Do More Ministry: July 2009 Archives

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July 31, 2009

Church created Cooperative Program promotion

I stumbled upon a great example of how one church (who leads the state in which it resides in CP giving) decided to create its own promotional content for the Cooperative Program. I wonder what will be more effective among the membership of this church: corporate promotion that originates at the Executive Committee or the church where the church member attends?

Personally, I think the corporate promotional material from the Executive Committee is really good. John Kyle is a great guy and a good friend. He is very creative and has done a wonderful job. He has a tough job indeed. Social media is indicative of a change, a shift that is taking place. The lowest common denominator - that is the local church or even the person is the pew - is now empowered and must carry out any message that in the past has been the burden of the organization. The corporate organization becomes a facilitator of dialogue rather than a content creator.

There is something more trustworthy, more credible when someone you know, like, and trust says the same thing a corporate entity or organization does. Maybe the future of Cooperative Program promotion will look more like what this church has done (and maybe Tom's Shoes) than slick brochures and polished digital media:

What is the Cooperative Program?
What is the Cooperative Program?, Part 2
What is the Cooperative Program?, Part 3
What is the Cooperative Program?, Part 4

You be the judge ... isn't that what the social media revolution is all about anyway?

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July 30, 2009

Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Give from the heart, not a mathematical formula

A common misconception about giving is that it is a numbers game - it's all about the amount you give compared to your income or how much tax deduction you can give or the number of children you sponsor or the number of charities you support.
In all reality, giving in its purest form is not about the numbers, it's about the heart. What is your motivation to give? Do you donate money out of obligation or because the "law" dictates a certain percentage? Is your giving out of guilt because others have less than you do? Do you give expecting God to give back to you in return? Does giving generously build up your pride because you long to be important to others or you want to be known as a generous person merely for reputation's sake?

Check your motives. Check your heart when giving. Follow the example of Psalm 26 when the author ask God, "Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind." Giving that honors God is done with a heart of gratitude, not guilt. Giving with pure motives doesn't expect anything back, including glory, fame, or financial gain.

And because giving isn't just about numbers, that also means that it isn't just a practice for those who are "wealthy." People with incomes at any level can honor God with their giving. Giving in its purest form isn't about you or your glory - it's about Him. So honor Him today and share with others the blessings He has shared with you.

Jenny Wingard is passionate about God, local church ministry, and giving. She can be reached via Twitter or e-mail.

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July 29, 2009

Guest Post: How to Be Rich - The Lie of Riches

I'm not a fan of liars. In fact, I'd rather have you be brutally honest with me - even if it hurts - than for you to lie to me. But the fact is we put up with lots of lies. Some of them we tell and get away with. Others are told to us and we believe. The facts are in: Satan is the biggest liar of them all. Don't you agree? Even Jesus said that was true. Check out John 8:44.

Let me get back on track as we talk about money. Most people don't want to talk about money because it hurts so much. Far too often we let the "bad" or the problems pile up, and it isn't until the pile is too big to handle that we deal with it through painful things like bankruptcy, bad credit, broken relationships, and much more. Call it what it is.To not deal well with your finances is to believe some lies.

Satan wants us to serve money. Take a look at Matthew 6:24 where we are told no one can serve two masters, God and money or God and anything else. Or look at 1 Timothy 6:10 where we learn that money can cause all kinds of bad things in our lives.

Answer this question: do you want money more than you want God?

Ok. You might have answered that question right. But stop and go look at your calendar and your checkbook. Who do those two record keepers say you serve?

Ouch! (Sorry.)

It's time to put Satan in his place, and that means we have to start living what we believe as well as using what God has given us in the right ways. We must confess that we are blessed people, and we must commit to use what we have in different ways.

Say out loud (or yell it if you want to) something like this, "I won't trust money; I will trust God."

Can you do that?

There are a couple things that are true of people who trust money more than God. You can tell or even hear them say that there is never enough. I want more, more, more! Another fact is that that money never provides peace. Look at wealthy people and celebrities who end up dealing with serious problems that their money couldn't get them out of. Another fact that might be hard to understand is that rich people have a harder time in giving big. Yeah, they might give some big numbers, but it is only a tiny piece of what they have. Check out Barna Researc for the facts.

So what will you and I do to make sure we are not serving money and that we are serving God? We need to be honest. Don't believe the lies. Deal with the issues. Get help, and love God with it all. Read what God says in 1 Timothy 6:17.

As a pastor, I could not lead the people I love to do what I was not doing. This road is NOT easy, but this road is right. No longer could my family live on credit and increase our debt. We had to get honest and love God more. Did I just say that having debt means I don't love God? For me the debt showed that I didn't trust God the way that I want to and must.

One of the biggest pieces of getting honest and not believing the lies about money is becoming a bigger giver. And I love to give. Here is a quote that blew me away:

If you can't be generous when it's hard, you won't be when it's easy. Zig Ziglar

Yep, I have preached this stuff to our people at The Community Fellowship, and I also made it a piece of the life my family lives. It is a daily process of not serving a budget but of serving God who has big time blessed us and wants to use me and what I have to serve Him through serving others.

Stop believing the lies. Honor God. Show Him that you trust Him by dealing with your finances in ways that honors Him.

Michael Harrison has impressed me with his commitment to building the Kingdom through the ministry of the local church. And he has struggled through what that means as it related to personal finances as well as church financial development. He preached a series recently called How to Be Rich. I've asked him to share some commentary on what happened both in and out of the pulpit as he bravely dealt with what some pastors believe to be a four-letter word ... cash. I'm delighted he agreed to share his thoughts. Be sure to check out his blog too.

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July 28, 2009

Survey says ... accountability and effectiveness are essential

Last week I posted a survey based on a quote I recently read in Strategic Giving. The author highlights the growing tension between the future of church giving and an sense of shared responsibility.

The person in the pew has long been the subject of sermons that demand the tithe, and rightly so. The Bible is clear on the subject. But for most Christians, the issue is not should I give but rather should I give to you. While the person in the pew has been commanded to give in Scripture and from the pulpit, church leaders - on a whole - have been slow to share the responsibility by reporting the return on ministry investment. The reasoning behind that strategy being that the church member should just give and let the church leaders decide how to use it. This is what I call the "just because" argument. It doesn't work with our children, why do we think it will work with adults?

Just so you know, the overwhelming reaction to the question proposed in last week's survey was ... YES! People have many ways to contribute to ministry around the world. They DON'T have to give it to your church, but they WILL if you provide a compelling case for the greatest return on ministry investment.

Today, I read yet another article that highlights accountability measures in the nonprofit sector. The assumption can no longer be made the tithe is solely reserved for the church, at least in the minds of the person in the pew. That means the church leader must make a case (that is subject themselves to the accountability of the ministry results and the person in the pew) as to why the church should receive the dollar instead of an endless number of other like-minded non-profit and para-church organizations.

The people in your pews are judged by their performance at work, objective standards applied by management to ensure the organization is operating at peak levels. Why do church leaders think they should not be held to similar standards?

My challenge is for the church leader: if you don't make a reasonable case that your church offers the most compelling return on ministry investment, someone else will. That means the dollar intended to fund the ministry of your church will slip through the offering plate and right into the accounts of organizations who are doing good things but fall short of God's design for carrying out and completing the Great Commission.

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July 27, 2009

Should a church post its weekly giving in the bulletin?

I came across this thread of discussion recently in the ChurchAdmin bulletin board on Yahoo Groups. (Sure wish they would move this conversation to Twitter.) The conversation began with one church business administrator wondering whether or not they should post weekly giving and related detail in the church bulletin each week.

I wanted to weigh in on the conversation through the Do More Ministry blog, a more comfortable platform and one more suitable for editorial rather than purely information content.

I would answer the question ...

YES!
OF COURSE!
WHY WOULDN'T YOU!?!
YOU'D BE CRAZY NOT TO!

Maybe this seems like I'm over-reacting, but we keep "score" in every area of our lives. Why should have to stop at the doors of the church? Keeping "score" forces the leadership and the membership to wrestle with "what is" not simply "what should be" or "what we want it to be."

In the age of accountability and transparency, it is absolutely essential that people - even guests who choose to visit your church - have an immediate understanding of your financial viability. Giving is an outward, measurable dimension of who we are, what we believe in, and how committed we are to an organization.

The thought that publishing numbers that show any church to be behind in giving might inherently turn people is bogus. The state of your church's giving is indicative of the spiritual condition and climate of your congregation. Behind just means behind. There is no need to attach a sense of personal ego or self-esteem to the numbers.

Measuring and reporting your church's giving patterns is essential to achieving fully funded ministry budgets and establishing long-term sustainable ministry. People appreciate honesty and understand that every organization has ups and downs. However, an organization that is in a downward spiral and refuses to talk about its situation is simply in denial. And that's not an organization healthy church members want to be a part of.

Reporting weekly giving offers the platform to celebrate ministry successes and to re-examine ministry return on investments when ministry results isn't matching ministry funding. Why would any organization shirk the opportunity to do that continually, and why would any church leader fear such a process?

Tell the people what they're giving. Perhaps it will reveal a need to talk about money, giving, and stewardship more openly and freely from the pulpit and the pew. Every church could benefit from such a candid conversation.

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God Pie

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July 24, 2009

The Money Rant

Thanks to Bill Townes, church money management consultant with the North American Mission Board, for sending this to me.

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July 23, 2009

Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Cutting Coupons can lead to Kingdom Impact

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a detailed planner with great math skills nor many domestic talents. But hard economic times call for drastic measures - I actually attended a coupon seminar last night. With my husband and I trying to eat at home more, our grocery bill has gone up, and we need it to go down. Hence the coupons.

The seminar hosted by FaithfulProvisions.com was actually very informative and entertaining. The leader, Kelly Hancock, was a career woman who decided to stay at home when she became pregnant with her first child four years ago. Going from a double-income, no kids household to a single-income home with children required Kelly to become quite the whiz at coupons, meal planning, and budgeting. God has graced her with a talent for this, and thankfully she passes on her wisdom to the rest of us also concerned with budgets and meals.

What does this have to do with giving? Well, first of all, the more money you have, the more opportunity you have to give that money away. In the past four years, Kelly has cut her food budget down from $1,100/ month to $40-50/week, freeing up funds for other areas of stewardship. Even if you have two incomes or one really large income in your home, cutting back on groceries is good stewardship and could free up funds in case a friend needs support for a mission trip or the family down the road needs some financial help.

Second, many grocery stores now offer "buy one get one free" deals on products. Taking advantage of these sales in addition to coupon usage can also free up more funds for giving. Or, if you don't need the extra product, keep the product you pay for and donate the free one to the local food bank or women's shelter.

Third, by following Kelly's guidelines for couponing, many times you can find products that are free. Even if your family can't use free dog food, maybe you know another family who is hurting financially and has pets. Give the free dog food to them. (Great idea straight from Kelly's mouth, by the way.)

All in all, meal planning and utilizing coupons can help your personal budget, but in the end they can be a great tool to help increase your giving, through cash or extra free products. In this economy, all of us need all the money-saving tools we can get!

Jenny Wingard is passionate about God, local church ministry, and giving. She can be reached via Twitter or e-mail.

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July 22, 2009

Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Winning with What You Have

Maybe you've been reading the articles I've written the last few weeks and asked yourself about the series I preached, How to Be Rich, and had some of the same questions I've had. Am I telling people that God wants them to have lots of money? Am I saying that if people follow God they will be rich? The answer is ... NO WAY. That is not the point at all.

The truth is it is not how to GET rich. It literally is how to BE rich. God led me to talk about (and share with you about) how to use what God has already given you. Remember, you are already rich. You are blessed with more than most people on the planet have. Just a fact.

But God is testing us. Can He trust you with more? Are you using what you have been given in the best way possible? Jesus said to us in Luke 16:10 that for us to be trusted with much, we have to be faithful with the small amount. That is the test.

Hey. I've been there. Feel like I am still there. Fact is I have failed and fail often. When we think that life is about us or making us more comfortable, we fail big time. Life is not and my stuff is not just for me and my family. It is all about serving His much bigger purpose than me. Yes, I'm part of that purpose, and God loves you and me very much. But we have got to change how we look at what we have and how we use it.

Here is what God says to you and me about what we have in 1 Timothy 6:17-19:

Tell those who have the riches of this world not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, they should place their confidence in God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. Tell them to do good, to do a lot of good things, to be generous, and to share. By doing this they store up a treasure for themselves which is a good foundation for the future. In this way they take hold of what life really is.

Placing our trust in anything other than God is wrong. That is when failure is certain. On the other side, success is sure when we are "generous" because we have vision for what God has for the future.

In this message I preached, I asked our church family to take the 90 DAY GIVING CHALLENGE which is a big deal. We asked people who have never given to give for 90 days, and if they were unsatisfied with the outcome and that God didn't bless them, that they could have a full refund of what they gave during those 90 days. We had a few people who were already giving get honest and begin to give more in this time. We also had a few people begin giving. You should have heard their stories. God blessed them in huge ways. More about that next time.

I believe that God calls us to create margin in our lives. That is margin with our money so we will have more money than we have month. Create margin in your calendar where you have more time to spend with God and the things that matter (things like family and serving others). As you and I create that margin we will see that we are blessed in big ways, and because we are blessed, we can give more and do more with what we have. That is the secret to success and building real margin into our lives.

Let me use this last few sentences to invite you back next week. The next article will talk about how our money lies to us. We will examine how we give to the church and the ministries that we believe in. My point in the How to Be Rich series is to have you walk away knowing that God will use us and what we have in bigger ways if we will trust Him with it all.

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July 21, 2009

Respond to survey ... accountability and effectiveness essential

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July 20, 2009

Guest Post: Accountability and giving

In days past, almost every Sunday morning worship service across our Southern Baptist Convention began as follows. The Sunday School Director would stand and give the Sunday School report saying, "Our Sunday School enrollment today is 86. We had an attendance today of 43. We had 25 people who studied the lesson, 15 contacts were made, and we had 1 visitor. Our Sunday School offering today was $105.64." Since those early days of reporting most churches have dropped that report. The two reporting boards that decorated each side of the sanctuary have been removed. They were two visible boards that reminded us of our accountability to God and each other.

Please do not think that I am praying we go back to that record of reporting or that I think the boards should once again be hung in the sanctuary. I understand that if we do all of the points of any record system, it may not make us a better Christian and that you can do all of them and still not even be a Christian. I do know that doing them cannot hurt us. I believe that a Christian should do all of those things and that we should be held accountable for them by the local church.

Could some of the problems we face today in the local church dealing with discipline and discipleship be traced back to a time when we stopped calling for accountability? Since I work in the area of stewardship, I want to talk about one aspect of discipleship, and that would be stewardship. I would like to be a little more specific in stewardship and ask you to think of the area of giving. There is no doubt we are in strange waters with money in the church. I see a time that I have never seen before in America. There have been times when local giving was down in churches that I have served, but lack of giving today is not a local, state, or national issue; it is a global problem.

Giving is the white elephant in the room that most pastors do not want to talk about. You should be aware that your church members are talking about it every Sunday. Many forget that when you have no money, you have no ministry. Some pastors believe that dealing with giving, and especially the tithe, is not what God called them to do.

Pastors should think of themselves as a CEO. All CEOs are concerned with for the revenue needed to operate the business. Pastor, you are responsible, and your congregation will hold you accountable. When funds shrink, you may be out of there faster than a lightning strike. So let's talk about the stewardship of giving, accountability, and the tithe.

There is no doubt that over the years the tithe took on the idea of being a tax. In our Mother country stories were told of clergy who would knock on your door and if need be, knock on your head until you paid the tithe. I often hear people today say, "Are you prayed up and paid up?" I remember the day my father said he was going to name my dog Tax. When I asked why he said, "'Cause when I open the door, it's in come tax."

We had a revolution in this country over taxes from England, and I wonder if the tax attitude slowly drifted into the church. I believe when we discarded the Sunday School point record system on our envelopes, we lost accountability. Almost all of us today measure everything from our behavior to our bank account, and we count calories and cholesterol.

I remember one man in our country church was called into accountability for dancing on his front porch. When the deacons investigated, they discovered a lizard had run up his pants leg, and he was not dancing but jumping up and down.

We live in a time of multiple choices in everything from the color of our automobiles to the 360 channels on cable television. I believe many carry that over into giving. Many do not feel the church is the first choice for giving, and some believe they have the right to designate the tithe not only in the church but outside the church. There are thousands of ministries crying for us to support outside of our local church.

It is true that many leaders have not asked the congregations for their input into the ministry budget. Many have failed to share results of member giving. We have not celebrated ministry. Many, if not all, are not pleased with how their money has been used, thus find other ministries to support.

There are some today who believe they have the right to give where they feel it does the most good. When we lost accountability, it affected our giving. We need a better accountability of our leaders to the congregation and a way to hold the congregation accountable for their giving.

In bad economies we can hope things get better, but remember, hope is not a strategy. We need to develop a conversation about giving with church members and staff. The Pareto Principle is active today, which is 80/20. Simply put that means 20% of our membership financially support the ministry and mission of the church. We have a need to remind the 80% of their accountability in giving rather than programs that ask the 20% to give more. In an age when we hold ourselves accountable for everything from losing weight to losing hair, we have to find a way to reach all of our members to support the work of the church first. We track our heart rate, take inventory at the end of the year, and monitor growth of weeds in our yard as well as cracks in our driveway. We hold politicians, teachers, and coaches accountable, but not our church members in the area of giving.

Accountability is important in families, schools, businesses, sports, and all walks of life. So what about the church? When are we accountable for Bible reading, witnessing, praying, giving, or anything else for that matter? I do not have all the answers, but I know we need to start this conversation on accountability, or we will be like the man who lived on a mountain of blessings. He threw dirt at all who tried to climb his mountain. After years of throwing, one day he found he was at the bottom of the mountain and the valley people were living on the mountain he threw away.

Jerry Mixon is the Director of Stewardship and Cooperative Program Development for the Mississippi Baptist Convention. He's managed to balance being a pastor, husband, father, and stewardship consultant with his love and passion for writing books and the occassional country music song. You may contact him directly via e-mail or by calling 601.292.3347.

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July 17, 2009

Of all the reasons to raise funds in church ...

... this may top them all.

Pastor Gilbert Thornton has launched a fundraising drive to get indoor facilities installed in an effort to draw more people on Sundays.

"It would help the growth of the church. When you say you've got outhouses, it actually turns them off," he said.

No kidding!

Watch the news clip.

Thanks to Julie Bullock for pointing me to this story.

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July 16, 2009

Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Who's the hero in your giving?

Last Sunday I was reading an article in our local paper about some families who were living in a local campsite because they had lost their homes due to medical issues or job losses. The sacrifices they made were humbling - one family of five was living in a small camper with absolutely no air conditioning at all! Their air conditioner had broken and it was lower on the priority list of expenses than other critical needs.

Immediately, I thought to myself, "If I had the extra cash, I would go buy them an air conditioner!" How awesome would it be to be the hero that sweeps down and saves the day by making their small camper more comfortable during this extreme summer heat!

Disappointedly, I had to accept that I didn't have the cash at that moment to help this family. Sometimes I wish I had all the money in the world, or at least just more than I have now, to help out with all the needs I see. In addition to this family, I would love to pay for a children's camp this summer in Lebanon. I would love to to help my sister who wants to adopt a child, but can't afford it right now. I would love to give large amounts of money to the local food bank that is working hard to meet the increased needs of hungry families during these tough economic times. And the mortgage at my church for our last building project drives me crazy. It would make me feel so good to pay that off for them.

But, I don't have that kind of money. I would love to be the person who came in with the money and saved the day, but I can't in my current financial situation. Honestly, though, I think that is the reason why God hasn't given me that kind of money - to remind me that He is the hero, not me. He is the one who cares for all the needs. He is the Provider who takes care of His children - not me. I may be a tool He uses sometimes, but even then the glory for my giving is not for me. It's for Him who provided the opportunity and funds to help others.

Who is the hero in your giving? Do you give because you like being the perceived hero? Or because you know how God has been the hero of your life, and you give in appreciation and thanksgiving?

Jenny Wingard is passionate about God, local church ministry, and giving. She can be reached via Twitter or e-mail.

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July 15, 2009

Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Meet Joe Sangl

Some of the people we meet just stick with us. Oh, I have some memories from decades ago of some cool people I have met. People like Billy Sims and Barry Switzer, Ed Young Sr. and Jerry Vines, Louise Mandrel and The Oakridge Boys, Mark Batterson and Perry Noble. The list can go on, but I want to introduce you to a guy named Joe.

We met face to face in a crowded arena last October during The Catalyst Conference. We had talked before. I'd known about his church, NewSpring in Anderson, SC and even been there. But this short meeting right before a session at Catalyst began a journey that we will be on for a long time. And it's all good.

Meet Joe Sangl. He shares his vision, story, and pursues God's call via seminars, counseling and even his blog at www.josephsangl.com. CNN even shared this article about Joe and his family's path to be debt free. I was inspired by Joe's book I Was Broke. Now I'm Not and by the relationship that started with that first meeting.

This man believes God's call and is living it out. Julie and I began meeting with Joe via phone last November helping us learn about and live on a budget. With God's help and Joe's direction, this thing is working for us, and it can work for you. Go look around Joe's blog and you will find tools for finding financial freedom, becoming debt free and so much more. The tools are free, and they are awesome.

Let me give you a warning of sorts. Joe is passionate about what he does. He could even be considered crazy. Catch a message he has preached, see him in person at a seminar, or just have a conversation with him and you will see what I mean. And he's contagious in a good way.

It is Joe Sangl's passion and mission "to help others accomplish far more than they ever thought possible with their personal finances so they can go do EXACTLY what they have been put on this earth to do" (copied from Joe's blog about page). Believe me on this one ... we needed help. I had no idea that we could find the freedom and a path toward being debt free. There was too much pain, heart ache, fussing, and more going on to see much light.
HOLD UP! I literally believe that anyone can find the peace and freedom that God has for you. Our finances is one place we often let slide cause it's just too hard. If you really want to know How to Be Rich, you got to take a hard look at what is going on in your life and start doing things in a different way.

God has a plan for your life (we've heard that forever...and it's true). He even has a plan for our money. God has blessed us with what we have, and He has a plan for how we are to use it. And you, like me, have to start somewhere. It may be with help from Dave Ramsey or Joe Sangl or someone else. But start today. God wants you to win with your money and for you and me to help others win with what they have.

Next week I'm gonna share with you how we can win with what we have. Again, it's an honor to partner with Ben Stroup right here on the Do More Ministry blog. See ya next week!

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Church Giving Matters - Book Review

Bill Townes is a friend and peer. We both share the mission of helping churches navigate the waters of ministry and money. He recently reviewed my book, Church Giving Matters, in his e-mail blast to church leaders. If you don't currently subscribe to his Understanding the Times: NAMB Periodic Nonprofit Tax/Accounting Update e-newsletter, you can do so via e-mail. I would encourage you to do so. He not only points out important information, he offers commentary that explains its implications on church ministry. I'm grateful for his kind words.

Ben's book provides a timely and relevant analysis of the challenges related to sustaining effective and vibrant ministry in light of the current economic realities facing our churches. This thought provoking book will challenge church leaders to evaluate the effectiveness of their ministry in relation to other community nonprofit groups which are competing for church member's tithes and offerings.

Ben explores the impact of social networking and web-based appeals for donations that offer donors a cafeteria of choices (beyond the local church) for their charitable gifts. Stroup also encourages a balanced scorecard approach to sharing the story of the measurable impact of church ministry in order to develop and encourage givers. He suggests churches are now in the position where they must justify, through transparent and accountable financial practices, why they deserve each individual's charitable donations. In fact, the IRS tells us that over the last three years, 182 new nonprofit organizations were created every day in the U.S. and they are all competing for the same constantly shrinking donor base!

Ben challenges the common misperception that stewardship education is only a one Sunday a year emphasis. He encourages a biblical, lifestyle approach to stewardship that sees everything we have as a gift from God. Perhaps the most important question Ben asks church leaders to consider in the life of their ministry is:

SOURCE: Bill Townes, CPA, MBA serves churches through the North American Mission Board. Bill's ministry is made possible through your gifts to the Cooperative Program and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.

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July 14, 2009

How to Use Facebook to Attract Supporters

How should nonprofit organizations use Facebook to build relationships and raise money? Allison Fine, the host, interviews Joe Green, who helped found Causes, a section of Facebook designed to help charities win support, and Amy Eldridge, founder and executive director of Love Without Boundaries, an all-volunteer group that provides humanitarian aid to Chinese orphans. (Running time: 14:45)

Source of Podcast

Here's what I want to know: Is you're church using Facebook as part of your funding strategy? How?

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July 13, 2009

Church funding survey says ...

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July 10, 2009

Free Offertory Moments for CP Offering Envelope Series

For those churches currently using our Cooperative Program "Every Number Has a Story" Offering Envelope Series, offertory moment scripts are now available for free. We hope you find them helpful as we partner together to reseed the story and ministry impact of the Cooperative Program.

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The dancing tither ... believe it or not

Thanks to Tithe Stewardship & Church Tithing for this one.

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July 9, 2009

Guest Post: The Silent Middle - I love the "t" word ... tithing

I used to work for a Christian financial planning firm in Atlanta, and I once heard the story there about a high-net worth client who was complaining about having to pay taxes. His advisor told him, "You can avoid paying taxes - just stop making money."

I personally don't love paying taxes, but I do appreciate the fact that paying taxes means I was able to earn a paycheck on which to pay those taxes. Ironically I have that same twisted view about tithing. I actually love tithing for many reasons, but one of the reasons is this - paying a tithe means that I earned an income. My personal belief on tithing is that you pay 10 percent or more on the money you've earned. If you don't earn anything, you have no tithe to give. If you have a tithe, it's because God provided you with the ability and opportunity to make an income. In this day and economic crisis, earning a paycheck is a gift that all of us can appreciate. For a few months last year, I wasn't sure if I was going to earn a paycheck, so every payday now represents God's grace and provision for my family. Out of a grateful heart, I give back a tithe to Him. It honestly is the least I can do.

Jenny Wingard is passionate about God, local church ministry, and giving. She can be reached via Twitter or e-mail.

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July 8, 2009

Church Solutions highlights recent blog post

Church Solutions highlighted a recent Do More Ministry post as part of their Ministry Mindset Guest Blog series this week.

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Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Good News & Bad News

Fact is most of us have been at a dead end with our money. I've come to the end of the month, and there is more month than money. I stop, scratch my head and wonder where it all went. Those are not easy times. But they can get easier. No, the process of moving to money left at the end of the month is not easy, but it is possible.

It was at that place where I had to understand the "good news & bad news" that goes along with finances. Man, I am blessed. God has given me a great job, a beautiful wife, a loving family and all kinds of blessings along the way. We make decent money, but my spending habits and debt have us in a corner or on the edge of a cliff. Did you hear that? "My spending habits.." I had to first own the issue before something could change in the situation.

The good news is that we are rich. In America we are among the highest money earners in the world. If you make $37,000 a year, you are in the top 4% of wage earners on the planet. We are blessed by God. Ecclesiastes 5:19 says that what we have is a gift from God. Claim that. Know that. Now, it is time to do something about it.

The bad news is not much different. The bad news is we are rich. Yep! Because we are blessed we see ourselves as being indestructible. We look at the extra we get (tax return, gifts and such) and say what can I buy, what trip can I take and things like that. Unhealthy for sure. The problem with being blessed and being rich is that we rarely see our need for God. The blessings can distract us from what really matters in life. That leads us to see that we have a responsibility to use these things that God has given us.

Julie and I sat down and began to work together last November after 15 years of just hoping each month would work out. Joe Sangl helped us get a budget in place and make it work. We heard him often say something like this: "you've got to do what you don't want to do for a while so you can do what you want to do for a long time." It has become an issue of self-discipline, and for those of you who know me, you know that is no easy task. But it is working.

We have got to admit the truth. Far too often we waste the things we have to make us feel good, and those wasted things and blessings we cannot get back. Paying off debt is hard. But it is right. As those debts disappear one by one, we are seeing more and more victory in our lives and finding more and more peace. We are also able to give more to the cause of Christ.

This is really a spiritual issue. Jesus reminded us that people with wealth have a tough time following God (see Luke 18:24-25), but I want God to have first place in my life. I also want to live the way that God intends me to live. Know the biggest part of that? That is being able to give the way I want to give. I love missions and missionaries. I love helping those who are in great need. I love coming behind a friend who is in a whole and lifting them out. Those things are not to make me look good, but to help others see and know that God is good.

My heart is to share with our people at The Community Fellowship and beyond that we can win in our finances and build margin into our lives (not just with our money). The series I taught grabbed my heart and many others. Some were already giving to the church. Some were not. Some were already winning with their money. Most were not. It is the job of the church to teach people how to follow God in all areas of life. Money is not a taboo subject. We've got to talk about it, see what God says and apply some basic principles that will put margin back into our lives.

I've got to give a shout out to Craig Groeschel of Lifechurch.tv and Andy Stanley of Northpoint Church for the series they taught that inspired our series. Some great stuff.

Next week we are going to talk about how we can be debt free and some of the pitfalls of debt. Thanks for letting me share with you.

Michael Harrison has impressed me with his commitment to building the Kingdom through the ministry of the local church. And he has struggled through what that means as it related to personal finances as well as church financial development. He preached a series recently called How to Be Rich. I've asked him to share some commentary on what happened both in and out of the pulpit as he bravely dealt with what some pastors believe to be a four-letter word ... cash. I'm delighted he agreed to share his thoughts. Be sure to check out his blog too.

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July 7, 2009

The validity of tithing testimonies

Tithing Video Testimony ... Manipulation or Education? raises an important question. Is it ethical to present tithing testimonies when encouraging others to give, or is it simply an evil scheme to stir up emotions and generate a response?

My friend Ken Hemphill says that there is a four-letter word being whispered in private hallway conversations and in staff meetings in nearly every church today ... cash. Church leaders are afraid to talk about money because it has been the bane of so many in such a public profession. No one want so to be the next one who gets tagged as a spiritual and emotional manipulator.

Refusing to discuss (or ignoring) the subject of money and ministry leaves the church, and particularly its leaders, is a peculiar situation. On the one hand, there are direct costs associated with ministry. There are operational/institutional costs as well as programming costs. Unless we want to abandon any church organization larger than what can been contained in a home and be supported through passing the hat around the room to cover minimal expenses, we must come to grips with the reality that ministry and money are connected. On the other hand, the fear of many church leaders is that if they are seen asking for money too often, then the ministry will be lost in their appeals for money to support the ministry. The risk is spending all money raised to raise more money.

For the church leader who find themselves at the epicenter of this tension, let me give you something to consider: The only person worried about talking about money is you. The person in the pew understands it takes money to run a business (and yes, the church as an institutuion is a business by pure definition). The person in the pew is also expecting you to articulate your needs and demonstrate measurable ministry results through past giving. This is where tithing testimonies come into play.

The word "tithing" has become one of those theological footballs that people like to kick around. At the end of the day, tithing is descriptive of how the ministry of the church is funded. (How you define and practice tithing is a theological issue and is outside the scope of this blog. I'll leave that debate for the halls of academia. My goal is to help church leaders fully fund the ministry they have been called to accomplish through the local churches they serve.) Giving is an emotional process, not an intellectual accent to an objective point of view. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to provide testimonies of how people's lives have been changed through the ministry of your church.

If someone opposed to the theological implications of tithing, listens to this testimony from yesterday's post again, what they will hear is someone who found a healthy alternative to deal with the stressful situation of unemployment through his church and his faith. The church he participated in was obviously a place where he was involved and committed. The fact that he stayed involved even during the few months he was struggling to financially support the ministry of the church demonstrates that the ministry of the church made enough of an impact that he clung to it in his time of need and found a solution to his very real and personal problem. This is a measurable act of ministry: a life that has been changed and empowered through the ministry of the church. This is the best ROI any church can hope to provide its membership.

I suppose one could argue that this video is pure manipulation, but then you'd have to say the same thing about every non-profit who tells its story through its participants and members who volunteer and financially support the work of the cause or organization. While another person may or may not arrive at the same conclusion regarding the practice of tithing, the video clearly illustrates that there are multiples ways to deal with money. If I'm in the same situation and see this video, it might cause me to begin asking questions and exploring what God has to say about money. And we know that many churches have used financial freedom as a gateway to discuss true, eternal freedom in Christ.

Show the video. That's my vote. If the act of giving in and of itself is an emotional process, then testimonies offer people the chance to share how their life has been changed through the ministry of their church. If giving is down in your church, start telling better stories that illustrate measurable acts of ministry.

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July 6, 2009

Tithe rap with more than 173k views on YouTube...watch this...yo

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Tithing Video Testimony ... Manipulation or Education?

Church Tithe & Tithe Stewardship revisits an ongoing conversation about tithing testimonies. They point to the video below and then ask you to participate in an online poll to capture your immediate reaction to the video. I want to encourage you to watch the video and vote.

I plan to discuss the validity of tithing testimonies tomorrow.

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July 2, 2009

Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Giving when money is tight

If you are anything like me, when I read headlines about the 9.5% unemployment rate, the number of people losing their homes, and how bad the economy is, I immediately begin to tighten my fist around "my money." I take on an inward focus about money - What if I can't pay my bills? What if I lose my job? What if miss a meal? What if my bank account drops below a level with which I'm not comfortable?

While I'm focused on me, me, me, there is a whole world of people out there who are already living the reality of those fears - people living out of cars or homeless shelters or families who now depend on food banks for meals. It's kind of a "duh" statement to say, but as the economy gets worse, more and more people are in need. I understand that in my head, but somehow my heart doesn't seem to get it because instead of giving more to help others in this time of crisis, all I'm focused on is me and clenching my fist around "my money."

The truth is this: It's not my money. It's God's money. Yes, I need to be wise about cutting back on spending, but that doesn't mean I should cut back on giving. If anything, now is the opportunity to give more, investing in those ministries who are serving those who need meals or shelter or hope in Christ. First Timothy 6:17-18 instructs those who are rich not to put their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. We are to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share. You may not feel rich, but if you are out of debt, not living in car and you haven't missed a meal or missed a bill in a long time, then you just might fall into that "rich" category.

Even if you aren't rich in terms of your bank account or net worth, you can be rich in good deeds and with your giving. When we serve others by physically feeding the poor or even financially giving so that others can feed the poor, then we honor God with the wealth He has entrusted to us.

Jenny Wingard is passionate about God, local church ministry, and giving. She can be reached via Twitter or e-mail.

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July 1, 2009

Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Love More ... Expect Less

Michael Harrison has impressed me with his commitment to building the Kingdom through the ministry of the local church. And he has struggled through what that means as it related to personal finances as well as church financial development. He preached a series recently called How to Be Rich. I've asked him to share some commentary on what happened both in and out of the pulpit as he bravely dealt with what some pastors believe to be a four-letter word...money. I'm delighted he agreed to share his thoughts. Be sure to check out his blog too.

michael 8.png I love what I get to do. Is this a dream? I even ask myself that sometimes. Being a pastor is a cool job especially when you add church planter into the mix. God has shown up and given us some cool blessings and much to share.

My name is Michael Harrison, and I get to serve as lead pastor of The Community Fellowship in Collinsville, Virginia. (That is near Martinsville, VA where NASCAR racing began over 60 years ago on the best short track in the world.) The Community is just less than 3 years old. We began from a split (being honest is one of our core values) with about 50 people. The last 12 months have brought us many news friends allowing us to double in size. Each week we are averaging about 175 in worship. Our purpose is to demonstrate the love of God to our community, and we do this through serving, giving, and sharing with those we meet. It all began with a simple clothes closet outreach and has grown into all kinds of ARK's (acts of random kindness) to touch people for Jesus.

So, here is some of my story. This is why you might be here. It was just after summer last year that my wife, Julie, and I began to experience some pretty big financial problems in our personal lives. We've had God come through before, and we were again in one of those places that a miracle needed to happen. It did. But it was not a miracle from the lottery or a rich relative giving us some money. This came through the process of learning how to use what God has given us.

I met a man named Joe Sangl, and we began to talk about Joe's mission which is to see people "win with their money" by becoming financially free and living the way God intended. In November of 2008 we started living on a budget. It has not been easy all the time. But it has changed the way we live. We argue less. We have more money left at the end of the money, and life is full of much more joy. Then it hit me. Actually on our leaders at church had been to a seminar that Joe Sangl did at NewSping Church that helped them. Joe and I talked some more, and we planned for him to come to The Community to lead our people to see what Julie and I have seen.

So that is where it started. I preached a series called How to Be Rich that talked about how to build margin into your life through using what God has blessed you with. In the next few weeks I will be sharing right here some of the stuff from the series along with ideas about how you can "win with your money". We will talk about some really good news and some not so good news that relates to money. If Julie and I can find freedom and joy, you can too, and God has that prepared for you.

A little bit more about us ... we've been married for almost 16 years and have 3 awesome kids. Julie is from Vidalia, Georgia. I'm from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and now we live in Virginia. Kind of strange. But it is all good.

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