rock).
In the audience were pastors of small churches (25 members) and large churches (1,000+) members. Some pastored traditional churches and some multi-ethnic congregations. We even had church staff members from a non-Baptist church. (They had heard about the conference from some peers.) These pastors live in completely different worlds, yet they share the struggle to consistently fund their ministry budgets and accomplish the ministry God had placed on their hearts.
I can't begin to describe all the responsibilities these state stewardship directors carry on their shoulders. After all, if churches don't have money, the denomination - at least as we know it - ceases to exist. My hat is off to each and every state denominational leader (and their support staffs) who help churches answer the tough questions and navigate the uncertain waters of funding and ministry.
I know our churches are in good hands.
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