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November 24, 2009
Pushing the limits of church funding: Build investors
People don't have a GIVING problem. They have a giving to YOUR CHURCH problem.
The fact of the matter is...the person in the pew is the one God has endowed with the resources to fund His church. And that person takes his or her role seriously. They are looking for the best place to "invest" those resources.
Sometimes it's in stuff that is self-serving.
Sometimes it's in other like-minded organizations that look and feel like things the church should be doing.
Sometimes...but not always...(and maybe less and less these days)...it's in their local church.
WHY?
Americans don't have a money problem. At least not compared to...well...um...the REST of the world.
So where does that money go?
Most of the time?....Somewhere else!
It goes to hospital and educational systems. It goes to civic organizations and political campaigns. It even goes to para-church organizations.
BUT far too often (YES...FAR TOO OFTEN) it never makes it's way into the offering plates (or whatever collection device of choice) of the church.
I think it stems from one reality. We aren't treating the people in the pew like the INVESTORS they are.
They...just like we do in our personal investing...want to see a ROI. Maybe that looks different than a quarterly 401(k) report. SO WHAT?
The church leader still has to PROVE an ROI. Why? Because if we don't, we RISK LOSING the dollars God intended for the church due to our own effort and not God's intention.
What are you doing today to offer a "Kingdom investment plan" that returns eternal dividends?
If you don't...well...let's face it...someone else already is.
Posted by bstroup at November 24, 2009 8:42 AM
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