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September 15, 2009
People are people. Not an ATM.
People are people.
They are not VENDING MACHINES ... They are not SLOT MACHINES.
If we have the right code, they don't just "do" what WE want them to do.
I'm consistently amazed at the disconnect we have in "church speak" between the words "community" and "giving." We talk A LOT about creating community and fostering an environment where "everyone knows your name."
BUT when it comes to giving, we absolutely LOSE our people skills.
Community stimulates giving.
OK. I'll admit. There are times when people give even when they don't have a clear connection with the organization or cause. BUT in the life of the church we need sustained (a.k.a. faithful) giving in order to fully fund our ministry budgets. That means we need to find the connection between our practice of community and giving within the life of the church.
Church who are successful at ASSIMILATION are also likely to be successful at MAXIMIZING the giving capacity of its membership. People give as an outward sign of an inward commitment. If a person isn't involved, they AREN'T committed. And they probably won't be giving either.
Managing the relationship between each individual member and the church is as important as managing the operational expenses of the organization.
Poor relationship investing = poor (perhaps NO) giving habits
Excellent relationship investing = sustained (perhaps GENEROUS) giving
People are people. Not an ATM. If all you want it an ATM, find a bank ...
And be sure to ask for an EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION.
You'll need it.
If you can't manage relationships, your church won't survive. Period.
Related Posts:
Stewardship and Assimilation are closely linked
Giving and the Church Member Experience, Conclusion
Research connects church giving and attendance
Posted by bstroup at September 15, 2009 3:45 PM
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