Do More Ministry: August 2009 Archives

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August 31, 2009

Vote on a new campaign slogan

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August 28, 2009

@Christbooknotes reviews Church Giving Matters

I'm grateful to Christian Book Notes for his kind and thought review of Church Giving Matters.

August 26, 2009

The Silent Middle: Bring it on!

Note: The Silent Middle began as an idea. Over the past few weeks, it has evolved into a forum to address the the everyday giver who is beyond the bondage of debt but not yet classified in the traditional sense as a high-capacity giver. I'm proud of Jenny's work. She has agreed to continue to pen The Silent Middle as a standing post, not just a guest post series. I hope you'll continue to follow her work as she works through and unveils the ministry capacity of The Silent Middle and seeks to equip this overlooked group to build the Kingdom in new and exciting ways. Be sure to read Jenny's guest post series if you haven't already.)

For months now, you have allowed me the opportunity to share with you my thoughts and ideas about personal giving, specifically concerning the Silent Middle.

Now I want to hear from you. What questions do you have about personal giving? Are there specific giving issues you would like to discuss? Do you have questions about money and the Silent Middle?

I would love to hear from you. I am by no means an expert on money or a personal financial planner, but I really want to know what you're thinking.

Here's your invitation. Bring it on!

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

Read The Silent Middle.

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August 25, 2009

Is online giving sacrilegious?

I'm asked a similar question - at least once - in nearly every group of pastors I speak to regarding technology and giving: How can we maintain giving as an act of worship if we implement online giving?

Perhaps one of the greatest objections to online giving comes from a belief in the offertory as a core element of the worship experience. However you feel about the subject, its an excellent question. In fact, I noticed a string of conversation just yesterday in a Church Business Administers forum I'm a member of. The question, as expected, generated a lot of chatter.

If you're a pastor or church leader interested in online giving but feel unprepared to address this issue within your congregation, let me offer a few points to consider:

1. The success of online giving begins with how it's presented and the level of acceptance by established lay leadership. This is why I always suggest that the Sunday online giving is introduced, the pastor and the entire deacon body give online. Whether or not they continue doing so is irrelevant. The fact that they did - even once - offers a perception of acceptance that eases the hesitation of many doubters.

2. We never recommend that a church use online giving as their only channel for support. (There are a few exceptions to this.) In most cases, online giving should be one of many options available to members. It's really not the churches decision how the member gives. The church should continue to provide a traditional, paper-based, tangible tool such as an offering envelope. Having more than one option helps address the concern some church members have regarding the preservation of the Offertory as a sacred act of worship. In other words, you're not taking anything away that presently exists.

3. Many of the churches we work with do use offering envelopes. We suggest placing a line on the weekly offering envelope that says "I gave online." This offers the member a chance to use his or her giving channel of preference AND allows them to continue to have the opportunity to participate in the giving of tithes and offerings as incorporated into the corporate worship experience.

One person put it to me this way: online giving will be propelled by the acceptance of technology. As people move away from paper forms of monetary exchange and move to online or electronic exchange exlusively, how a church collects tithes and offerings will change too. We know we are presently in the midst of this change. It's important for church leaders to begin to deal with electronic giving while it's still a voluntary choice and not a mandate.

August 24, 2009

Offering envelopes aren't cool ... so what?

I recently read The Uncool Offering Envelope and thought Kevin's "cool" chart was pretty interesting. In the chart, churches who used offering envelopes were at the bottom. (Wow! That's shocking!)

I know. I know. I lead a business unit at LifeWay related to offering envelopes. BUT I'm not offended. In fact, I welcome Kevin's thoughts. For the sake of discussion, I do feel the need to point out that his thoughts (not him, this is NOT a personal attack) represent an uninformed constituency that has little experience and training in funding non-profits.

So when I read the that the "cool factor" is a reason NOT to use offering envelopes ... I'm confused. When did "cool" become a requirement ... for anything ... everything ... in church?

Is it "cool" to cut the grass each week?
Is it "cool" to deal with security systems, liability, and insurance?
Is it "cool" to manage the financial and accounting functions?
Is it "cool" to make sure Sunday School literature is available?
Is it "cool" to recruit and train volunteers?
Is it "cool" to prospect for new members?
Is it "cool" to manage the details of any ministry program?
Is it "cool" to make sure the church van has the oil changed and is serviced regularly?

(I think you get my point.)

No. OF COURSE NOT. It's boring. It's mundane.

But all of these realities are present in almost every ministry, church, etc. I work with. And if no one took care of these details ... no MINISTRY would take place.

Here is what is cool. More than $300 BILLION in charitable giving dollars was given in 2008.

So who are the organizations that benefit from this generosity?

World Vision
Samartian's Purse
Bread for the World
(To name a few.)

Are they cool? Yes. Is the work they're doing important? ABSOLUTELY!

And what does every letter from World Vision and Samaritan's Purse include ... oh yeah ... an envelope!

Why? BECAUSE IT WORKS. It's the single most EFFECTIVE (non-human) response tool EVER employed to raise money.

Tell World Vision the envelope isn't cool and they'll say ...

I don't care about COOL. I care about FUNDING!

I can't pay staff with COOL.
I can't build programs with COOL.
I can't develop leaders with COOL.
I can't recruit volunteers with COOL.

Of that $300+ BILLION in total charitable giving dollars in 2008 ... $100+ Billion was given to religious organizations, that is houses of worship ... more commonly known as ... CHURCHES.

And do you know what the most popular tool churches use to fund their budgets is? Yep ... you guessed it: Offering Envelopes!

(Note: For those of you into online giving, an an increasing number of the churches we serve are using online giving options. I'm all for it. But you should know only 9% of all charitable giving contributions in 2008 were given using these electronic channels. And those 9% only gave 11% of the $300+ Billion. Growing medium? Yes. Highest producing channel? No ... at least not yet.)

MINISTRY COSTS MONEY ... and LOTS of it! And most people still choose traditional (yes, I know that's a four-letter word for some who believe in "cool") methods of financial support such as cash and checks to underwrite the ministry of the churches and organizations they believe in.

Yes, every church needs to decide whether or not offering envelopes are right for them. But only careful evaluation and consideration will tell whether or not offering envelopes should be a part of the systematic giving strategy of your church's funding plan.

But please ... PLEASE ... don't make your decision based on whether or not the offering envelope is ... well ... cool!

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August 21, 2009

Why I do what I do

Have you ever thought about WHY you do what you do?

Is it because you couldn't find anything else to do?
Is it because you let somebody else tell you how you should spend your days?

If you answered YES to either of those questions, then STOP RIGHT NOW.

LEAVE.

GO do something ELSE that ignites the very core of who you are.

If the reason you do what you do is anything less than BECAUSE YOU CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD DO RIGHT NOW, then it's time for a change!

I call myself the CHIEF BROKER OF OPPORTUNITY.
I help churches fund their budgets.
I help pastors and church leaders do what seminary failed to prepare them to do ... manage the pressure of dollars in the plate and people in the pew.

What's really strange is that I stumbled into this world.

BUT it keeps getting bigger and BIGGER!

I met with a church yesterday that should be thriving, but it's not. It's struggling due to some things it can control and - like all of us - things it can't control. I listened. We discussed. I left the meeting not sure the direction to take BUT I COULDN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT THEM and the challenge before us.

Then it hit me.
An idea came to me that I thought might work.
I made a phone call.
It was well received.
So the work began.

I woke up early this morning ... 4 AM ... and wrote a proposal for this church to consider.

THEY LOVED IT!

Not because it was all about ME but because it was ALL ABOUT THEM ... even better ... the end result was FULL of POSSIBILITY!

And they said ....

YES!
LET'S DO IT!
WE'RE IN!

Don't we all love it when we put ourselves out there and someone else says that's EXACTLY what I was looking for but couldn't find. OF COURSE!

I help pastors and church leaders be successful balancing ministry and money. But MONEY is not the end result ... it's the vehicle that God provides to fund the ministry HE has called the CHURCH to accomplish, a unique purpose that only the CHURCH is designed to fulfill.

I do what I do because I believe ...

the CHURCH CAN'T FAIL. There is no PLAN B.

The thought of playing a role in the Church realizing its God given potential is what gets me up early and keeps me up late. It's what causes me to take on the challenge, even when it seems impossible.

I CAN'T HELP MYSELF. So I keep going. Why? BECAUSE I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE I WOULD BE DOING RIGHT NOW if I wasn't doing what I do!

Why do you do what you do?

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August 20, 2009

Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Feeding Jesus

The issue of hunger is never a comfortable, or even sometimes familiar, subject. I remember as a kid when I had food left on my plate after dinner, my mom would say, "You have to eat that. There are starving kids in China."

Whether or not the last few bites of my broccoli made it into my stomach or the trash can, I wasn't sure how that would help the starving Chinese kids. And they were halfway around the world, far from my snug little home where we never missed a meal. I didn't care about hungry children in a far distant land. I just didn't want to eat my vegetables.

These days you don't have to go to China to find hungry people. In America today, one out of eight people are what they call "food insecure," meaning they don't have enough food for a nutritious meal. If you are like me when I read that statistic, I immediately thought, " Well, I rarely have a 'nutritious' meal. I mean, how nutritious can fries and chicken nuggets or Totinos pizzas be?" But the fact is that I have enough resources that if I wanted a healthy meal, I could buy one. Many of the one in eight mentioned above have no access to food, period, much less nutritious.

I know that seems hard to believe considering we live in America, where it seems we have an abundance of everything. But in many places around our country, hunger is a big issue, especially now. The current economic crisis has changed the face of hunger. The number of Americans who can't afford food increased by 30 percent last year. It's no longer starving children in China; it's starving children and adults in your neighborhood or in your children's classrooms.

And while eating all of our broccoli might not help the hungry around us, there are many practical things we can do. Last week I mentioned the child who left a food bank excited that he got to eat that day. When I went to the grocery store Saturday with my coupons in hand, the child's question, "Mommy, do we get to eat today" was ringing in my head. As I found deals on food for my household, I found other deals on food that I could take to our church for a local food bank. My favorite find was a box of 39-cent mac and cheese. While it seems like anybody on earth could afford a 39-cent box of mac and cheese, I realized that a single mom who had to pay the electric bill and buy milk might not have 39 cents left over for dinner. That small amount to me may be a huge deal to a hungry child.

If you are human, it just seems right that as your plate is full, why not give the abundance to those whose plates are empty. Even the government and local prisoners are helping the cause.

But even more than that, as Christians we are following in obedience, serving God and spreading the Kingdom as we help the hungry. In Matthew 25, commending the believers who fed the hungry, Jesus tells them, "Whatever you have done for the least of these, you did for me." The "least of these" aren't just in China. What will you do today to help "the least of these" in your own city?

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

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August 19, 2009

What you don't want your members to know ... Tithing Tricks

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August 18, 2009

The Money Song (that never talks about money)

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August 17, 2009

Survey Responses Needed ... Technology and Tithing

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August 14, 2009

How to Be Rich ... just in case you missed it

Just in case you missed Michael Harrison's Guest Post series, How to Be Rich, here is a quick list for you to reference.

Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Love More ... Expect Less
Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Good News & Bad News
Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Meet Joe Sangl
Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Winning with What You Have
Guest Post: How to Be Rich - The Lie of Riches
Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Being a Rich Giver
Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Living on a budget changed my life

I have to admit that I'm bummed this series is over. Michael is a great writer, thinker, and pastor. God is using him in dynamic ways. Most importantly, Michael is courageous enough to balance the tension between money and ministry and lead his church to do the same. It's an important conversation, and I was glad to be able to host this series on the Do More Ministry blog.

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August 13, 2009

Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Spoiled on a budget

As I reported a few weeks ago, I attended my first coupon seminar in an attempt to save a little more on the grocery budget for the month. By instituting a few of the practices shared during the seminar, I have managed to save about 25 percent on my grocery bills so far. (Woo hoo!)

Part of the coupon success strategy is what they call "stockpiling" - it's buying large quantities of things that are really, really good deals. In the past three weeks, I have managed to "stockpile" eight boxes of cereal in my pantry. If my husband and I had to exist on cereal for all of our meals, we would be set.

Couponing to me is a challenge, and seeing my pantry stocked with lots of food from good deals is exciting to me, even a stamp of success and accomplishment. But this week God gave me a little dose of reality to put my stockpiling in perspective.

A few of my coworkers and I went to serve breakfast at the local homeless shelter before work this week (a separate dose of reality that I can talk about at another time). When we arrived back at work, I was sharing with another coworker about our experience, and she mentioned that her church had committed to have each family bring at least one perishable item a week to church to help their community food bank. She said that the gentleman who proposed this idea volunteers at the food bank and he was inspired by one single question proposed by a young boy to his mother as they walked out of the food bank one day. With food in hand, he turned to his mother and said,

"Mommy, do we get to eat today?"

Hearing this from my coworker immediately made me sick to my stomach to think of the eight boxes of cereal in my own pantry. It is good to save money and my husband and I will definitely end up eating all of the cereal, but who am I to hold on to eight boxes of cereal while children are going hungry, desperate for food?

Even though my husband and I are on a budget, we are definitely spoiled. God opened my eyes this week, which is really the first step in giving. We all have resources, whether its money or groceries or clothing we don't wear, that we can share with others in need. Ask God to open your eyes today to areas where you, like me, are spoiled on a budget and can instead give with an open hand in His name.

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

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August 12, 2009

Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Living on a budget changed my life

Ok. It is really Jesus who changed my life. Fact is that May 10, 1986, I understood that my life was empty, without hope, and headed in the wrong direction without Jesus. Something had to change and it did. Jesus moved into my life just as He said he would.

Wait just a minute there. I was raised in church. Actually I was in church 9 months before I was born. Mom taught Sunday School. Dad was a deacon. We had it all together, or so it seemed. For years I remember that we went to church, but it was a schedule thing most of the time. Faith was an extra and not a central piece. But I heard the truth.

In those early years my life was modeled by some incredible people: Libby my baby sitter and mom's best friend, Pastor Robert Bayles (who years later on his retirement gave me a huge part of his library), a Sunday School teacher who was missing a couple fingers (I can't remember his name) who taught me that I was "somebody," Dick Porter who taught my 4th grade Sunday School, Danny Stockton (who was there the day I got saved and poured his life out for a group of boys), Phil Dietz (my youth pastor who now has more than 10 of us in full time ministry), and the list goes on. I am in debt to these great people who taught me.

Back to where I STARTED. Yes, living on a budget changed my life. When Julie and I began to live with what we have and on a budget, some things changed in our lives and in our home. We began to live without creating more debt and to be better givers. In putting our budget together, we had to become more strategic and use what we had.

The process began by simply listening to someone who learned and had been where we were. One of the things we are beginning to offer at The Community Fellowship is some people who can lead you through this process of living on a budget. They have been there and won. There are no catches. You don't have to tithe more. You don't have to put the church in your will. You just have to be ready to live different and want to see that God will help you live with more victory than you have ever had.

I meet people every week who are at the end of their financial rope. Bankruptcy. Huge debt. And lots of other issues as it relates to money. What I hear in those conversations is the simple fact is that people need hope and they need help.

Last night I saw a message from Casey Graham where he said that people respond best with friends and when real people challenge them to be givers or to change. That is a fact.

God called the church to be people who share the truth. We must quit leaving the hard subjects for the locker rooms and courtrooms, for social services and the paid counselors. It is time to address issues. And one of the biggest issues taking place among the families who attend our churches and others is the issue of not knowing how to deal with our money.

The series How to Be Rich gave me the opportunity to share what was going on with our family. Living on a budget changed our lives. It is allowing us to give more, to be free from some things that have hurt us and more. It has taught us to teach our children better. It has given us an opportunity to offer hope to other people who are in deep trouble as we were (and are still getting out of).

In the last 6 weeks, I've given you some things to think about when it comes to living different with the money God has given you. These are not some theory or philosophy on how to get rich. I'm not talking to you out of a textbook. Here you have my heart.

God wants you to win in life. Remember John 10:10? Satan's job is to take from you, but God is a giver. He is ready to give to you. But are we ready? Can we handle the blessings? Sadly, the answer is most often NO.

It is time to get real with the stuff God has blessed you with. It is time to live in victory with your money. Will you join me? Jesus changed my life and continues to change my life as I follow Him. One of those things is this: living on a budget changed my life. Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. (See 1 Timothy 6:17.)

So, there it is. The last piece of what I will share in this How to Be Rich series. If you don't mind I need to thank some people. My wife, Julie, has helped this process work, and we are still working it. My dad and mom have stuck by me big time and been our cheerleaders and advisors. Joe Sangl is a man on a mission to help people like you and me find victory with what we have. Check him out. Thanks to my brother, Steve, for believing in me. Thanks to Northpoint and to Lifechurch.tv for getting real with series they share. I learned much from them and shared much of what I learned in what I taught. Thanks Ben Stroup for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to share. Last, thank you Jesus for never ever giving up on your kids!

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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4 articles on money and ministry you should read

1. Charity industry gets some needed scrutiny

2. How to Get Donors to Resume Their Support

3. "Money Follows Ministry:" Why It's a Myth

4. Slump Strains Church Finances as Need Grows

Find more than 200 media links related to ministry and money on delicious.com/domoreministry.

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August 11, 2009

Guest Post: Trade Tithing - $100 Million For America's Churches

Ira e-mailed me after reading my recent article for Church Solutions, Beyond the Offering Plate. He shared with me what he calls a "wide net" concept that he believes in an undervalued revenue stream for churches. I think he has revealed an entirely new economy that could build bridges to professionals outside the church as well as significantly benefit those leading local congregations. I always enjoy hearing from readers, and I especially enjoy entertaining creative funding options for churches.

Churches could gain $100 million of new spending power over the next three years by cultivating business owners and self-employed individuals in new ways. Many of these owners are committed congregants who donate what they can to support the ministry and wish they could do more. Now they can.

Most businesses have surplus goods or unsold services--even more so in a recession. These idle resources aren't contributing any profit to the business. Churches can tap this vast potential.

The necessary infrastructure, called a trade exchange or barter club, is already in place. It's an organization of businesses that sell their surplus for "Trade Dollars" instead of cash--then use Trade Dollars to buy what they need from the exchange's trade marketplace.

The church can access this remarkable abundance by joining a trade exchange and inviting business-owning congregants to do likewise. These owners will earn Trade Dollars and, as a bonus, capture new customers. (Most trade exchanges charge fees for their services.)

Business owners can afford to be generous with Trade Dollars because these earnings come from selling unproductive surplus. Spending or donating Trade Dollars doesn't dent anyone's regular budget, making it even easier to be generous. Instead of 10%, committed congregants may tithe 30%, 60% or even 100% of their trade earnings.

Further, donated Trade Dollars are tax deductible. And a trade exchange can deposit "Trade Tithes" automatically into the church's trade account the moment they are earned. Instant access!

A church can accomplish many things with donated Trade Dollars; available goods and services vary by place and time. In Houston, mid-2009, a church could spend Trade Dollars on window washing services, concrete poured for a new driveway or several thousand other things.

In a given year, the US economy has an estimated $1 trillion in surplus goods and excess service capacity. I don't believe God intends these resources to lie idle while the church struggles with budget gaps. Do you?

A trade exchange is the catalyst to make things happen. Explore its creative possibilities.

Ira Dember co-founded National Trade Banc, one of America's largest privately-held trade exchanges. National has participants from coast to coast and can make special arrangements with churches interested in Trade Tithing. He can be reached via e-mail or phone 713-983-8244.

Special Note: If you call or e-mail this week, give him a break. He's on vacation! But he'll get back with you next week.

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August 10, 2009

Belmont University takes note of Church Giving Matters

Read Alumnus Publishes Book on Church Giving.

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August 7, 2009

What David Landrith and Long Hollow did right #lhcrazylove

My family and I are in search of a new church home. I recently completed a two-year part-time pastorate just north of Nashville. We have visited several churches in the area. The one we seem to keep coming back to is Long Hollow.

Last week, Long Hollow introduced The Crazy Love Campaign. Essentially, this is a series of five offerings over the next 18 months or so designed to fund some strategic initiatives.

I've been in church my entire life. I've seen a lot of change in my 29 years of observing church leaders "do their thing." BUT my experience last Sunday was unlike any other. Since I'm in the business of helping churches fund the ministry God has called them to do, I was paying close attention (and admittedly deconstructing) the entire experience.

The theme of the day was the "State of the Church" address. What I heard was a compelling case to support and get involved in ministry locally and globally. Here are a few things that I think David Landrith and Long Hollow did right:

1. David invited me. There was no consultant giving a polished presentaton. It was the pastor extending to me the opportunity not to decide where the church would focus but to join him and the church in this endeavor. I contend that the pastor is uniquely gifted to lead the church where God has placed him. People would rather hear a compelling message from him than a pitch from a consultant. This tactic capitalized on relationships and made the appeal, from the very beginning, personal.

2. David defined the work and the necessary funding. People respond emotionally when they give but still want to know the details like how much is needed, what will the money fund, and how will we measure our success. People have limited dollars, so they want to be sure that giving those dollars to your church helps them accomplish something that is consistent with what's important to them and something they couldn't do on their own.

3. The ministry that needs to be funded isn't self-centered. One of the most compelling pieces of this campaign is a partnership with a worldwide ministry to establish, for Long Hollow to establish, a sustainable community in a foreign country. This community includes, homes, school, clinic, church, sustainable food resources, etc.. It will breathe life into a hopeless group of people barely able to hang on. While there are some things like campus building improvements, largely this campaign is about reaching out in the community - both locally and internationally - and investing in other people.

4. Everything was defined. I didn't just see a lump sum of money as a goal. Each of the four parts of this campaign were assigned a dollar value. There were no secrets. David laid it all out on the table. Bottom line, each person in attendance knew exactly what they were being asked to invest in and how much it would take to fully fund each part of the plan.

5. The goal was broken down into giving units. The multi-million dollar figure was broken down over five offerings, to fund four strategic ministry objectives, by each individual giving unit. And each unit amount was broken down to the cost of a daily coffee from speciality coffee stores. This makes it doable for the average joe. (No pun intended.) It wasn't "too big" for me to think I can't do this. And it reinforced that if everyone did their part, we could reach the goal. And all of us like to "win."

6. Long Hollow made it shareable by empowering its members (and visitors) to utilize technology to spread the word and reinforce the message. The reality is that I'm not a member (yet) but we are going to participate. And I'll bet there are some who don't even live in Tennessee who will contribute simply because they saw something on Twitter or Facebook that inspired them and God used to call them to participate in this endeavor. Social media allows churches to empower every person, the least common denominator, to become an evangelist, spokesperson, fund-raiser for ministry. (One thing I hope they do is create a widget similar to the Red Kettle Widget the Salvation Army used during Christmas 2008.)

7. I left with something in hand. I could review it long after the initial appeal was made. I've looked at it every day since Sunday. I'm proud to be a part of this campaign. This is important in the event I didn't remember all the details. And I didn't. No one could. Each time I look at the piece handed out, the project seems to get bigger and bigger.

8. David made the ask. He said the first offering is on "this date." Expect it. Plan on it. Write it down. Put in on your calendar. He plainly told everyone in the room (and who watched via internet) that it would take everyone. The giving unit figure was doable, but he challenged those who could do more to do so. And those who couldn't quite meet the expectations, he affirmed that they should give what they can. The case would not have been as compelling had David chosen to be "soft" when it came to this part of the presentation. I don't mean to suggest that he was as obnoxious as a tv evangelist. But calling people to action, measurable action is what making the ask is all about. Behavior is the greatest evidence of our level of commitment. We value what we fund.

I could write a book on how churches should "make the ask." (Maybe that will be the subject of my next book.) But I have to hand it to David and Long Hollow. They did it first-class.

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August 6, 2009

20 reasons why you should use offering envelopes

Someone recently challenged me to come up with 20 reasons why a church should use offering envelopes.

I took the challenge.

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Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Giving is exciting, even without dodging bullets

I remember earlier this year when I began to see advertisements for a new TV show coming this summer called The Philanthropist. I thought, "How cool! They are finally creating a show that exposes the thrills of giving!"

Much to my disappointment, the show didn't turn out as I imagined. The storyline follows a billionaire as he dodges bullets and danger while going into war zones or foreign countries to create multi-million dollar deals that benefit his company financially while supposedly benefiting hurting people groups. Now doesn't that sound like a realistic everyday giving scenario!

To make philanthropy exciting, Hollywood has to throw in a little danger, some drama and an international wealthy playboy on private planes and an expensive lifestyle. There was an attempt last year by Oprah to highlight the positives of a generous life through her show The Big Give. But even that show had to spice up giving with nail-biting challenges and grand finales where people were voted off the show for not giving or raising enough for charity.

Giving in its purest form is exciting, even without the drama and danger. There are some people who are called to go into dangerous countries to help the needy, but for most of us, giving is a simpler act - it's throwing extra money in the offering plate above the tithe amount. It's dropping some groceries on the doorstep of a neighbor who was laid off and is having trouble paying the bills and feeding his family. It's giving up a Starbucks coffee once a week and instead sponsoring a child halfway around the world who you may never meet but whose life is changed because of your willingness to give.

And while there may not be drama and big excitement on our end of the giving equation, there is on the receiving end. Imagine the face of a man who has no idea where the next meal will come from, but opens the door to see a bag of groceries delivered by God on his doorstep.

Or picture the face of a child who is told that she can stay safely in a Christian group home with a roof and hot meals because a stranger is sponsoring her second chance at a good life.

Envision the face of a person who hears about the life-changing Gospel of Christ for the first time from a missionary God inspired you to sponsor, and think of the joy you will feel when you see that person in heaven, knowing that God gave you an opportunity to be a part of that person accepting Christ.

Have faith that while giving can sometimes seem insignificant or mundane on your end, even the smallest amount given in God's economy can mean exciting life changes for someone on the receiving end.

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

Related Posts:
The Silent Middle
An appeal from "The Silent Middle"
Guest Post: The Silent Middle - A letter to pastors
Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Giving out of gratefulness
Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Planting seeds
Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Bring the givers together
Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Giving when money is tight
Guest Post: The Silent Middle - I love the "t" word ... tithing
Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Who's the hero in your giving?
Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Cutting Coupons can lead to Kingdom Impact
Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Give from the heart, not a mathematical formula

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August 5, 2009

Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Being a Rich Giver

About a year ago I began to look at giving records to non-profits such as churches and parachurch organizations. The bulk of gifts don't come from the place you and I might think such as from the wealthy. The overwhelming truth is that people with less money give more often and give a greater percentage of what they have.

As I shared with our church in the How to Be Rich series we have to first come to understand that we are rich people. Even if we don't see ourselves as rich, we are. If we make over $20,000 per year, we are among the top 10% of wage earners on the planet. If the figure is $36,000, then you are in the top 4%. That seems crazy, yet God wants us to see that all we have really are blessings and gifts from Him.

So why is it that we act like and think that what we have belongs to us? Knowing that it all belongs to God makes us give differently. In our case, this began with getting our finances in order (and we are still in the process). Because we have for 15 years used money to serve us rather than serve God, some things had to change. Yeah, we have been tithing and giving for all these years, but we could have given more had we not had debt.

What happens when God's people get their house and their finances in order?

Big things can happen.
God will begin to work in ways we don't expect.
Check out 2 Corinthians 9:7,11.

I want to be the person that God loves. No, I'm not looking to earn God's love through using my money right, but I would like to honor God with all I have. We can't earn God love because we can't earn what we already have. Think about it this way: when we begin to use what we have in the way God intended it to be used, God will make our lives work as He intended them to work. That is less of me and more of Him. Right?

The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives. Deuteronomy 14:23 (The Living Bible)

The purpose of life is to put God first, but that is hard and not very common. This process as well as this teaching series has brought more light to my life and more joy to my days than I thought possible.

One of the things that we did was to give our people a challenge. It is The "90 Day Giving Challenge" where we asked people who were giving to keep on and people who were not giving to begin. If at the end of 90 days they had not seen God work in their lives, we would refund all that they gave. That is a huge challenge, and about 10 families took us up on the challenge. None have asked for a refund.

I am convinced that what we as leaders do is what our people are going to begin doing. One of our gifted leaders reminded me often before last fall that until I was willing to live on a budget that I could not teach others to do the same. Now I understand that truth, and we are watching people begin to win with their money.

Next week I will close out this series with some final notes and a story or two. But I have to say a big thanks to Joe Sangl and to Lifechurch.tv for all that they shared with me to get ourselves on track to use what we have to give God more honor in our lives. Another great series that will get you thinking is the Lost series from Andy Stanley (get it by clicking here). See ya next week!

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.

Related Post:
Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Love More ... Expect Less
Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Good News & Bad News
Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Meet Joe Sangl
Guest Post: How to Be Rich - Winning with What You Have
Guest Post: How to Be Rich - The Lie of Riches

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Joe Sangl reviews Church Giving Matters

Joe Sangl is one of those guys you meet and never forget. He has a crazy passion for the church and helping church leaders establish debt ministries in their communities. Think about it, pastor. What if you could help 5% or 10% of your community enter a financial revolution that changed their life forever? Think about the bridge that would build with people (skeptics, unbelievers, and believers alike) that demonstrates your church offers practical, relevant advice that improves their quality of life and ... oh yeah ... also shows the way to life forever with our Creator. (Can a conversation on debt really lead to a conversation about salvation? YES!)

Joe is leading a crusade to empower the church to mobilize its membership for ministry. Check him out. Spend 3 minutes on his Web site, and I promise you'll want to give him a call.

I'm proud to know him and call him a friend. And I'm grateful for the book review he posted on his blog today.

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August 4, 2009

Close the gap in giving to your church

During the fall season, church leaders hope to close the gap between contributions to their annual ministry plan and the costs of ministry. Many churches strive to "meet budget" by year end. Assuming that is one of your goals, what should you know as you encourage generous giving?

1. People give to causes, not to institutions.
2. People give to people, not to budgets (or projects).
3. People give from their values.
4. People give to achieve outcomes (greater than "meeting budget").
5. Churches have no needs. People have needs - Churches have solutions.

(Note: This excerpt is taken from Rusty's e-newletter designed to inform and equip church leaders. Click here to begin receiving this e-newsletter.)

Rusty Lewis is a friend and peer. He has been successful at helping churches and church leaders balance the tension between money and ministry. Follow him on Twitter and subscribe to his blog, Generosity Matters.

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August 3, 2009

Church Solutions posted article on multiple funding options

Church Solutions recently featured a Do More Ministry post about multiple funding options for churches as their Ministry Mindset Guest Blog for the week. The response was very positive, so the online editor asked me to expand my ideas into an article. Beyond the Offering Plate appeared on the Web site this morning and is scheduled to be featured in this week's e-newsletter.

Please share, tweet, etc. this as much as you'd like. The response rate helps the print editors decide what articles make it into the print edition of their magazine. Your help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. (Yes, I'm fully aware this is a shameless plug.)

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