Do More Ministry

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 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 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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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.

Related Post:
Respond to survey ... accountability and effectiveness essential

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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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July 21, 2009

Respond to survey ... accountability and effectiveness essential

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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 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 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.

Related Posts:
Should churches rely on one stream of income?
Follow up to additional sources of income for churches...tomorrow
Multiple funding options for churches

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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

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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June 30, 2009

Multiple funding options for churches

I recently posted about multiple funding options for churches. This seemed to touch on a sensitive area for some (and confused others). Some of you have shared with me what you're church is doing to fund the ministry of your church outside of total dependence upon weekly giving. Excellent! I love hearing ideas. Some of you have also shared your objections and concerns that funding outside of tithes and offerings may be outside of God's design. I respect that too.

The bottom line is this (yes, punn intended): More Money. More Ministry. No Money. No Ministry. As church members increase their expectations of churches and as churches race to compete with the attention-grabbing messages and work from the traditional non-profit world, churches are facing competition that I'm convinced some church leaders don't even realize exists. If churches are going to meet the growing demands of ministry, the funding has to also increase.

There are two troubling things with weekly tithes and offerings: One, the assumption that the tithe is reserved for the local church alone no longer exists. Two, the attendance patterns of members is less frequent than it has been in years past. The combination of these two elements decreases the chances that weekly giving will fully fund the ministry budget of your church.

There is no magic combination of funding options for every church. Each funding plan should be contextualized to fit the ministry demands of the church and the community in which it exists. That being said, there are a few elements that should be present within every congregation's funding plan in addition to weekly giving: major gift development, special fund-raising initiatives/campaigns, estate tithing/foundations, donor base cultivation (or what I sometimes call compound giving).

Some of the most creative options that I've seen are: hosting ongoing community events that cultivate givers among non-church members (and maybe even non-Christians), leasing space in a local strip mall to help members who find themselves unemployed start their own business and in turn any proceeds from things like rent, etc. the church reap's from the success of the new business is invested back into the church, and establishing each new ministry with seed money for a defined period of time with the intent that the new ministry must become self-funding.

How are you creatively meeting the funding demands of the ministry your church has been called to do?

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June 29, 2009

Follow up to additional sources of income for churches...tomorrow

Apparently, last Friday's post grabbed the attention of more than a few church leaders. There was a lot of chatter on the subject between Twitter, my cell phone, my Google Talk account, Facebook, e-mail, etc.

I will expand more tomorrow on other revenue streams that churches should be considering as part of their overall funding strategy. I thought I'd point to a few posts today that I feel are relevant to this conversation:

Contributions down? Time to innovate
Decline in church giving could force innovation
The paradox of church giving in a struggling economy
Get strategic about church giving
9 steps to survival in a challenging economy

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June 26, 2009

Should churches rely on one stream of income?

NationalChristianPoll.com recently released Church Budget Priorities Survey Executive Report. Page 3 begins exploring "Church Income and Operating Budget."

"33% of all churches say all (100%) of their principal sources of income are from tithes and offerings."

I immediately began shaking my head. Why would an organization dedicated to such an important task willingly place themselves in such a risky position as to rely completely on the weekly tithes and offerings of those in attendance? (Notice I didn't say membership. The regularity of member attendance is shifting. Gone are the days when you can expect even your "best" members to be present every week.)

No one builds a sustainable business on one good customer. Why? Because circumstances change. Executive Management changes. Competitors change. There are numerous reasons why it's better to spread your business income over multiple clients instead of one. You shouldn't need an MBA to know that. It's obvious.

That being the case, I'm absolutely amazed at the lack of concern many church leaders have when it comes to funding the churches they lead. Any leader who derives his income from the generous giving of church members ought to consider multiple streams of income to, at the very least, ensure he is able to feed his family, pay his bills, and survive in the midst of any change in church giving habits. Any leader who understands that others who benefit from social ministries such as food or clothing ministries, addication support services, etc. out to seek out multiple streams of income to ensure those who deeply depend on the church for help aren't left to fend for themselves in the event the church "runs out of money." (Can you imagine how difficult it would be to tell a hungry family - face to face - that the church doesn't have money to stock the food pantry any more?)

As the demand for more complex ministry solutions increases, more money will be required to fund the ministries that will meet those needs. There comes a point in the lifecycle of every organization when it becomes fiscally responsible to add additional streams of revenue to support the growing ministry of the church.

How much ministry is left on the table simply because we limit our ministry capacity to one source of revenue?

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June 18, 2009

Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Planting seeds

With times being economically lean right now, it seems home gardens are on the rise. More Americans are inspired to get their hands dirty as they plant seeds in their backyards with the hopes of growing fresh food and saving money.

I often tell my husband that we are also in a season of planting seeds - not physically, but financially. Even though we have limited resources at the moment, we seem to have unlimited ways in which we would like to spend our money. I'm sure many in "The Silent Middle" can relate. Even though you may be free from consumer debt and credit card payments, your car could use new brakes or your house could have more insulation. Your local furniture store is having a sale and you'd really like a new coffee table. And that long weekend at the beach really seems to be calling your name.

None of these ways to spend money are necessarily bad, but considering where we are economically, what is the best way to spend our paychecks, for those who still have them? My husband and I are trying to spend money by planting seeds. We continue to invest in our retirement fund, trusting God as we plant seeds for our future. Instead of buying a new coffee table, we chose instead to put that money in savings, planting seeds of savings in case an emergency comes up.

My husband has his own business and opportunities seem to appear every week that might be good investments. Praying through each opportunity, we select a few to invest in, planting seeds in businesses that may temporarily reduce some of our cash flow, but God-willing, will result in future income.

But we don't just want to plant seeds for our future here on earth. We in "The Silent Middle" need to plant seeds for our eternal future - through giving. Giving may not necessarily provide more income right now or enable us to retire, but giving does plant seeds for God's glory as we use the resources He has entrusted to us to further His name and help those in need.

With so many people hurting, right now is an incredible opportunity to plant seeds of love through giving. And here's a news flash - even if you save all of your pennies and one day have what seems like unlimited resources, there will always be unlimited ways to spend those resources. Go ahead and start learning today how to intentionally choose to plant seeds with your spending and giving. The fruit that will result will be greater than you ever imagined.

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

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June 16, 2009

Your members can hit the mute button ... if they want to

I'm an advocate for the local church. I believe that it is the fundamental building block God designed to carry forward the earthly ministry of Christ until His ultimate return. Bottom line, the church can't fail because there is no plan B. This is why I am so passionate about helping churches achieve fully funded budgets and long-term sustainable ministries.

A subject I have not been silent on is the fact that the assumptions about the person in the pew are changing. It's not longer within the authority of the church to compel its membership to fund the ministry of the church. (I'd rather not get into a theological debate. My focus is not on what "should" be but was "is.") Today, the church finds itself in a position of making an appeal as to why their church's ministry is the best place for every available dollar of the person in the pew.

The risk in poor donor development strategy (overwhelming your membership with giving opportunities, fund-raisers, etc.) is that there is a gluttony of information directed at the member. When you are making the heads of even your best, most committmed members spin from all the newsletters, e-mails, events, etc., you've gone too far. And just like other sources of information, the people in your pews are empowered to hit the mute button and turn you off. (Be warned! Once this happens, it's difficult to overcome.)

Donors are figuring out how to shut you up features a video from Charity Navigator, an online non-profit watchdog designed to be an advocate for the donor in the sometimes predatory culture of non-profit development work. This video explains how to limit donor exposure so that donors can support the causes and organizations they believe in while not setting the donor up for a flood of appeals.

It's won't be long before a version of Charity Navigator exists for churches. What if the next video that comes out is how to turn your church on mute? If that was possible, how many in your congregation would push that button just to shut you up?

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June 15, 2009

If you do something stupid, say so

When we talk about fund and donor development, one word always rises to the top: trust. People not only have to believe in the cause or organization you represent, they also have to trust you.

This morning, I clicked on a link to add more followers on my Twitter account. (This was a poor decision because social media is about relationships and buy-in not stale mass media techniques and measurements.) Instantly, I was presented with people who were willing to follow me. What I didn't know was that the program instantly sent out a tweet using my account. Not a smart decision on my part. It didn't read like my tweets, and it didn't sound like me. I broke trust with those who have voluntarily said they want to follow what I'm tweeting about.

When I realized what had happened, I immediately closed that ancillary Twitter account and deleted the tweet from my feed. But my followers already had read it and were confused, judging by the responses I received almost instantly. (This is how I figured it all out.)

It was a good reminder that when you do something stupid, say so. It won't erase what's already been done, but it will at least remind those who do trust you that you. Leaders are human so are those who give. People respect honesty and appreciate it when you listen to their feedback. (What's the point of social media anyway if you're not willing to listen?--Perhaps another post for another time.)

If you've seen a decline in your giving, take a moment for self-reflection. Could you - intentionally or unintentionally - have broken the trust with those you depend upon to faithfully give of their time, talent, and treasures.

As the pastor or church leader, the people in your pews trust you. It's absolutely vital that you protect the integrity of that trust at all cost. It has been said once or twice before that confession is good for the soul. Confession is also a good practice to build and maintain the trust of your donor base.

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June 12, 2009

Two articles about giving you need to read

Online Giving Increases Despite Drops in Overall Giving is an important reminder that while online giving is still a new medium through which churches can collect tithes and offerings, it is a rapidly growing medium that you should be talking about today.

Parsing Giving USA's Numbers: a Calamity or a Relief? highlights the reality that two messages are being sent. One tells us that the entire philanthropic world is spinning off its axis while another tells us that things are OK. Neither one is completely right. What's important to pay attention to is the church you are responsible for leading. If you're not fully funding your ministry budget, it's time to ask the hard questions. (And please...please...please don't wait until disaster strikes before you start strategically thinking about building a sustainable funding plan for your church's ministry.)

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June 10, 2009

What to do while waiting for the next BIG church giver

Church leaders sometimes find themselves in a trap of looking for the next BIG church giver. You know, the one family who will wipe away all your worries about money and funding your ministry budget. The problem is that unless you are in an extremely small house church, one family typically isn't going to be able to wipe every funding worry away.

If you waiting patiently for the next BIG church giver to walk through the doors of your church, perhaps you should consider thinking smaller. No, I'm not talking about reducing the size or scope of the vision God has given you for the church you lead. I'm talking about reconsidering the power of many people giving a little.

For example, say you're looking to raise $40k for a special ministry project. You've been unable to secure the funding through a small group of generally large, faithful donors within your congregation, what next? Have you considered raising funds through a special monthly subscription?

Consider this: If you could find 84 people to commit to $20/month for 24 months or $480 total, you would have essentially raised $40,320.

Wikipedia raised $2 million dollars in the final three weeks of December 2008. (Yes, right in the middle of the "dip" that is now generally being accepted as a recession.) 50,000 members of their community responded with a total of $2 million. That's an average donation of $40/person.

Sometimes when the big dollars don't appear, think smaller.

Related Posts:
Think smaller
On Wikipedia and church giving
What churches can learn from Wikipedia
3 brutal facts about giving grounded in the Pareto Principle

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June 8, 2009

The most effective way to increase giving in your church

The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently published New Study Looks at Traits of Donors Who Give the Most.

The last paragraph of the article reads:

"A key point we are making is that fund raising via your recruiters is perhaps more like community organizing than traditional direct marketing and fund raising," he writes. "You are not taking an order ... you are empowering and enabling others to take orders for you."

As social media is changing the balance of power from the institution to the individual, I think a shift in fund raising is also taking place. Institutions (i.e. the church) need to begin thinking about how they can facilitate and empower their existing donor base to multiply its fund raising efforts. This may very well be the most effective way to increase total giving.

Do you agree?

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June 4, 2009

Guest Post: The Silent Middle - A letter to pastors

Dear Pastor and Stewardship Leader,

You don't need a major headline to know that times are really tough, and money is extremely tight. You can see that in your church budget, and your church members also see it in their own personal monthly budgets.

God commands us (especially you) in 1 Timothy to "Instruct those who are rich in this present age not to be arrogant or set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth...Instruct them to do good, be rich in good works, be generous and willing to share."

I don't know about you, but I don't feel rich. When I have to consciously think about every spending decision I make, as I watch my 401(k) drop and as our household income decreases 60% from last year, I don't feel rich at all.

But I am really. God has graciously provided for every need for my family. And out of a heart of gratitude for God's grace and provision, I want to be generous.

Help me. I don't have money for a private foundation, and I don't have a personal financial advisor to turn to for giving questions. But I want to learn more about being generous.

What does the Bible say about giving? What are other people in my income bracket doing to help others? How do I know if a ministry is financially sound and would be a good investment in the Kingdom? How can I be an even better steward of my resources so that I can give more?

"Instruct those who are rich" to do good, be rich in good works, generous and willing to share. Start with me.

Sincerely,

The Silent Middle

Related Posts:
The Silent Middle
An appeal from "The Silent Middle"

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June 3, 2009

An appeal from "The Silent Middle"

I'm really excited about this new series that Jenny Wingard will be writing for the Do More Ministry blog. Jenny and I met recently to talk about her interest in giving more, beyond her tithe, but not certain how to go about doing that. She wants to be an informed giver, ensuring every dollar she contributes makes a difference, but she is frustrated because no one is available to show her the way.

What Jenny articulated is the mantra of what has been termed The Silent Middle. In the world of Generosity, those in debt have lots of options and get lots of attention. In the same way, those at the top - with lots of money to give - receive very special attention and have unlimited options. But what about the crowd of every day, ordinary givers? What about those individual, couples, and families who aren't struggling with debt but also aren't in the super-wealthy category? Where can they turn for advice?

I've asked Jenny to share her heart over the next several weeks to raise some important questions and help us explore the frustrations of this overlooked and undervalued group of people.

I wonder how many dollars from this crowd never make it into the offering plates of our churches because church leaders are too busy to cultivate this giving base. If more money means more ministry, then church leaders have a responsibility to fund the work of the Kingdom in every possible way.

Tomorrow signals the beginning of a weekly post from The Silent Middle.

Related Post:
The Silent Middle

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June 2, 2009

It should ALWAYS be about the donor

People don't give to your organization because you told them to do so. In fact, their giving has NOTHING to do with YOU. Your donors (or "members" in a church context) give to your organization/cause (or church) because they are inspired by the work you do; it speaks to who they are, how they want to change the world, and what legacy they want to leave behind.

Want to inspire giving? Stop talking about yourself and how great you are. Focus on the donor, that is the person in the pew.

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May 26, 2009

4 strategies for the cautious donor

The recession has reminded many of us how smart our parents were when they kept telling us that money doesn't grow on trees.

Giving - across the board - is down. For those who are choosing to continue to donate, there is rising concern about what causes and organizations they will fund. As discretionary income evaporates, those who have money to give are looking to do so cautiously and carefully.

Tough Times Call for Smarter Giving outlines four strategies donors ought to consider.

The first one is Vet your charities. This should be of particular importance to church leaders. There is a growing practice among American Christians that stems from the assumption that the tithe is not solely reserved for the local church. That opens the door to more than 2 million other non-profits, people and organizations who are doing good things. In the end, the one with the most compelling story will get the dollar.

Your church members are faced today with the decision to choose to give to your church or to more than three times the number of traditional non-profit and para-church organizations and causes. What decision will they make? Which organization or cause will they fund?

What are you doing today to ensure every available dollar of the people who sit in our pews finds its way into the offering plates of our churches and ultimately funds the work of local church ministry?

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May 21, 2009

Donors rethinking their giving strategy

Those organizations who depend on the faithful giving of a specific donor base (this includes churches) are paying very close attention to the giving habits of their core contributors. Many in the traditional non-profit world are hurting and simply trying to survive as they balance growing needs with the increasingly limited availability of the necessary resources to fund the desired relief.

Giving to churches has not suffered as much as the traditional non-profit world has recently. Nonetheless, there is a shift taking place among the people who sit in our pews. They are wrestling with the same issues many donors are: should I (or will I have to) cut my funding to some non-profit and/or charitable causes in light of a struggling economy?

One couple featured in Smart Giving in a Troubled Climate outlines their strategy. They decided to cut back on what they determined were non-essential causes in part so that they could in turn increase their funding to those organizations/causes who are directly impacting the greatest needs.

"In tough times...people tend to gravitate toward direct service because they want something concrete from their giving."

This couple didn't stop giving. Rather, they redirected their available resources to those organizations or causes who were the best at demonstrating their ability to accomplish the work they seek to do.

As church leaders, we must be absolutely convinced that the Church is the primary institution God empowered to carry forward the earthly ministry of Christ until his return. And we also carry the burden of ensuring we are leading people to perform measurable acts of ministry that are consistent with what we teach about our faith. If we don't, we risk losing our funding as the people in our pews direct those resources to those who can.

Julie A. Lucas, an assistant dean who raises money for Fordham Law School in New York, said that "people are really thinking more carefully about what they will support, and while they may have supported a broad range of causes before, many are now giving less to each or giving to fewer organizations."

If the people in your pews had to choose, would they classify the ministry of your church as non-essential? (Hint: They are already faced with making that choice. What are you doing about it?)

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May 20, 2009

Pastor tells church members to take the money

Pastor Toby Slough led Cross Timbers Community Church to give away more than $500,000 through the practicing of a reverse collection plate that he said is important to teach people to be good givers. Pastor Slough believes that before anyone can be a good giver, they have to learn to be a good receiver.

So has the church ever run out of money on a Sunday morning? No.

This is something worth talking about and a church, honestly, I would visit simply because of their practice of generosity. Not because I want the money. Rather, I'm inspired that this church encourages behavior that matches what we read about money in the Bible.

What can your church do this Sunday to inspire a climate of generosity within your membership? Casey Graham with The Change Group says, "The cure for fear of economic disaster is to give, give, and then give some more."

The church should be leading the way in generostiy. The world is watching.

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May 19, 2009

4 new Delicious articles about church giving

I want to take the opportunity to remind you about the Do More Ministry Del.icio.us page that is a collection of articles and videos related to stewardship and giving. Almost every link I use in a blog post can be found on this page along with a few extra. Let me encourage you to bookmark this page and visit it regularly as you look for information about church giving.

Here are four articles I added today that you don't want to miss:

1. Church gives fresh meaning to 'offering' plate


2. Women Take the Lead in Couples' Charitable-Giving Decisions


3. Raising Money from Outside the Church


4. Church Raises $1.5 Million in $20 Increments

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May 18, 2009

Preview new book Church Giving Matters by Ben Stroup

My first book, Church Giving Matters, will be available very soon. I wanted you to have the first opportunity to preview the book. My hope and prayer is that this book will ignite a conversation on stewardship and giving that results in more churches operating with fully funded budgets. It's time to stop asking what we have to cut to survive and start thinking about what God wants us to do next.

Click here for a PDF Preview of Church Giving Matters by Ben Stroup.

Church Giving Matters will be available to purchase June 1 through the CrossBooks Publishing bookstore. It will soon (could take up to 30 days) be available on Amazon.com, Google, etc. but there is a slight delay in that process.

If you're planning to come to the SBC Convention this year, I'll be there signing books. (Specific times will be announced soon.) I'd love for you to stop by and say hi. I always enjoy talking to people who follow the blog.

While a national sales campaign will soon launch featuring LifeWay's new imprint, CrossBooks Publishing, and Church Giving Matters, I hope you'll take a few minutes to preview the book and pass it along to a few people you think might benefit from this material. Word of mouth marketing is still the most effective way to promote anything.

Note: If you have a blog that focuses on church administration, leadership, financial development, stewardship, giving, etc. and would like to review the entire book, please e-mail me. Once the book is "live," I'll forward you a complete electronic version to read and review. And be sure to send me a link to your review too.

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May 15, 2009

What do online giving and weather the economic storm have in common?

The answer is nothing.

But there are two blog posts that I want to point you to that do:

Online fundraising growing, but slower; Donors giving but less

Weathering the (Economic) Storm Podcast

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May 14, 2009

Leadership Network studies how economy is impacting churches

Sam Simmons pulled some excerpts from a recent Leadership Network study on how the economy is impacting churches.

These excerpts will give you a good flavor for the type of information found in the study. Check out the complete report.

(Note: You'll have to register to see the report. Sorry. Not my rules.)

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May 13, 2009

Guess which non-profit sector is down...and why

In a time of economic recession, giving to human services should be up to match increased need. The reality is that this unlikely sector of the non-profit world is down 3.4%. Donor Power Blog raises a great question:

In a down economy, when the very situations these organizations are built to help change are everywhere and top of mind, why are they raising less money?

If giving is down in your church, are you ignoring the problem in hopes that it will go away, or are you asking the hard questions that lead to organizational change?

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May 12, 2009

Church giving back 100% of Donations to Struggling Families

This church is changing the rules...and changing lives in the process.

Thanks to Hand to the Plough for highlighting this compelling story of ministry and money.

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May 11, 2009

NCF gives away its two BILLIONTH dollar

Congrats to Patrick Johnson and everyone at The National Christian Foundation! It's good to see examples of Christians leading the way in generosity.

You guys are doing a great job!

--

ATLANTA, Ga., May 6, 2009--The National Christian Foundation (NCF) reached a major milestone in giving with the distribution of its two billionth grant dollar since 1982. This record illustrates the exponential growth of the non-profit as it took almost 25 years to reach their first $1 billion grant mark, while the $2 billion grant milestone came in just over three years.

NCF President, David Wills said, "We attribute this growth to God at work in and through believers as they seek to be wise and faithful stewards, even in these difficult economic times. Additionally, our expanding network of over 37 Affiliates around the country has allowed us to work more closely with those whom we are privileged to serve."

Currently, NCF and its 37 Local Christian Foundation Affiliates are ranked as the nation's
22nd largest charity.(1) Givers make contributions to their donor-advised funds at NCF and then recommend grants to organizations that are making a difference here and around the world.

The $1.5 million grant that made this milestone possible was recommended by "The Green Fund," a donor-advised fund of Hobby Lobby, one of America's fastest growing arts and crafts retail chains. Their grant will go to OneHope (www.onehope.net), a ministry that brings the Bible to children around the world through publications and film.

David Green, C.E.O. of Hobby Lobby says, "At a time when our nation's charities need help like never before, we are delighted to be a part of this new milestone in the history of American giving. With the help of NCF and their Kansas City Affiliate [The Servant Christian Community Foundation], Hobby Lobby is able to give more to the causes that are closest to our hearts, such as needy children."

For more information on The National Christian Foundation and Affiliates, visit www.nationalchristian.com or call 800.681.6223.

(1) 2008, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Non-Profits Ranked by Revenue

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May 7, 2009

Do your church members trust you?

Trust is an overlooked and undervalued asset in the world of fund-raising. In the same way that people tend to buy things from people they know, like, and trust, donors give to causes or organizations that they know, like, and trust.

A drop in giving or an inability to gain or sustain a measurable increase in giving could indicate that the things you are doing (or not doing) aren't building the level of trust needed to achieve fully funded budgets and long-term sustainable ministry.

We know that people haven't stopped giving to churches. In fact, a large number of churches have seen no drastic change in giving over the last 6-8 months. On the other hand, we also know that people are more mindful of who they give their money to because our economic situation has reminded everyone that money is limited resource and should be used to generate the greatest "return on investment."

The responsibility falls to the pastor and church leaders to do the things necessary to generate and build trust levels among the membership of your church that result in generous giving.

Are you up for the challenge? Your giving depends upon it.

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May 6, 2009

The Silent Middle

I was contacted recently by an individual who was frustrated because she was unable to find a way to learn how to invest in Kingdom work beyond her tithe to the local church. She isn't covered in debt yet also doesn't fall into the general definition of a high capacity giver or someone who has an extraordinary amount of money they wish to donate out of their excess.

She explained that God was calling her to give more but didn't know where or how to begin. Certainly, she isn't the only one who feels this way.

I have to admit I was stumped. After sending a few e-mails to people I know who have been instrumental in the world of generosity, I discovered that there is a known (but unquantified) group of people who aren't drowning in debt and have the desire and capacity to give beyond their tithe yet don't fall into the high capacity giving category as defined by traditional industry standards.

In fact, one generosity leader already had a name for this group: The Silent Middle. It appears that there is an underdeveloped, overlooked population of people who wish to be generous but are getting little to no attention.

Have you found this to be true? Do you agree? Are you frustrated because you want to give more but don't know how, who, or even where to begin?

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May 5, 2009

Sustainable Ministry PowerPoint Presentation

I've received several e-mails asking for the PowerPoint presentation I used during last week's seminar on sustainable funding. I'm also learning my way around Google Documents as a way to share, present, and collaborate on documents. I thought this might be natural opportunity to attempt to address one request and experiment with technology all at the same time.

So, here it goes.

Let me know if you have any difficulty accessing the presentation.

Also, I'd welcome any feedback or questions you might have related to the presentation itself. (Maybe one day I can learn how to merge a recorded audio version of this presentation with the slides itself...maybe.)

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April 24, 2009

State Convention sponsors sustainable funding seminars

Next week I'll be touring through the great state of Arkansas with Denny Wright, the Stewardship Director for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. We have partnered together to provide a seminar for pastors designed to help them build sustainable funding models for ministry.

Here is the schedule:

Monday, April 27

Park Hill Baptist Church
Arkadelphia
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Tuesday, April 28

State Convention Office
Little Rock
9:30 a.m. - Noon

Concord Associational Office
Fort Smith
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Wednesday, April 29

State Convention Office
Little Rock
9:30 a.m. - Noon

Thursday, April 30

Highland Drive Baptist Church
Jonesboro
9:30 a.m. - Noon

Harmony Associational Office
Pine Bluff
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

There are meals scheduled before every event intended to facilitate one on one conversation in a relaxed environment. Everyone who has registered has been given the participate in the dinner (or lunch). If you'd like to attend but haven't registered, call Cindy Smith today at 501.376.4791x 5114.

I'm looking forward to a great week. I enjoy spending time with those people God has called to lead local churches, the basic building block of our denomination and the primary unit through which God intended that Christians fulfill the Great Commission.

Note: I will be offline next week. So my next post will be May 4.

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April 23, 2009

One church choses hope in the midst of economic despair

This recession has been a nightmare for some churches.

USA Today reports church giving in America dropped somewhere between $3 billion and $5 billion last year. Another report said as many as 20 percent of all churches have cut staffs.

It was no different for Cape Christian Fellowship according to Pastor Gingerich.

The giving increased each of those 20 years, overflowing in the past five years of that run to the tune of a spectacular 23 percent increase each year.

Then, the recession.

But this church's reaction to the economic climate was different; they chose to trust in God. They made some hard decisions: cutting staff, pastor took a voluntary 30% cut in pay, etc. Perhaps the most visible was the looming discussion about their new building project: would they continue to move forward and build or put it on hold?

After weighing their options and a good bit of due dilligence, the church decided that moving forward with their building project would not only stimulate the economy in their community but would be a sign of hope.

"We ought to be the people who bring hope to the world. If we can do that by putting up this building, well, wow! What a statement that makes."

What an unusual (and refreshing) response: hope in the midst of despair!

Pastor, are you hopeful or doubtful that God will continue to be faithful to you and the ministry of your church in spite of the current economic circumstances?

Your people will mirror your response.

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April 22, 2009

Church kept its promise to pay off debt and contribute to CP

Enterprise Baptist Church in Clarke County, Mississippi kept its promise to support the Cooperative Program (CP). Pastor Cothern led his church not only to pay off debt from a recent building project but also to maintain their annual budgeted commitment to CP.

When Pastor Cothern was asked why the church didn't cut CP giving in light of their commitment to pay off capital building debt, he said:

"We wouldn't do that for two reasons," Cothern said. "First, we can't treat the lifeline of our missionaries that lightly. Church staff people wouldn't want that done with their salaries! It's just not right to treat the CP like that. Second, either our process of understanding the will of God together has credibility or it doesn't. If we vote on missions, we are to ask that God's will be done, and how we discover that together is what is important. The process can break down, but if it maintains its integrity, then that is the will of God as we understand it to be. So we obligate ourselves, and not satisfying that is not an option. I would have felt like we were not obeying the will of God."

Read the entire story.

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April 20, 2009

Pastor's Today highlights important articles on church and money

Pastor's Today e-newsletter highlights some important articles related to church and money in this week's issue. If you haven't signed up to receive this e-newsletter, you should consider doing so.

LifeWay Research finds economy challenging churches but providing opportunities
15 Ways to Increase Your Church's Offerings
Keys for Overcoming Your Church's Financial Crisis
Five Ways to Prevent Conflict over Church Finances
How to Establish Financial Policies for Your Church
Overcoming Four Coming Church Financial Firestorms
How to Establish Financial Review Practices for Your Church
5 Ways Your Church Can Help Individuals during Hard Financial Times
Church Financial Health Can Reduce Skepticism and Cynicism in an Older Church

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April 17, 2009

Church makes compelling stewardship appeal via e-mail

I subscribe to e-mail blasts from many different churches. It helps me stay in touch with what's happening in local churches.

I received this particular e-mail recently from a church who I've worked with personally. They have been incredibly successful at funding their budget year after year. Judging by this letter, you can see why.

I thought I'd share it with you. I've removed any specific names because I think other churches could use this as a template to do something similar. Traditional nonprofits are consistently making these types of appeals. It's time the church did too. AThose churches who are sending these types of appeals are seeing very positive results.

[My wife and I] are in the throws of refinancing our house. I genuinely hate dealing with money stuff. Yes, I know, we don't say "hate," but there's just no other four letter word I can use. Some folks can sketch an idea on a dirty napkin and turn it into a small fortune. I can take a small fortune and turn it into car repairs. But love 'em or hate 'em, money issues are a big part of life.

See you Sunday,
Mr. Executive Pastor

What are you waiting for? Get writing!

Related Post:
Mark Beeson talks straight with Granger members about money

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April 13, 2009

Fundraising is Beautiful Podcast: Partner with your donors

Thanks to Jeff Brooks with Donor Power Blog for pointing me to Partnership (not marketing) with donors.

Here are some key thoughts from the podcast:

1. Non-profits are moving from marketing to donors to providing information to them.
2. Relationships are moving from mass scales (direct marketing) only to one-on-one relationships.
3. Donors want to connect with the point of impact, not just great stories.
4. Begin seeing donors as shareholders and investors.
5. Donors understand that success involves failure. Too much good, to perfect of a picture becomes suspect when people know you have to fail in order to succeed.
6. 20% of programs non-profits are operating today aren't working and need to be cancelled or retooled.
7. Transparency takes time but will be required to generate long-term financial support.
8. Acquisition of new donors is important but is second to retaining donors.

The ideas capture the philanthropic revolution that is happening among those who sit in our pews week after week. We must return the "power" of our organizations, our churches back to the lowest common denominator. If we don't, we risk losing our best givers.

Gone are days when people will give to the church with no interest or care in what happens to it once it hits the offering plate.

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April 9, 2009

My answer - Should churches offer "premiums"

Now that you've had a chance to respond to Should churches offer "premiums" to encourage online giving, I want to lay out a few of my thoughts on the issue.

First, I don't think the church needs to be in the business of gimmicks. We already do enough of that. We toss "books" of printed paper at visitors and guests. We have welcome committees and welcome packages that weigh as much as a gift basket from Harry and David. So, in a sense, churches are already offering premiums to prospects.

What we are learning is that no one choose to invest their time, talent, and resources because of a premium they are offered. People choose a community to join and contribute to because of the people they meet and the relationships they build. It's an emotional process; it's an emotional investment.

Second, premiums come in many forms. The traditional non-profit world uses products as premiums. The reason premiums are so effective is that they give the existing or potential new donor a reason to take action. When it comes to church giving, there are few "call to actions" outside of the offertory or the occassional special offering.

Fundraising for special events is one thing. Raising funds to support an ongoing operational budget for a complex ministry is a completely different thing. It's the difference between a sprint and a marathon.

What if instead of a coffee mug or the classic church t-shirt, the church offered experiences? What if the premium was every new giver this Sunday will be given a partial (or full) scholarship to participate in some mission project? It's so easy to restrict ourselves to thinking of premiums in the traditional way. Premiums are simply a tool to generate a response and only work when coupled with a compelling call to action.

Third, churches need to reconsider the methods they use to generate the funds they need to accomplish the ministry God has placed on their hearts. Premiums are one way to begin thinking about things differently. It forces the church leader to consider those things that only the church could offer a potential donor, especially the opportunity to become personally invested in the ministry of the church.

Capture the heart of the giver, and you'll create a long-term donor. Growing your base of long-term donors creates a more sustainable funding model.

Many church leaders still assume that Christians automatically reserve the tithe for the church alone. This simply isn't true. If churches don't respond, the dollars of the people who occupy our pews will be funneled to those outside the church who make a more compelling ministry case.

Finally, I want to suggest to you that one benefit of online giving (which was the context of the research cited in yesterday's post) is that people who don't visit your church campus are able to easily contribute to the ministry of your church. This is an entirely new dimension of funding that I don't think many in church leadership have considered.

If we believe that the internet is a ministry tool, why exclude those who find spiritual nourishment from your Web ministry (online sermons, tools, Bible searches, etc.) from contributing to the organizational needs of your church? Or, what if you have a parent of a child who has been changed by your ministry who wants to contribute but doesn't go to your church or doesn't go to church at all? What if this tool, if encouraged, becomes the bridge between you and this individual?

All churches have "premiums" that they can offer to encourage participation and grow their giving base. The question is will you do the hard work, the necessary creative thinking to find those things that inspire others to become a part of what you are doing? Better yet, is what you are doing so compelling that others want to join you in your efforts and fund your ministry?

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April 8, 2009

Should churches offer "premiums" to encourage online giving

I recently subscribed to a magazine that offered me a free gift if I completed the transaction by a certain date. This is what the direct marketing industry calls a "premium." And its wide acceptance and use confirms it works.

Traditional non-profit fundraising appeals have also utilized this technique. Just listen to the latest public radio or television membership drives, and you'll hear: "All members giving at "x" level, get "y."" The bigger the giving, the better or "more valuable" the gift.

As the fundraising world looks to the internet as the new frontier, some are wondering if this mainstay approach to growing your giving base will translate into the digital giving experience too. According to one study, the simple answer is yes.

Recent research confirmed that this technique still works. In most cases the best results come with the increase of new givers, the most difficult and costly segment to recruit. Nonetheless, the research also confirmed that a premium helped increase the average gift or overall response from current or existing donors.

"Offering a premium significantly boosted response rates and average gifts for two of the four organizations. The other two organizations saw a significant increase in either the response rate or the average gift. On average, response rates rose by 95% and average gift size increased by 37% when a premium was offered.1 That translates to nearly twice as many new donors, on average!"

Should the church consider employing this technique as well? As churches seek to expand their giving base to fund their complex ministry budgets, is there room within the practice of the church to offer a premium to attract new givers and encourage more consistent and larger gifts from existing giving base?

Before I answer that question, I want to hear your thoughts. Hit the "comments" button below or send me a reply via e-mail.

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April 6, 2009

Experts offer advice on what works when it comes to funding

I came across this article and posted it via my Twitter feed like I do so many others. I received very positive feedback, so I thought I'd share this article with my readers who may not follow me on Twitter.

Check it out: Focusing on What Works: Veteran Fund-Raising Consultants Offer Their Ideas.

Two elements of success identified in the article are:

1. Understanding which fund-raising efforts are productive and which are not. Pastors and church leaders should be obsessed with this. Productive efforts create "evangelists" who will spread the word about your church as they spread The Word.

Because we typically don't do a good job at measuring results in church life, we end up relying on perception and intuition. No one should manage any operation or organization - including churches - based on intuition alone. It's important for us to constantly and consistently evaluate the results based on the investment (not just money, but time and energy too). Perhaps less is more.

2. Proving to donors what their money will do. The key word is "proving." You can't prove anything without evidence. What evidence can you provide your "investors" that you are taking their capital and achieving high "eternal" returns on their behalf?

The people who sit in your pews want to know how their money is being used. They want a say in the process. More important than ever, they no longer blindly trust you to do what's best. That level of trust has to earned not once but over and over again.

Showing your membership that you can make good decision, invest wisely, and yield a strong return will result in faithful giving and giving in larger amounts.

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April 3, 2009

Church raises $19M in 24 hours

Wow!

Can you imagine that happening this week at your church?

Four services. 22,000 people. $19M.

And where did this take place? The United States? Saddleback? Willow Creek? Nope. Try Singapore.

What this means is that the limits of "what can be" have just been extended. A new expectation has been set.

The most important lesson here is this: it's possible to raise more money through our regular Worship services than we are collecting today - even in the midst of a struggling economy.

Are you satisfied with your church giving today? Do you have more money than you know what to do with? If not, what will you do today to make tomorrow's giving different?

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April 2, 2009

When was the last time you said "thank you"?

Sometimes we get so busy "making the ask" that we forget to thank those who have already given. What we miss is the opportunity to acknowledge and cultivate the first-time giver into a regular donor.

I can't remember the last time I heard a "thank you" from the pulpit. We spend a great deal of time making appeals to fund the ministry God has given us to do. This is absolutely essential. Equally important is that we remember giving is an emotional, relational process. Just like we thank others when they do something on our behalf - even little things - pastors and church leaders ought to consider building in a systematic way to thank every person who contributes to the ministry of the church.

I wonder how much money has been left "on the table" or - worse - diverted to places other than the church because no one in the church ever took the time (even something as simple as an automated e-mail) to say "thank you."

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April 1, 2009

Offering Envelopes are "an old technique that still works"

Mark Brooks and I sat down to talk about church stewardship and giving. (By the way, you need to e-mail him about the financial analysis tools he created and uses with his clients. It's one of the best I've ever seen. The level of detail and intelligence it gives the pastor is unmatched.)

One of the things I learned during our conversation was how much he believes in offering envelopes, contributions statements, pastoral letters, etc. He believes these systematic tools - when used strategically - will significantly impact a church's ability to collect the amount pledged during a capital campaign. But he doesn't stop there. He also encourages the church to continue using these tools after the campaign is over.

Occassionally, I come across people who are skeptical of the offering envelope. They believe it is of little value and merely a relic of a previous generation. My intuition used to lead me to the same conclusions. But here is where that theory breaks down:

1. Many who think offering envelopes are "useless" are also faithful givers. They will give no matter what - even if they were asked to give only in pennies. The strength in the offering envelope is in its ability to expand your giving base and inspire a response.

2. Nearly every other traditional nonprofit organization spends a great deal of money printing and using envelopes as part of their fundraising strategy. Why? They work! (Even if a member gives online, the offering envelope is a subtle prompt to log on and donate.)

The results speak for themselves. Based on my experience and the data I've seen, those churches who use offering envelopes typically have a larger giving base (stability) and generate more contributions consistently when compared with those that don't (sustainability).

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March 27, 2009

Need your vote on upcoming Pastor's Podcast topics

I'm gearing up for another round of Pastor's Podcasts. I have some suggested topics. I'd love to do this "American Idol" style. Please look at the list below and vote by commenting on this post with your first, second and third choice.

(Note: If you are one who refuses to comment on a blog, e-mail me your choices.)

List of Topics

• Keys to Strong Giving in a Weak Economy
• Building the Kingdom Instead of the Castle - Ministry expansion projects beyond the building
• Emerging Trends in Ministry Expansion Campaigns - changes based on the economy and other trends
• Overcoming the Challenges of Multi-site Expansion
• Finding New Money: The Role of Asset-based Giving in Ministry Expansion Campaigns
• All Givers Great and Small: How to Engage All Types of Givers
• Ministering to Major Givers
• Tax Changes and What They Mean for Giving
• Creating a Family Stewardship Philosophy
• Let's Hear It For (and From) the Givers - A campaign from the givers' point of view

Previous Pastor's Podcasts:
New podcast for pastors on leading churches in tough times
Pastor's Podcast: One pastor sees debt as ministry opportunity
Pastor's Podcast: Teaching Children About Stewardship
Pastor's Podcast: Capital fundraising in a tough economy

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March 26, 2009

One church uses video to capture their stewardship challenge

I stumbled upon Providence Baptist Church's video presentation of their annual stewardship campaign. I was struck by the use of the words "opportunity," "participation," and "personal calling" rather than the typical langugage and vocabulary of a stewardship campaign. The script even says that financial stewardship - giving our tithes and offerings - is just the beginning.

This church "gets it." Providence provides a holistic presentation of stewardship - one that teaches that being a steward means giving our time, talent, and treasures. It connects ministry needs with ministry opportunity and in just three minutes provides a simple, effective call to action.

By the end of the video, I wanted to sign up for something. This is a great example of what is means to creatively "make the ask."

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March 25, 2009

Online donors don't come back

The NYT reported in Study Shows First-Time Online Donors Often Do Not Return that first-time online givers are unlikely to return and donate again online with any consistency.

Even though the online gift and the online giver is an attractive audience (online gifts tend to be larger than gifts given through more traditional channels and online givers tend to be higher income earners and better educated), online giving has a long way to go before it replaces traditional methods of giving.

One thing to note before you use this data to discredit online giving as a viable funding channel is that as the culture continues to place an emphasis on the exchange of electronic rather than paper currency, the interest and use of online giving will become more mainstream. Until then, it's important to include online giving as one of many options.

"I think what we're learning is that we need to be less worried about what channels these donors use and offer them a variety of channels through which they can give," said Mr. Smith of CARE.

Is your church using online giving? If so, what trends are you noticing among this segment your membership?

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March 20, 2009

Teaching children stewardship

I was completely surprised this week as I was reviewing the analytics Google provides me for the Do More Ministry blog. Three of the top five key words people searched on and found my blog were related to teaching children stewardship.

I have a couple of questions for those of you searching on this topic:
1. What specifically are you looking for?
2. Are you finding it or frustrated that you can't?

Related Posts:
Teaching our children about money
Pastor's Podcast: Teaching Children About Stewardship
Teaching children about stewardship and giving
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (Part 4)

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March 19, 2009

Church Marketing Sucks considers the message of giving

Church Marketing Sucks posted some great thoughts about how giving functions with the Worship experience at your church, what message it sends to your membership, and what - if any - changes should be made. I would encourage you to go read the post, read the comments, and consider how you can become more strategic about giving in your church setting.

Note: Sometimes becoming more strategic means building in educational opportunities to teach and remind our membership why we give, the giving options the church makes available to them, and what those gifts accomplish.

Related Posts:
See Pulpit vs. Pew on Tithing

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March 18, 2009

Freely reveal or be forced to uncover

There is a great article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy yesterday highlighting that the level of financial disclosure among nonprofits varies greatly. This is balanced by a growing demand from the public and/or donor base to know all the "ins and outs" of the organizations they currently support or are considering doing so.

It won't be long before this same issue confronts the church. Are you ready to lay all your cards on the table? If you did, how do you think your membership would respond?

It's coming. Get ready.

Related Posts:
What if Zagat rated your church?
"They" want to know your church's spending habits

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March 11, 2009

9 steps to survival in a challenging economy

Mal Warwick writes about Fundraising in Tough Times for the Stanford Social Innovation Review, a publication from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. This fundraising giant points out 9 things that every nonprofit (that includes churches) should do RIGHT NOW to hedge against the impact our spirialing economy will have on giving.

One suggestion that jumped off the page for me was implementing online giving. If you're not already - at the very least - talking about online giving, you are leaving money on the table. Electronic transfer of funds is quickly replacing the use of paper money and checks. Churches should be seriously considering adding this as an option for your membership.

Remember, giving is not about you but your membership. Offering Envelopes, Online Giving, etc. are all systematic tools you can strategically use to encourage faithful, consistent giving among your membership base.

Are you currently using online giving? I'm interested in how you're using it as part of your overall funding plan and what level of acceptable or use it has reached.

Related Posts:
1. Is online giving a growing trend?
2. The results of online giving are in...
3. Electronic Giving Part 1: The Forbidden Conversation
4. Electronic Giving Part 2: Future or Fad?
5. Revisitng E-giving
6. Book Review: Digital Giving
7. Church increases use of onling giving
8. Concerns about E-giving
9. Online contributions increased in 2008

Review the entire E-giving catagory.

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March 9, 2009

A Small Change talks about translating tweets to dollars

Jason has a great post today on A Small Change about Translating Tweets to Dollars. We talked about the concept in A "Twestival" approach to Lottie and Annie special offerings last week.

Our ability to harness the power of new media to fund the ministry God has called us to do will multiply the resources available which will in turn empower us to do more ministry.

Are you considering using Twitter as a key tool in your funding strategy? If so, tell me how you plan to use it, and I'll post it to encourage others to think creatively.

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March 6, 2009

One church says "lose your job, get your contributions back"

This is a bold move.

It requires trust and respect from both sides of the table: the church and the church member.

It asks both parties to act in faith and share the responsibility.

If you're sitting in the pew, would this encourage you to give in the midst of an uncertain employment and economic climate?

If you're standing in the pulpit, would this change how you spend available funds, evaluate your spending based on "return-on-investment" and result in better communication of the ministry accomplished?

Of course it would.

Maybe this is the solution we need to overcome the fear that seems to be lurking around every corner.

Would you do this in your church?

Why not?

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March 4, 2009

Pastor's video testimony on the results of stewardship emphasis

One pastor describes the measurable impact a four week stewardship emphasis had on his church. The church was considering closing its doors, but ended up with a surplus of available funds.

Have you had a similar experience? Send me your story or video or use the "comments" option at the bottom of this post.

(Note: This video was recorded by Denny Wright, Stewardship Crusader for the Arkansas State Baptist Convention. Keep fighting the good fight and helping pastors lead their churches to fully fund the ministry God has placed on their hearts.)

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March 3, 2009

Believe it or not: Parachurch giving up, Church giving down

The Christian Post reports survey results that reveal 7 out of 10 evangelical ministries report little to no loss in donations during Q4 2008.

This absolutely dispels the rhetoric that has been surfacing out of fear that seems to be hovering over the nonprofit world in light of our struggling economy. But that's not the breaking news that caught my attention. Here it is: While parachurch ministries were relatively unaffected, church giving was down.

"In fact, some of our members [Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability] had the strongest fourth quarter they've had in years and ended the year debt-free."

"...found more religious Americans (those who attend church most frequently) sustaining their giving at a higher rate than more secular Americans."

"...36 percent of frequent churchgoers said they were forced to reduce charitable donations...."

What do these three statements reveal?

1. The people in your pew have money to give.
2. The people in your pew are still giving that money to somebody.
3. The people in the your pew are deciding if they will give their money to you (i.e. your church) or a parachurch ministry.

When asked why parachurch ministries seemed to do so well in such a bad economy, the response was increased communication and a growing interest in helping "the poor and disadvantaged."

If you still don't get my point, let me say it like this: Just because people have money to give and attend your church doesn't mean they are going to give it to you. People are looking to join a cause or organization that is demonstrating measurable ministry results that clearly connect need with opportunity.

Are the people in your pew giving their money to you or to the local nonprofit down the street?

It's a sobering question. Are you brave enough to ask it?

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February 25, 2009

Do special offerings negatively impact regular giving?

I came across these thoughts on a user's group that I am a member us for church business administrators. The question is an important one: do special offerings detract from regular giving?

Below is the copy of an e-mail from a conversation thread attempting to answer this question. (No, I won't identify this person for two reasons: one, they don't know I'm writing this and two, identifying the individual or church irrelevant to the purpose of this post.)

"To convince your pastor you might want to follow giving when special offerings are taken. We have found that even though you mention to the congregation that this giving is after the normal giving; in most cases we will see the normal offering drops by a like amount as was given to the special offering.

I might add that giving toward a vision (like a major building project)
doesn't seem to affect the normal giving negatively. In fact, it seems to
help normal giving. (Something about giving the people a vision, I guess)"

Here are my initial thoughts:

1. Special Offerings don't inherently cause regular giving to go down. The fact that a better appeal or "ask" has been crafted for the special offering and that the assumption has been made that whatever is given will be over and above a member's regular giving is the real causal factor.

People like to know how their contributions will be used. Special Offerings make a connection between need and opportunity. Giving is an emotional response to a cause or organization that helps others do something they couldn't do on their own.

The answer is not that we should stop using special offerings to meet short-term immediate needs. The answer is that church leaders need to do a better job demonstrating how regular offerings are being used and connecting need with opportunity in measuralbe ways.

2. Giving is an outward sign of an inward commitment. In the second paragraph, the writer highlights that "giving toward a vision" doesn't negatively impact regular giving. My only response to that is this....exactly! There is a strong connection between giving and vision because giving is an emotional response to a passionate appeal to meet a compelling need.

There is a lot of energy and storytelling surrounding any type of major capital campaign. This naturally translates into more dollars because people see themselves as participating in something larger than themselves. Casting a vision results in commitment, sacrifice and action.

What do you think? Do you agree? Are special offerings the problem or is a lack of vision for regular, undesignated giving the real culprit in this scenario?

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February 17, 2009

What if Zagat rated your church?

Zagat, the famous restaurant rating source, is now venturing into rating doctors. As you can imagine, the resistance is great from the industry but the interest just as great from consumers.

My question is this: what if Zagat rated your church? And what if church members decided which church to contribute to based on that rate? What do you think they would measure? If you were independently rating churches, what score would you give your church?

Churches aren't off limits. Your givers want to see results and are increasingly becoming empowered to demand it from church leaders. They want the same fiscal transparency and accountability that consumers demand in the marketplace to occur in their churches.

Traditional nonprofits are already subject to this type of independent rating system. It's coming to churches too. And when it does, you're giving will be impacted. Are you prepared?

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February 13, 2009

Think smaller

I know the title seems out of sync with a blog that touts: More Money. More Ministry. But the smaller does not apply to the work itself. Rather, it applies to the size of gifts we are looking for.

One nonprofit is finding success in this midst of a slump in major gift dontations through looking for and seeking out smaller gifts. The success is involving more people who have money to give. In the end, every gift - large or small - adds up.

Churches have forever repeated the mantra of 10 percent. This is insurmountable for those who find themselves in our pews every week who do not have the discipline of giving. And the rhetoric they hear from us is that anything less than 10 percent is not good enough. For them, it's easier not to give at all than to not feel like the gift you've given good enough.

Here is my challenge: consider englarging your giving base by encouraging people to give a small amount of money consistently over time. Then, progressively challenge them to give more. This is the same strategy our traditional nonprofit brothers and sisters are using in their funding efforts, particularly to hedge against an actual or potential decline among their most faithful and often largest giving base.

It worked for Wikipedia. My guess is that it can work for you too.

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February 11, 2009

Why isn't the church leading the way in generosity?

(Note: This was first posted on January 27. I saw another highlight of this story in Embracing the Bully Pulpit (available online to subscribers only) published recently in The Chronicle of Philanthropy. It reminded me how much our posture in difficult or stressful times communicates what we really believe. I hope you are as challenged by this as I am.)

The Bill Gates Foundation lost 20% of it's value in 2008. But in a recent announcement, Bill Gates said that his Foundation plans to give more in 2009 than in did in 2008.

So let me make sure I'm reading this right: Assests and total value are down but giving will increase.

The Bill Gates Foundation has every reasonable excuse to hold the purse strings tight, hold back and attempt to survive 2009 hoping economic conditions will improve. But this Foundation isn't hunkering down to survive, it's leading the way in generosity.

This should be the posture of Churches too. If we truly were people of faith, we would resist the temptation to survive, open our eyes to the increased need and respond with a spirit of generosity. (Remember the Gospel story of Jesus feeding the five thousand?)

How we respond as an organization as measured by our fiscal allocations and budget expenditures and the ministries we choose to invest in (or not invest in) over the coming year will say a lot about what we believe...more than ever will be heard from the pulpit.

And how we respond will either affirm for our members (that is, our contributors) that the Church is the best place to invest their funds or push them to consider other nonprofit options.

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February 10, 2009

Church giving steady among active church members

It's no surprise that there is a direct link between church attendance and church giving. Those who are most involved in your ministry are also the most committed. This group will always represent your most faithful giving base.

Faith-Based Charities May Fare Better than Other Non-Profits reports:

"Data from the survey found that 81 percent of those who attend religious services more than once a week intend to give the same or more to charities."

Church leaders should begin to look at who are the most active people in their church and identify their giving habits. This analysis will give you good insight into the core givers who have and will continue to support your ministry. Use this group to broaden your giving base by empowering them to be "evangelists" for your church's ministry and mission. Passion is contagious. All you need to do is give them opportunity and a platform.

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February 9, 2009

Pastor's Podcast: Capital fundraising in a tough economy

I had the opportunity to sit down with John Burke who leads LifeWay Captial Fundraising to discuss the subject of capital fundraising and how pastors and church leaders should approach this topic within their congregations in the midst of uncertain economic times.

I have one request: I need your help. The only way this will help pastors is if they know that this podcast exists. Please distribute a link to this podcast to all the pastors you know. The quicker we can provide practical lifelines to our pastors the better equipped they will be to be the spritiual leader God has called them to be.

Other Pastor's Podcasts:
New podcast for pastors on leading churches in tough times
Pastor's Podcast: One pastor sees debt as ministry opportunity
Pastor's Podcast: Teaching Children About Stewardship

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February 4, 2009

What blogs should you be reading?

Every pastor is (or should be) concerned with cultivating the knowledge and skills that he can use to lead his church to fully funded budgets and long-term sustainable ministry. That means exploring the topic of fundraising. I know fundraising is the equivalent of a four-letter word for some pastors and church leaders. But it's absolutely essential if you want to continue to have a pulpit to preach from.

Jeff Brooks with Donor Power Blog has done his homework and provides a preassembled collection of the best fundraising blogs available today. My challenge to you is to pick five and start reading their posts regularly.

And by the way, Do More Ministry made the list! (Shamless plug...I know.)

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February 2, 2009

The paradox of church giving in a struggling economy

Church giving holds steady in the midst of an uncertain economic future. Whether you believe giving to the church comes with a promise of success or simply believe it's an important discipline of a Christian, church giving has proven to be almost recession proof.

Some faced with foreclosure are willing to sacrifice their own homes before they are willing to entertain the notion of cutting back on their tithe. This line of reasoning is one reason why church giving remains relatively unaffected as the economic situations seems to worsen with each passing of each minute. Sylvia Ronsvalle with Empty Tomb says:

"The results prove that church-member giving doesn't necessarily decline during a recession."

MSNBC also covered the subject recently in Dire economy tests churches. The article points out that churches are making tough decisions in an attempt to balance meeting the spiritual and physical needs of its membership and the larger community in which it exists with the resources available.

The exciting part of this tension is that it spurs a level of creativity and innovation that usually comes with big dreams and limited resources. (See Contributions Down? Time to innovate. and Decline in church giving could force innovation.) The other exciting element is that those churches who continue to thrive while the rest of the world stumbles seem to be those who are committed to ministry and meeting needs.

Imago Dei Community Church in Portland, Oregon reports a 31% increase in giving in 2008. While Riverview Church in East Lansing Holt, Michegan designed a special offering to contribute to a fund that 25 other church were contribuiting to in an effort to replenish their local food bank. The special offering raised more than $20,000 or half of the entire goal for all the churches involved. And this was a church where the average age is 27. (So much for those myths that twenty-somethings don't have money to give.)

"People catch a spirit of generosity," said [Pastor Noel] Heikkinen..."They get excited about being generous, and it spills out into other areas of their lives."

Here is the paradox: If you want to see giving continue and perhaps even grow in your church, do more ministry than you've ever done. And do it in a measurable way. The result will be more money than you could have ever imagined.

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January 28, 2009

Contributions down? Time to innovate.

When you experience a decline in contributions, you have two options:

1. You can go sit in a corner and cry about it.

2. You can innovate and rely on creative solutions to meet the present needs.

My hope is that Churches would choose the later rather than the former. Innovation is a big, scary word for some. Innovation has also been one of those "buzz" words the church leadership movement has borrowed from the business world and used so much that it has lost some of its appeal.

But innovation is important. In times when it's more important than ever to demonstrate what every dollar is received is accomplishing through measuring ministry results, it's time to consider news ways, better ways to yeild the same if not greater impact.

A Fresh Look At How Best To Get Food To 35 Million highlights how organizations that exist to feed hungry people in need are considering new mediums of distribution. Soup kitchens keep getting larger and larger yet are still not able to meet demands. Further, the social stigma of showing up at one of these locations typically found in a poorer area of the city prevents many from getting the proper nutrition they need.

In response, people who feel passionate about this are getting creative and finding new ways feed people in need. One shift in thinking is instead of waiting for the hungry to come to the soup kitchen, the soup kitchen is bringing the food to the hungry. (It's like the meals-on-wheels concept, only on steroids.)

I wonder what vital ministries are on the proverbial chopping block that could be maintained, dare I suggest strengthened, with a simple touch of innovation.

Even if your contributions are down, the need is the same if not more. So get up, dry your eyes and starting thinking about new ways to multiply your ministry. My guess is the same Spirit that inspires leaders to innovate will also ignite the giving of your membership.

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January 27, 2009

Why isn't the church leading the way in generosity?

The Bill Gates Foundation lost 20% of it's value in 2008. But in a recent announcement, Bill Gates said that his Foundation plans to give more in 2009 than in did in 2008.

So let me make sure I'm reading this right: Assests and total value are down but giving will increase.

The Bill Gates Foundation has every reasonable excuse to hold the purse strings tight, hold back and attempt to survive 2009 hoping economic conditions will improve. But this Foundation isn't hunkering down to survive, it's leading the way in generosity.

This should be the posture of Churches too. If we truly were people of faith, we would resist the temptation to survive, open our eyes to the increased need and respond with a spirit of generosity. (Remember the Gospel story of Jesus feeding the five thousand?)

How we respond as an organization as measured by our fiscal allocations and budget expenditures and the ministries we choose to invest in (or not invest in) over the coming year will say a lot about what we believe...more than ever will be heard from the pulpit.

And how we respond will either affirm for our members (that is, our contributors) that the Church is the best place to invest their funds or push them to consider other nonprofit options.

Posted by bstroup at 10:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 26, 2009

Send a personal, handwritten note to your donors today

When someone receives a handwritten note, they remember.

Our mail boxes are cluttered. Our e-mail inbox's are cluttered. Our voicemail inbox's are cluttered. Even our family schedules are cluttered. (When was the last time you were able to spend a night at home with the family?...Exactly!)

Even though it's nearly impossible to do, it's absolutely vital that your membership, especially your best givers, hear from you on a regular basis. Your most generous people need to hear more than what you need from them. They need to know that you care for them more than their money and that you value their total contribution - not just their money - to your Church.

So how can you cut through the clutter? What could you possibly do to make an unforgettable impression? It's simple. In fact, I wrote about it a couple of years ago in Pastor Skills: A Simple, Handwritten Note.

When was the last time you sent a personal note to your best givers? If it's been more than a month, then get a list of all the consistent givers for the previous month and divide that number into daily increments to make it a managable process.

Just to clarify, this is not a task to delegate. The leader of the organization needs to communicate with those who have made an emotional connection with your organization and believe in your ministry to the point that they are moved to invest in and financally support and fund your budget. Anything less will "cheapen" the experience.

Personal, handwritten notes are memorable. And in the search for sustainable funding, being memorable in the eyes of your donors is absolutely vital to your existence.

Get writing!!!

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January 23, 2009

Connect the program with the outcome

Communication is an overused word. The practice of communication reamins underdeveloped in many churches. Too often the church leader finds himself asking for more money when the key to fully funding the ministry God has called you to do begins with connecting the program with the outcome.

Let's revisit the basic elements of communication:

1. The message sender.
2. The message receiver.
3. All the filters that exist between the sender and the receiver that often creates a variation between what is said and what is heard.

Filters can be complex and nearly impossible to overcome. What can cut through the clutter and ensure that the need is clearly articulated, understood and felt by the person in the pew?...

A plan that connects program, process and results.

There is no more compelling information you can provide than this: why a program is important, what it's intended to accomplish and what the measurable impact have been in the past and is projected to be moving forward. This is a discipline that the pastor will have to learn if he - like many who find themselves in the pulpit - finds himself gravitating toward philosophical concepts instead of measured results.

There is more competition for the dollar of the person in your pew from well-intentioned nonprofits outside the church than ever. If you want to ensure (and by the way you as the pastor are the one responsible) that every dollar possible will be available to fund the ministry of the church, then you will need to make the connection between the program and outcome. Doing so successfully and consistently, will ensure sustainable funding and will give you opportunity to increase that level of funding over time.

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January 22, 2009

On Wikipedia and church giving

I have had several conversations recently with pastors and church leaders where I found myself referencing the observations and conclusions in What churches can learn from Wikipedia.

Wikipedia raised one-third of its total 2008 annual contribution goal in December 2008. It did so with small donations from a large giving base. What if that model was applied to churches? Instead of waiting for the next big donor to come along, encourage the habit of consistent and generious giving - even in small amounts - from a broader section of your membership.

The end result will be a significant increase in giving.

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January 19, 2009

I have a dream...about stewardship and giving

Today we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He will forever be remembered for his "I have a dream" speech. It continues to inspire people to pursue things like justice and mercy and peace. Those things that are larger than life and worth fighting for.

Likewise, I wonder what our churches would be like if we had a dream for stewardship and giving? I wonder what our churches would look like if we restored the theology of stewardship to its rightful place, the centerpiece of our belief in and practice of the Lordship of Christ. I wonder what our churches would look like if we consistently taught that everything we have and are is from God and given to us not to posses for our own gain but to invest in Kingdom building activities.

Our ability to build sustainable funding for the churches we lead begins with a dream. It's in the telling and retelling of that dream where others are invited to share the dream. And when people share a dream, they become emotionally connected and committed to our cause and organization. And the natural response to that commitment is generosity with our time, talent and treasure.

Is there any greater organization to commit to than the local church? Is there any greater mission to follow through on than the Great Commission?

Fully funded budgets begin with a dream. What's your dream, pastor?

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Honesty trumps fear when it comes to giving and the economy

Jeff Brooks writes a blog that I really enjoy reading. He is also the author of Easier Said Than Done: Face Hard Times Without Fear. In this article for Fundriaising Success Magazine, he says that acting like nothing has changed and refusing to talk about the economic crisis that is reshapping everything is the WORST thing to do.

My guess is that we as church leaders fear that talking about church giving will do one of two things: one, it will give permission not to give because everyone will understand given the state of the economy or two, it will be viewed as tacky and inappropriate given that so many seem to be struggling to keep their cards in play much less worry about giving to the church.

Let me clear this up for you: Both are absolutely NOT true.

People appreciate honesty. And my guess is that the people in your pew want to see that you're thinking as carefully about church finances as they are about their personal finances. In fact, if you'll be brave enough to let them in, they'll listen. (I promise.)

Here is the irony of the situation. What you fear talking about the most, the people in your pew already know with certainty. They're just not sure you undersand. And until they know you understand, they will not be as generous as they could be.

Related Post:
Fear should not be an option

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January 16, 2009

Pastor is shepherd and organizational manager

The more time I spend the pastors the more apparent it becomes that many do not seperate their role as shepherd from their role as an organizational manager. In fact, most wouldn't even think to consider themselves an organizational manager.

In Business Before Pleasure, Jason points out that it's important to balance the process and the results. In Jason's world, fundraising professionals are trained to connect people with organizations and causes. Before a donor becomes a donor, he/she must identify with the organization you represent. It's easy to build relationships but never connect the person with your organization or cause. And thus, never ask for a commitment in time, talent or treasure.

"With a donor I find that sometimes we lean so heavily on making a personal connection that we lose the opportunity to connect them to our nonprofit. It is vitally important that we take enough time to know what passions our donors have are i.e., kids, family, jobs. I often find this is where the best prospect research happens. But don't forget to find ways to connect the donor personally to your organization. Have stories, quotes, or bring them on a tour, just make sure that they are connecting to more than just you."

The pastor must remember that while he is called to function in the traditional roles of priest and prophet, he is also the leader for a complex (complexity and size are not necessarily related) organization that he must lead in such a way that people are inspired to make commitments of time, talent and treasures. An organizational manager is focused on making connections with people, driving programs and activities that inspire and embody the values of the organization and ultimately ensuring fully funded budgets and long term sustainable ministry.

Sound overwhelming? Well it is. Though often ignored, it's a vital aspect of what it means to pastor a church. And that's the conversation we're having. So if you know someone who might benefit from this conversation too, please invite them to participate. We are all working toward the same goal: to build up the ministry of the local church to ensure the leadership and funds exist to sustain that ministry until Christ comes again.

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January 14, 2009

"They" want to know your church's spending habits

People want to know how the money they donate is being used. The Dallas Business Journal reports that the State Attorney General's office has just launched an online tracking service to let interested people know how the charities they support are spending the money they receive.

Technology is changing everything. And it's not limited to how we communicate and collaborate. The social media revolution is returning the power back to the smallest common denominator, the individual donor.

What if an independent source began tracking the spending habits of your church and publishing that information for everyone (i.e. the world) to review? Would your church's financial decisions stand the test of public scrutiny?

Traditional non-profits are already being watched closely by sites such as Charity Navigator. It won't be long before churches might find themselves being tracked and watched in a similar way too.

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January 13, 2009

A call to action for all church leaders

The title of the first Chapter of Not Your Parents' Offering Plate is Survival of the Fittest. The first two sentences capture the inherent need to rethink our approach to church giving.

"In American today, there are over 1.8 million nonprofit organizations, and over one million of these are 501(c)(3)s. There are about 370,000 churches. Just ten years ago, in 1995, there were 600,000 501(c)(3)s and about 370,000 churches." (pg. 1)

The author continues with some sobering words for church leaders:

"If you are not prepared to compete with over one million nonprofits, you will lose." (pg. 7)

The people in your pews are paying attention - perhaps more now than they have in a long time - to where every dollar goes. They want to know that every dollar given in the name of charity is being squeezed and spread as far as possible. If you're church isn't demonstrating measurable results, then you'll lose dollars. In turn, those dollars will be redirected to other charitable alternatives.

Don't assume that those who have always faithfully given to your church will continue to so. And the belief that the tithe is only for the church is quickly disappearing as well. Many Christians see little difference in giving to your church and any other NPO. Right or wrong, it's our responsibility as church leaders to act on what we know and ensure that the organizations we are called to lead are fully funded and sustainable.

The ball's in your court, pastor. What's your next move?

Related Posts:
Book Review: Not Your Parents' Offering Plate
The senior pastor is the chief fundraiser

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January 8, 2009

Online contributions increased in 2008

How Did Online Fund Raising Fare In 2008? highlights these thoughts:

Online giving grew four times as quickly in December as it did in other months, a trend that is consistent with the past several years. Despite the economic turmoil, December accounted for 21 percent of the total transactions made during the year and 48 percent of the total dollars raised....

Maybe it's time to consider one more way for your members to support the ministry of your church: online giving.

Related Posts:
1. Is online giving a growing trend?
2. The results of online giving are in...
3. Electronic Giving Part 1: The Forbidden Conversation
4. Electronic Giving Part 2: Future or Fad?
5. Revisitng E-giving
6. Book Review: Digital Giving
7. Church increases use of onling giving
8. Concerns about E-giving

Review the entire E-giving catagory.

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January 7, 2009

What churches can learn from Wikipedia

Wikipedia met its goal to raise $6.2 million dollars. Most of the total amount raised was in the last six months of the year and nearly one-third was raised over eight days in early December. (Yes, as in a few weeks ago Decemeber...the December that was right smack dab in the middle of this big problem we're calling a recession.)

So what can churches learn from Wikipedia?

1. Wikipedia involves people in its work. The contemporary Church model is designed to fund a small group of staff members to do the work "on behalf of" the membership.

Wikipedia finds its appeal in "user generated content." That means the "user" is generating content that other "users" will find helpful and will...for lack of a better word...use.

Church leaders tend to cut the church member out of the creative planning and decision making process. Often, church leaders just want members who will say "yes" to whatever they have determined is right.

The people in your pews want to be more involved in EVERY aspect of your church's ministry. They want a say in EVERY level of decision making. And we know that the more involved people are in this part of the process, the more ownership they feel which results in high levels of satisfaction and commitment.

2. Wikipedia depends on small donations from large groups of people. Churches thrive off the faithful giving of a few.

In the article (see link above), it mentions that 125k people contributed to the goal of $6.2 million. That's an average donation of $49.60 per person. Let's take just the 50,000 people who contributed during an eight day rush in December to make up the remaining $2 million needed. That small group alone averaged only $40 per person.

What does all this mean? Stop looking for the big windfall. Start expanding your focus on growing stewards across a broader section of your membership. The problem is that we've hitched our funding models in churches on only 10-20% of our membership. That's dangerous and financially unstable.

3. Wikidpedia's founder made a personal appeal to its community. Church leaders have bought into the myth that it's membership won't tolerate straight-talk about contributions.

Imagine this, your Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia. You get a memo end of November that says you are one-third away from your annual goal. What do you do?

We know what Jimmy did. He went to his audience and asked for their support. And they gave it to them.

Pastor, if you're like most of your peers, you were trained to cut expenses, pray and hope for the best. None of that is inherently bad. But it's missing an important element. People give based on felt and perceived need. And the people who are most "plugged in" to what you're doing are statistically most likely to "kick in" a little extra when times are tough. (And no one was going to argue that times were tough in December...and not much as changed in the first few days of the new year either.)

My guess is that fear left a lot of dollars on the table in churches all across the country. What that means is that there is ministry that needs to be done but won't be because the funding won't be there.

I'm thrilled for Wikipedia. I only wish the headlines read that churches were as successful funding their ministry budgets too. Our work is of eternal importance.

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January 6, 2009

Fear should not be an option

In Nonprofit Groups Must Avoid Fear During Recession, an experienced NPO development consultant writes:

"Sadly, the economic and financial crisis will continue to dominate the minds of non-profit boards and executives," Mr. Craver writes. "'Sadly' because fear masks opportunity. The opportunity that comes from being aggressive when others are pulling back. The opportunity that comes from experimentation when times are tough."

Paul - way before Mr. Craver - says it like this:

"For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment."

Pastor, which response will you choose: fear or faith?

Related Posts:
3 ways Church Administrators will respond to economic crisis
An important church giving statistic
The Church emerging from a spiraling economy
Economic despair leads to outreach opportunities

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January 5, 2009

Searching for your next stewardship sermon?

If you're looking for some ideas for your next stewardship sermon or sermon series, Church Tithe Stewardship & Church Tithing has four good suggestions:

1. Saving
2. Debt
3. Budgeting
4. Faith and Trust

I agree that we need to focus on developing the "process" instead of focusing on the "results." Too often we settle into "you must give to the church or God will curse you..." type rhetoric when in fact we need to turn our attention to what creates and cultivates generous givers.

This will no doubt require a change in presentation and vocabulary on the part of the church leader. (See Pulpit vs. Pew.)

How can church leaders develop sustainable funding models that provide for fully funded budgets and long-term, sustainable ministry? That's the conversation we're having. And if you've just stumbled upon this blog, feel free to search the catagories to the right of this post for past material.

If you're a an avid reader, thank you. (And I'd appreciate it if you'd pass on what has been helpful to you to your friends and peers. The more people involved in the conversation, the more likely we are to address the pressing needs you are facing.)

This is an important conversation. It always has been. Given the current social and economic climate, perhaps this conversation has moved from "important" to "vital."

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January 2, 2009

Church giving historically strong even in recession

Even though total contributions for 2008 have yet to be tallied, Church financial giving shows signs of recession. As nearly every church leader in the country takes a deep breath before they hit the "Answer Bar" or "=" key on their calculator, we can feel confident that church giving should remain consistent and strong through 2009.

Historical evidence indicates that church giving does not necessarily decline during recession years, according to an analysis of church giving from 1969 to 2008 on Emptytomb.org, an organization that researches church giving patterns on a local level. In fact, the analysis found that church-member giving decreased in only one of the three one-year recessions. Further, giving did not decrease any first years of three multiyear recessions during the period.

The "gloom and doom" stories that seemed to saturate the headlines of the final months of 2008 are likely to continue for the time being. What's important is how we lead our churches through this time. How we handle ourselves will either encourage or discourage faithful giving; it will also have a lot to say about the substance of your faith.

We must remember that God is faithful, and he often uses the most difficult circumstances to realign our focus and reposition our lives. I believe the best days of the Church are ahead of us. As leaders, we have the responsibility to lead this God-ordained and empowered institution to continue the earthly ministry of Christ until his return.

I'm excited about what God has planned for you and your church in 2009. I hope that this blog will encourage conversation about how we can establish processes and systems that will provide more money for more ministry.

Also, I'm beginning to receive invitations to work with local churches and State Conventions as we seek to provide sustainable funding models for churches. If you're interested in exploring how I might be able to work with your church, local Association or State Convention, let me know.

Related Posts:
New podcast for pastors on leading churches in tough times
Stewardship principles encourage celebration in tough times
Church giving thrives despite economy
End of year giving projections
Make people, not programs your most important priority
Charis Group's president Mark Brooks offers 4 keys to success
7 things to movtivate pastors to take action
Generis strategist offers 6 steps to stewardship success
Economy could spur Christian compassion
Ashley Clayton points pastors to personal financial solutions
Method of giving may change in light of recession
Mark Beeson talks straight with Granger members about money
Local church promotes giving in tough economy
Top 12 posts about church giving in an economic crisis
What's really happening to churches and church giving
3 steps to position your church to address an economic crisis

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December 30, 2008

Churches most optimistic about reaching contribution goals

Religious organizations showed the most optimism, with 10 percent saying they were "completely confident" about 2008 tallies.

Read the entire article here.

I was very encouraged to read this. I hope you are too.

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December 18, 2008

Church giving thrives despite economy

It absolutely thrills me to read about churches who are doing amazing things. With all the bad news, Church giving thrives despite economy reminds us that God will bless us when we are faithful.

Read. Smile. Pass this story on.

May God find you and your ministry faithful too.

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December 17, 2008

Let's be honest about tithing

Tithe Stewardship and Church Tithing recently posted Difference Between Spirit-led, Freewill, & Grace Giving. There is little new information other than some new possible vocabulary options for the concept of "grace" or "freewill" giving. These new or alternative terms are supposed to be more relevant because they are more consistent [sic] with the New Testament principle of grace instead of the Old Testament principle of law.

I think it's time to drop the pretense and the pseudo-theological vocabulary and just be honest with people - especially the people in our pews - when it comes to church giving.

1. The church is a non-profit organization that exists only through the donations of people. As the demands upon churches become more complex, the funding necessary to meet those demans increases. Every non-profit is faced with it.

2. The habits of giving begin with the worldview of the giver. Church leaders should be focused on creating a culture of generosity.

3. Churches have an advantage over every other non-profit: the membership interacts personally with the organization on a regular basis. Most non-profits don't host weekly gatherings of hundreds or thousands of their donor base; churches do. Churches are the best positioned to capture the greatest percentage of dollars available from every member.

4. Churches are the WORST at capturing the dollar. Too many rely on pseudo-theological vocabulary or other empty rhetoric that sounds good but delivers no "call to action" that results in consistent giving behavior. Churches need to shift their focus to demonstrating the ministry impact of every dollar. This is why so many Christians can justify sending their tithe - in portion or in full - to para-church and other non-profits who are much better at demonstrating what every dollar accomplishes.

5. If churches continue to be silent in the area of Biblical stewardship - time, talent and treasure - the number of volunteers, lay leadership and giving levels needed to operate and grow a complex organization such as the church will not exist.

6. Giving levels and habits should be seen as measurement tools. Giving is an outward sign of an inward commitment. If people have a hard time giving money to your church, then they aren't fully committed. Knowing this leads too much deeper, more comprehensive conversations that could reveal some important information about your congregation.

7. Church giving is connected to your ministry plan. What's your vision? Is it big enough to inspire someone else? If not, dream bigger. People want to give to causes that they believe in because they want to accomplish something larger than they could through their own efforts.

Stop using failed persuasive techniques and start inspiring a generous culture. It will change your life, your ministry and your church.

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December 16, 2008

Economic crisis affecting capital campaigns

In areas especially hard hit, such as areas supported by the big three auto makers, commitments were as little as 50 percent of the expected range of results. In areas less impacted, results were off as little as 15 percent of the expected results. It seems people are hunkering down, holding onto their money, and avoiding long range financial commitments.

Read more here.

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December 15, 2008

End of year giving projections

How do you expect your church to end the year? The first Sunday in December is typically a big week, perhaps even the strongest, for monthly donations. You should have a good idea where you'll end up.

If you're not on par to make budget, you might want to consider how well you're tying the needs of church members and community with the ministry of your church. Organizations that are doing this well stand the best chance to maintain or increase giving during this economic crisis.

From Holiday-Giving Update: Social-Services Groups See a Surge, But Most Groups Face Big Slowdown in Donations:

...Charities that provide the very poor with food, shelter, and basic services say donors are responding because the bad economy has enabled them to make the case that demand for such services is increasing rapidly.

The fact that some organizations are seeing increases in giving proves that Americans have not stopped giving. Rather, they are being more intentional about who they give their money to.

If giving is down and you expect to come in under budget, you should consider evaluating how well you're communicating and demonstrating your ability to use donations to measurably meet the needs of the people in your church and community. It may be time to shift some of your ministry priorities to focus more on meeting human needs of food, clothing and shelter or even providing job skills training, GED programs, career planning and financial education and counseling.

How's your giving? What's your plan?

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December 12, 2008

Think Christian talks about tithing...without the church

There are some definite shifts taking place in minds of American Christians related to tithing. Two significant ones are:

1. The tithe is not solely for the church. More and more Christians are finding themselves dividing their 10% between local church and other charitable endeavors.

2. Christians want their tithe to count. Churches in the not so near future - maybe even today (or yesterday) - will be required to demonstrate the results of the tithes and offerings received. The luster of undesigned funds is diminishing. American Christians want to know where there money is going, how it's being used and understand the impact it's making.

The end result of these observations is that the church is becoming ONE of MANY charitable giving options instead of the CENTRAL or PRIMARY charitable giving option for many American Christians.

Think Christian explores the changing landscape of tithing in Tithing...without the church.

What do you think? Have you noticed this shift taking place? What does the church need to do or change to ensure every dollar of the tithe remains within the local church? What happens to the church if nothing changes in their approach to member contributions and tithing?

Think about it. Then, let's talk.

Related Posts:
See "Pulipt vs. Pew"

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December 11, 2008

Decline in church giving could force innovation

It seems like everyone is holding their breath - for-profit and non-profit organizations alike - to see what the results will be when the dust settles for 2008 in just a few short weeks. As churches anticipate a loss compared to giving levels in years past, the new year is bound to generate some very important and necessary organizational conversations.

My prediction is that churches will need to become much more intentional about how they spend their money to ensure every dollar received is maximized for ministry. Innovation usually comes from necessity. And several large non-profits are leading the way.

In Charity donation decline gives rise to innovation, organizations such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army are already taking steps to empower their existing donors to become organizational evangelists by giving them the tools they need to multiply their fundraising effots.

The paradox is this: in order to keep getting bigger, organizations are going to have to get smaller. This doesn't necessarily reducing budgets and staff. I think this refers to how members/donors interact with the organization. More specifically, all fundraising initiatives will happen on a much more personal, individual level than mass market apeals.

When I think about the church setting, every Christian is the pew should be an "evangelist" for the church. And those who are most connected to your ministry will be your biggest ministry multipliers.

Given that you're probably anticipating a decline in giving when compared to past years, how is your church prepared to innovate to continue to fully-fund your ministry budgets so that you have the resources to accomplish the ministry God has placed on your heart? How are you empowering your members to encourage others to join the cause of fulfilling the Great Commission through your church ministry?

It's a difficult conversation but one worth having.

Note: This conversation may result in giving up some control at the top to truly empower the person in the pew. This may be too scary for you. If it is...get over it!

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December 10, 2008

Good reminders and best practices about year-end donations

The end of the year is quickly approaching. It's time to refresh your memory of all the rules related to year-end donations. In Gift or Gaffe? How to get the full benefit from year-end donations the writer outlines what the IRS has to say on the subject and identifies some real world examples and advice from church leaders.

You might want to consider making this information available to your membership through your Web site, bulletin insert, etc. It may help hedge against a series of like questions and may even prevent some of those uncomfortable post year-end contribution conversations in the hallway between Sunday School and Worship.

Related Post:
IRS Offers Tips for Year-End Donations

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December 8, 2008

Get Rich Slowly champions charitable giving in tough times

Get Rich Slowly talks about Why charitable giving is even more important is tough economic times. Below are excerpts from the post.

I would enourage you to read the entire post and look for ways to incorporate his ideas into the presentation of your church's ministry to your membership. Reminding people of need and how they can meet that need is vital when it comes to charitable giving.

As the people in your pews become more selective about the organizations and causes they support, remember - for many - the church is just ONE option rather than the ONLY option. And the responsibility falls to the church leader to ensure every member understands that the church is the best place for their dollar.

People on the "edges" are impacted more. People who are already struggling are impacted more by rising costs or the loss of income. You might feel like you're barely making ends meet, but chances are that if you're reading this, you are not sleeping in the back of a van with your kids (like a family I saw here in Seattle last week), or raising children in a part of the world where clean water and electricity are a distant dream and low-wage work represents your only opportunity to put food on the table.

Charities are struggling to meet basic needs. Charities run on a shoestring, doing as much as they can each year to help people in need. This year, things are particularly tough. Donors are cutting back, and at the same time, need is increasing dramatically.

A chance to teach. My own children are too young to realize that we're cutting back on holiday gifts this year, but they're not too young to understand that they should help people in need. We have already started finding concrete ways to show them that they can have an impact.

Give your skills. Writing a check isn't the only way to give, and it is not always the most effective. If you have a marketable skill or hobby, you can use it to help someone in need.

Work your network. Don't be shy. Spread the word about what you are doing, you'll be surprised at how many people will want to help out, sometimes in bigger ways than you would have imagined.

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December 5, 2008

Make people, not programs your most important priority

It's hard not to think about the economy. It's everywhere. It's on the front page of our newspapers, the titles of blog posts and the lead story on almost every network news show.

And the news isn't good.

I wrote a lot this week about the responsibility church leaders have to lead their organizations in the midst of economic struggle, and I've provided you with some tools to use as you build and implement your strategy for success.

I'd like to end this series with a reminder that while you're managing and leading organizations, don't loose sight of the people who are the fabric of your oganization. It's people who fund our churches. It's people who volunteer their time and energy to teach Sunday School and lead various other activities. It's people who serve in lay leadership roles. It's people who fill the staff positions of our churches. It's people who we are called to love and serve and be Jesus to.

In the flurry of our activity to stabilize and sustain the organizations we've been called to serve, may we never forget that behind our programs are human beings who chose to be a part of our work and follow our leadership because they believed in us and the cause we represent. We must not abandon them in the name of organizational development at any time and especially in this moment in time.

Reach out to your donors is a call to action to prioritize people over programs.

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December 4, 2008

Church leaders should maximize every dollar donated

United Methodist church leaders recently met to consider the impact a decline in church giving would have on funding for denominational ministries. United Methodists aren't the only ones asking these questions.

Most denominational structures are dependent upon giving from local churches. In Southern Baptist circles, we fund our denominational structure and collection mission efforts through the Cooperative Program which is also reporting a slight decline when compared to last year.

We have two options:

1. We can go find our spot in the corner and cry about it.
2. We can make sure everything we are doing is the best use of every dollar.

As one of my first managers told me, "It is what it is." Yes, denominational giving is expected to be down. Church giving may be down. So what? We are still collecting more money through churches than we ever have in history. We have more money to fund more ministry that our parents and grandparents could have ever dreamed of.

It's our responsibility to make sure every dollar we receive on the local level to fund our ministry budgets and to give to denominational structures is being maximized.

Another saying I've picked up over the years is this: "Everything's always on the table." Let's measure the effectivness of every ministry we choose to invest in to determine where we might be able to redirect funds for the purpose of achieving greater results. When the potential for less dollars exists, our expectations for ministry shouldn't decline. Rather, results should drive our decision making.

Related Posts:
Giving and the Church Member Experience, Law #5
Guaranteed church giving results
Barna reveals trends in tithing and church giving
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing, in Conclusion
Exploring the impact of American Idol on church giving

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History proves church giving outlook is strong

"The data suggest that decreasing giving is not the first thing church members do in tough economic times," said Ronsvalle, who has been studying Christian giving in detail since 1988. "If this is an extended downturn, in the second year you might begin to see a retraction in church-member giving."

Read the rest of the article here.

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December 3, 2008

The senior pastor is the chief fundraiser

"Pastors are the CEOs of their congregations. No single person is more responsible for what goes on in his or her church than the lead pastor. No one has more communication with the congregation than the lead pastor. No one has more ability to raise funds on behalf of the church than the lead pastor. Yet, very few of our pastors accept the responsibility to raise funds for the organization they lead."

Not Your Parents' Offering Plate
by J. Clif Christopher, pgs. 43-4

Related Post:
Book Review: Not Your Parents' Offering Plate

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Charis Group's president Mark Brooks offers 4 keys to success

Mark Brooks, president of The Charis Group, offers 4 keys to stewardship success today in Not every church is seeing giving decline.

These are ideas to implement NOW...not when the economy gets better and all conditions are perfect.

The 4 keys are:

1. Compelling vision - "Good vision trumps bad economy."
2. Do something! - Churches that can not show any return on investment will struggle.
3. Stewardship education - Churches that focus on stewardship consistently are weathering this downward economic time....
4. Have a plan - I find that most churches do not have a plan for stewardship. They have a growth plan, a missions plan and many other plans but fail to have a plan to fund all that.

Get moving!

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December 2, 2008

Generis strategist offers 6 steps to stewardship success

Generis Strategist, Rubin Swift, offers pastors 6 things to consider as they plan and adjust their stewardship strategy for the remainder of 2008 and moving into 2009. These six steps will ensure you're covering the bases and moving toward action instead of becoming paralyzed with fear.

More than ever, the pastor needs to display a confidence and trust in the God he proclaims.

Pastor, what's your plan? Enough talk. Get moving. Make things happen.

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Economy could spur Christian compassion

Chuck Warnock writes for pastors who lead small churches. He recently conducted an online poll and came to unsurprising conclusion: nearly every church - especially small churches - can expect to be negatively impacted by the economy. Jim Collins would call this a "brutal fact." The quicker we can swallow this pill the better we will be positioned to actually embrace the situation and use it to our advantage.

Chuck believes this economic struggle may be a catalyst for Christian compassion. People who study giving habits know that peoples' willingness to give is in direct proportion to their belief in and understanding of need.

One antedote to the gloomy economic forecast is to talk about it - openly and publically. This may be difficult to do. But in the talking, the "scary green monster" doesn't seem to bad. It becomes a matter of defining a plan to not just survive but thrive.

How the church responds to this economic crisis will either prove the church to be irrelvant or will restore the role of the church as an agent of hope and new beginnings?

Pastor, the ball is in your court?

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December 1, 2008

Barna research indicates churches will lose billions in Q4

The Barna Group released a study today that attempts to quantify the impact the economy will have on church giving.

Here are some notable statistics to consider:

• In total, one out of every five households (20%) has decreased its giving to churches or other religious centers.
• Among people who have decreased giving to churches and religious centers, 19% dropped their giving by as much as 20%, 5% decreased their generosity by 21% to 49%, 17% reduced their giving by half, and 11% sliced their provision by more than half. In addition, 22% said they had stopped their giving altogether.
• Among those who attend a Christian church, the survey found that one-third (35%) said their church had offered a special talk about the financial situation and ways to respond to it.
• The average church can expect to see its revenues dip about 4% to 6% lower than would have been expected without the economic turmoil.

Given the shock value of this study, we'll be spending the week discussing its implications and how the church can prepare not just to survive but thrive in the midst of unfavorable economic conditions.

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November 25, 2008

5 new Del.icio.us links related to stewardship and giving

Below are five new articles added to the Do More Ministry Del.icio.us library. I try to add at least 5-7 articles or links a week. If you see something that I missed or find a really cool article, send it to me and I'll add it to the library.

My hope is that this collection of articles and links related to stewardship and giving will help you be better prepared to lead your church to fully-funded budgets and long-term sustainable ministries.

1. A Crunch in Collections


2. Tithing is a constant


3. Churches starting to feel financial stress


4. Sustaining Non-profits during economic downturns


5. Managing ministry funds during tough economic times

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Individualism, Self-deteremination obstacles to church giving

"Many American Christians simply seem to have a hard time putting together two discordant ideas. On the one side, many seem to genuinely believe in the biblical notions of stewardship and discipleship, who are profoundly challenging to the autonomous individualistic self. But at the same time, most of them are also deeply committed to American autonomous individualism and accompanying notions of self-determination, absolute private property rights, and consumer sovereignty."

Passing the Plate, pg. 119.

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November 24, 2008

New World Vision study reveals good news for charitable giving

• As a result of the current economic climate, seven in ten adults (71 percent) will spend less money on holiday presents this year, and about half (49 percent) are now more likely to give a charitable gift as a holiday present.


• More than four in five adults (84 percent) would prefer to receive a meaningful gift that would help someone else rather than a traditional holiday gift such as clothing or electronics.


• More than half of U.S. adults (57 percent) want something for the holidays this year, but only about one in three (36 percent) say they need something.


• More than half couldn't remember what they received. More women (60 percent) remember exactly what they got for Christmas last year than men (49 percent).

Read more about this study.

The current state of the economy isn't all bad news. If people realize the difference between "need" and "want" and as a result decide to give more of their money away to causes and organizations that help others, we all win.

P.S. Why not find a way to replicate World Vision's Christmas catalog within the context of the ministry of your church? What if every church came up with a catalog that featured the needs and ministries of the church and offered the chance for church members to give an "alternative" Christmas gift to friends and family by supporting those needs and ministries?

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American Christians choose NOT to give

"At least one out of five American Christians - 20 percent of all U.S. Christians - gives literally nothing to church, para-church, or nonreligious charities."

Passing the Plate, pg. 29.

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November 21, 2008

Should your church leadership sign a contract?

One fundraising professional asks her Board to sign an annual fundraising contract.

The contract asks board members to specify contributions they would make in four areas: making a personal financial donation; arranging meetings, hosting parties, and other donor "cultivation" activities; helping to secure big gifts from others; participating in events; and "other" fund-raising activities that each board member can suggest on their own.

The brief article explains that there was some prep and follow up work involved, not only on behalf of this fundraising professional but also the executive director and chairman of the board. (This is a good reminder that success and organizational health are dependent upon more than one or a few people.)

So what does this have to do with church?

Your leadership should be in positions of leadership because they have pledged their allegiance to the staff and to the church. They should have more "invested" in seeing the ministry of the church multiply than the average person in the pew. These are your pace setters, and the ones everyone else in your church will observe.

Bottom line, it's critical that your leadership be willing to model every aspect of what it means to be a good steward - one who is faithful with their time, talent and treasures.

Accepting a position of leadership in any organization involves accepting the responsibility of the position. A contract or agreement merely outlines the expectations and assumptions of the relationship.

If you're looking for a way to inspire your leadership to lead and raise the level of expectation for your average pew sitter, maybe a convenant agreement (or contract) could be a tool to reinforce just how critical it is to have everyone working toward the same goal - fulfillment of the Great Commission through the ministry of the local church.

My guess is that the board members who signed the contract mentioned above were as successful or even more successful at raising money for the organization than in years past.

God has given every church all the resources it needs - the right people, the right talents and the right amount of money. Too often we settle for only a small percentage who choose to get involved and sacrifically invest themselves in the ministry of the church.

Raising the expectation will multiply your ministry.

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November 20, 2008

LifeWay poll reveals charitable giving intentions of employees

I just checked our intranet page and noticed the employee poll question of the day: How has the economy impacted your holiday charitable giving?

The response was not surprising. Though, it's counterintuitive. Here are the most recent results:

61.15%
I will give as usual

30.14%
I will give less

8.695%
I will give more

Total Votes: 345

The most surprising one to me was that nearly 10% of LifeWay employees indicated that they plan to give MORE this holiday season because of the economy.

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Building upon the right foundation

Mark Brooks, president and founder of Charis, writes in Deal or No Deal: Build Now or Wait for Economic Improvement? that churches should consider their own personal situation when deciding to postpone or follow through with building plans.

He outlines several areas for consideration. All are good reminders that an economic recession affects us all differently.

I would verify this. The churches I'm talking to have multiple feelings and opinions as to how the economy is or will affect their ministry and particularly their giving. One church told me a couple of weeks ago that their giving is up 30% while another is being forced to consider laying off personnel just to breakeven with last year.

Entering a capital campaign may or may not be the best decision right now for your church. Each church should consider the decision individually.

Perhaps the cost of holding your cards, hunkering down and hanging on until this "storm" passes might be greater in terms of ministry than any capital campaign you might consider.

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November 19, 2008

New funding model applied at Waterfront Community Church

Think how much more ministry your church could accomplish if the dollars in the plate directly funded ministry. What if you could find an alternative way to cover the overhead of your church?

One church decided to think outside the box. The result? A story worth telling your friends about.

"Some people like to see where their money is going," said Semradek, 38, a former pastor at Willow Creek Community Church. "My dream is every time a person puts a dollar in the plate, something happens. When you give, you see a face on the other side that you're blessing."

Waterfront Community Church has sponsors that cover all the administrative overhead associated with running an organization. That means 100% of all giving goes directly to ministry. That's a powerful story for people who are looking to give yet being more cautious than ever about who they give their money to.

Read Christians want say where money goes.

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November 17, 2008

Salvation Army now accepting "plastic" donations

The Associated Press reports that the Salvation Army will test peoples' willingness to swipe their "plastic" at the local red kettle instead of dropping their change or a few dollar bills.

The shift is indicative of what most NPOs (this includes churches) are doing. That is, they are expanding their giving options to allow more options/methods for people to give.

When was the last time you discussed e-giving at your church?

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November 13, 2008

Method of giving may change in light of recession

Depending on how long the recession lasts and how deep its impact, churches need to consider that while members will continue to give, they may shift their method of giving.

If you haven't already, you need to implement a planned giving solution for your church.

Read more about Planned Giving:

Planned giving for churches, Part 1
Planned giving for churches, Part 2
Planned giving for churches, Part 3
Planned giving for churches, Conclusion

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November 12, 2008

Free E-giving and Event Manager service generates interest

Lots of conversation today about our E-giving and Online Event Manager service.

Below is a collection of the top posts related to E-giving in no particular order.

1. Is online giving a growing trend?
2. The results of online giving are in...
3. Electronic Giving Part 1: The Forbidden Conversation
4. Electronic Giving Part 2: Future or Fad?
5. Revisitng E-giving
6. Book Review: Digital Giving
7. Church increases use of onling giving
8. Concerns about E-giving
9. Study reveals that 50% will donate online this holiday season

Review the entire E-giving catagory.

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November 11, 2008

Book Review: Not Your Parents' Offering Plate

Note: Craig recently commented in an online forum for Church Administrators about this book. It sounded interesting, and I wasn't aware of it. He was gracious and wrote a review for the blog. Thanks Craig. Great job. (And now I have one more book to add to my "must read" list.)

Not Your Parents' Offering Plate
by J. Clif Christopher

This is a short, very direct book that will challenge many of us who have been involved in raising financial resources for our churches. The author takes the position that our biggest "competition" for our people's giving dollar in not other churches but other 501 (c) (3) organizations that do a much better job "targeting" those they hope to receive money from. He spends a whole chapter and many parts of other chapters suggesting that the Senior Pastor must be the primary fundraiser in our churches. He challenges the opinion of many by insisting that the Sr. Pastor must know and cultivate a relationship with those in the church that have the resources to support the mission of the church.

One of the features I found very helpful was at the end of each chapter he asked questions directed at the way we fundraise and gives actions steps. His final chapter deals with the first ten steps he believes we need to take to position our churches to beginning to receive the funding we need to fulfill our mission. This book helped our leadership and financial teams take a different look at and come up with a plan for our next year. We will approach our people in a different way because of the insights of Dr. Christopher.

Craig Zastrow is the Executive Pastor of Central Christian Church in Beloit , WI . Central Christian Church is a nondenominational church with a weekend attendance of over 1900. Central Christian Church was one of the churches featured in Dr. Thom Rainer's book Breakout Churches. He has been in this position for 15 years following 15 years as the director of a county wide paramedic system and 8 years as the executive director of a two county outpatient mental health clinic.

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November 7, 2008

Mark Beeson talks straight with Granger members about money

Tim Stevens recently shared a very creative stewardship letter that they mailed to all the members of Granger Community Church.

I love the honesty and suspect it's in the DNA of this church and its leadership. While this exact style won't work in every church setting, communication is the key.

Silence is not an option. Ignoring the economy could prove to be a costly decision. So start talking. Chances are your people will respond more generously than you think. Churches and church leaders are often scared to make the ask, but I've never understood the hesitation.

Pastor, the people in your pew know that the economy is not good. Maybe it's time to take the lead and tell your people how its directly impacting your church. Use this as an opportunity to recast your vision and quantify the ministry impact of your church over the last 6-12 months.

People will always have discreationary income. While they might be more careful how they use it, they are going to give it to somebody. Why not the church?

As church leaders, it's our responsibility to ensure the long-term viability of the organizations we manage that ultimately faciliate the ministry we are called to do.

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November 6, 2008

Faith or Fundraising: An exercise in vocation

Jason posted recently on his blog A Small Change about his own vocational struggle. I'm not surprised (and said so in my comments on his blog). A fundraiser must subscribe to his or her ability to affect change on two levels: one, a general interest in helping others affect change and two, a belief in the orgaization you represent--it's values, goals and work.

Fundraising is essentially providing the fuel for an organization or individual to accomplish some goal or task that they believe will make the world a better place. Because of it, organizations experience fully funded budgets and sustainable work efforts that ultimately ensure stable and lasting results. This knowledge alone provides enough strength in the weakest moments to keep pressing on, to make one more phone call, write one more letter and host one more dinner.

Great fundrasiers - those who are the most successful - are the ones who actually believe in the organization or cause they represent. There is a sparkle in their eye when they talk about. There is a "x" or "it" factor that translates on a gut, human level and tranfers an energy beyond words that generates a measurable response.

Fundraising and development work are comprehensive and holistic efforts. They require every skill imaginable, including a childlike belief that the impossible can take place.

Jason obviously has this. And he recognizes that changes - even small - are the catalyst of revolutions and total transformation both in individuals and cultures.

Fundraisers are just as important as the ones who carry out the work. In fact, they may be more important. There are more people ready to carry out the work than there are people who are equipped to fund the work.

Keep up the great work Jason!

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November 4, 2008

Local church promotes giving in tough economy

"If this economic crash has taught us anything, it is that it is an illusion for us to think that we can find any security in anything material," said Stephen McSwain, author of 'The Giving Myths.'

This church brought in a noted author to encourage believers to "keep the faith" in the midst of uncertain times.

What is your church doing?

(Hint: Panic isn't an option. Hope is not a strategy.)

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November 3, 2008

Top 12 posts about church giving in an economic crisis

Just in case you missed these the first time around, here are the top 12 posts (in no particular order) about church giving in an economic crisis:

1. Free Webinar on church giving in a struggling economy (and Free Webinar on church giving and economy now on-demand)
2. Reduced optimism about the climate for church giving
3. Even in tough times, make the ask
4. Connecting philanthropic behavior to church giving habits
5. USA Today features charitable giving trends
6. Church givers expect ministry to continue in hard times
7. 3 ways church administrators will respond to economic crisis
8. Get strategic about church giving
9. Average donation per person may go down in 2009
10. Encouraging words for church giving in times of economic crisis
11. What's really happening to churches and church giving
12. 3 steps to position your church to address an economic crisis

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October 31, 2008

Encouraging words for church giving in times of recession

I needed to read some good news today. I needed to read something that reminded me that hope (while not a strategy for success by itself) exists.

I found it.

I hope you are encouraged too.

"That being said, the history of philanthropic giving in the United States supports the notion that our nonprofit sector has weathered every economic downturn since we've been tracking how Americans give more than 50 years ago."

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October 30, 2008

What's really happening to churches and church giving

There is a lot of speculation that church giving will plummet and as a result we'll see mass closings of churches all across this nation due to the decrease in individual/family discretionary income which directly impacts church giving.

As of yet, this is not the case. In fact, some churches are reporting little direct impact on church giving due to our current economic crisis.

The LA Times recently picked up an the AP story Churches could be facing hard times financially, just when congregants need help, too.

Here are some interesting quotes from the article:

Among the congregations faring best are those with a strong tradition of tithing -- the biblical mandate to give at least 10 percent of one's income to the church.

Churches who teach Biblical principles related to personal finances and church giving have prepared their congregations for situations just like the one we find ourselves in now.

What is your church doing to provide practical financial solutions for families? You might consider making these classes part of your core christian education goals - maybe even a requirement for your new member classes.

Plan and prepare is the best strategy to hedge against uncertain financial times.

A recent report by the Christian research group Empty Tomb Inc. studied six recessions since 1968 and found that donations by church members declined in three and increased in three. Another study, by Giving USA Foundation, found that religion-related charitable giving fell slightly in six of 11 recession years since 1968.

Despite our "intuition" telling us that we are in the worst position in history, church giving is just about as cyclical as the economy. There are ups and downs. Yes, we are in a down. If we know that church giving is cyclical, we can address it in a comprehensive, systematic way.

What's your long-term strategy to provide for fully funded ministry budgets and sustainable ministries?

However, many churches rely on income from investments for their financial health and are already slashing their 2009 budgets.

Our current economic situation is largely driven by the stock market. Those churches who have placed a significant percentage of their operating expenses in one catagory (i.e. the stock market) ought to consider expanding their portfolio.

Maybe it's time to get some organizational financial planning advice?

A wise person once told me, "It's never as bad as it seems, and it's never as good as it seems."

I think that sums up our current economic situation - especially as to its impact upon church giving.

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Mississippi's Mixon weighs in on church giving in tough times

During a financial crisis the world and our church members do not need to see the church express itself in panic, fear, or doubt. The church should express faith and trust in God. Here are a few suggestions to help you face this crisis.

1. Take an honest look at your promotion of giving. Ask your pastor, staff, and Finance Committee to plan an emphasis on giving the tithe. Your state stewardship office can provide you with free materials. You should develop an annual giving emphasis. The problem is that some churches do get lax from time to time, and they need a gentle reminder that the tithe belongs to the Lord. Wake up your church with a stewardship campaign and share with them the need of reaching your community and the world. The financial experts remind us that during tough times the faithful will continue to give. It is true they may have less money to give, but they will give. Your target should be the casual givers and the casual attenders. Casual givers give when they have extra cash. The casual attenders are those who attend once or twice a month and only give when present.

2. Take a look at spending practices. A purchase system should be set up to control unnecessary spending. All staff personnel should be cautioned to spend only for needs of ministry and delay all non-essential spending.

3. Begin to set aside a three-month emergency fund. Most financial crises are temporary and in time the crisis will pass. Your church should have enough money set aside to operate staff and ministry for three full months without any income from the members.

4. Reevaluate all of the programs and activities of the church. This evaluation should be in connection with your church mission statement. I understand that once you begin a program in a Baptist church, it is difficult to ever bring it to a halt. But frankly, many churches are doing things that are convenient for the membership but have little or nothing to do with the mission of the church.

5. Review your church's insurance policies. There may be some savings by changing companies. Another review may be of expensive literature orders. Many churches order materials that are still lying around and are never used. You might also think about controlling heating and cooling expenses by installing programmable thermostats.

6. Finally, and only as a last resort, consider trimming the budget. Our problem many times is that this is the first action we take instead of the last. The first item easiest to trim is the Cooperative Program (CP). It appears to be the least popular and the one with no face. No one will come from outside your church and make a plea to keep missions at the present level. Your church would never think of downsizing the Lottie Moon goal, but when you cut the Cooperative Program, you also trim funding for the International Mission Board (IMB). In 2008 CP funded IMB with 37% of her budget. That means that Lottie Moon only funded 52% of the total IMB budget. So CP gave only 15% less than Lottie Moon. When you cut your CP gifts, you place a greater burden on Lottie Moon, which has to make up the difference.

Once you have considered these suggestions, consider making a commitment to restore the budget to full funding as soon as possible.

Jerry Mixon is the State Stewardship Executive for the Mississippi Baptist Convention. He's managed to balance being a pastor, husband and stewardship expert with his love and passion for writing books and the occassional country music song. You can contact him directly via e-mail or by calling 601.292.3347. Read more by and about Jerry Mixon.

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October 29, 2008

Every pastor is a fundraiser

Fundraising is one of those tasks that some pastors love and some pastors hate. At the end of the day, every pastor is a fundraiser. So why does fundraising lack that sense of "calling" that being a pastor carries with it?

If fundraising is simply a transaction, then we miss the point. Fundraising is about providing a compelling vision that invites others to participate in and support using their time, talents and treasures to bring about a change that is larger than any one single person, organization or program can accomplish.

Read a passionate appeal from one fundraiser who refuses to believe that it's just about a monetary transaction between a wealthy individual and an organization that simply takes place to satisfy the needs of both parties.

"If your ideas and programs and people and vision are so great, shouldn't people be willing to reach into their pockets and fund them? If it's worth spending your life doing this work, shouldn't you or someone in your organization be able to convince someone else that the work is worth supporting?"

Pastors carry the burden of the greatest message and vision of all time, the Good News of the Gospel. If you can't inspire someone to financially support the work of your church, maybe it's time to take a look in the mirror to ensure you believe what your preaching.

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October 28, 2008

Giving expert challenges presidential candidates

One giving expert challenges the presidential candidates to stop spending money on political advertising and donate the remaining balance that each campaign has raised to charity in light of our current domestic economic crisis.

He even goes as far as to say that the candidate who takes his challenge will get his vote.

Do you agree?

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October 27, 2008

Study reveals that 50% will donate online this holiday season

A new study on charitable giving revealed that nearly 50% of online consumers plan to donate during the holiday season in 2008. Further, the donations are estimated to be similar to the 2007 holiday season.

This is good news given the fact that most non-profits (this includes churches) aren't exactly sure what to expect over the next several months.

What was most interesting was the emphasis on online donation tools being identified as an essential medium to collect a majority of those donations.

"More than 50 percent of online consumers say that they plan to donate via the Internet during the 2008 holiday season," said Vinay Bhagat, Chief Strategy Officer and Founder of Convio. "This level of online support shows that nonprofits of all sizes need to make sure that their web sites and other electronic communications meet consumer expectations. It is also important to make sure that traditional appeals such as direct mail, television and events provide people with the option to give online. If it is difficult to give to your organization online consumers will find an alternative."

Does your church currently offer online giving? If not, maybe it's time to have that conversation.

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October 23, 2008

Average donation per person may go down in 2009

There is a revolution taking place in the advertising world. Gone are the days where print marketing rules. It's too expensive. And in light of these tough economic times, companies are slashing marketing budgets to the bare minimum. In turn, marketers are looking down the barrel of Web 2.0 and either running away or embracing this new media platform.

The situation facing the business world parallels the NPO/Church World. It's time to take action and begin focusing on the best strategy (acquisition/outreach) to hedge against the worst case scenario (declining membership and giving).

Call it donor acquisition or outreach, in times when charitable giving is expected to stay at current levels in even the best case scenario, it's time to invest in growing the number of people connected to your community. But church leaders are going to have to rethink how they do this because the "old" way can't be funded properly within a minimal budget scenario.

My prediction is that the average donation per person is going to go down in 2009. Those churches who are focused on enlarging the members of their community have the best shot at withstanding the next 12-18 months. More people giving a little can add up to the same if not more than a few people giving a whole lot.

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Best comprehensive church giving research available

If you're looking for the best comprehensive research on church giving in one book, look no further than The State of Church Giving through 2006.

(Note: I recently purchased my copy direct from Amazon.com.)

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Get strategic about church giving

If you're the pastor, church business administrator, executive pastor, stewardship/finance committee chairperson, etc., you're probably feeling completely underprepared for this moment in time. Unfortunately, you are saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that the NPO (a.k.a. Church) that you're leading will have enough resources in 2009 to keep things churning at least the same level they were in 2008.

What are your options? What can you do? In my opinion, you have two:

1. Go sit in a corner and cry about it.
2. Roll up your sleeves and make something happen.

So what if it's going to be a tough year for church giving? Advertisy often creates innovation which creates brands which creates loyalty...you see where I'm going with this. 2009 might be a difficult year, and it might be scary to think about an interruption in the "easy" and "predictable" giving habits of the last 6 years or so.

Experts weigh in with some suggestions for leaders of NPOs to consider as they're hammering out their strategy for 2009 and wondering how they are going to fund it.

Most interesting one to me is: Focus the mission, focus the message. If there is any NPO best positioned to do this, it's the church. No other NPO is in front of their donors (a.k.a. church members) as frequently as churches get to be. (The rest of the NPO world is very jealous of this.)

So take advantage of your strengths. Be proactive. Commit to survive and thrive. The opportunity for ministry will be great, so it's imperative to act strategically to fully fund the ministry God has in store for your church in 2009.

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October 22, 2008

3 ways Church Administrators will respond to economic crisis

Is the world of church giving headed for doom and gloom for the next 12 months? Exactly how bad is it? It's easy to allow ourselves to include ourselves in "group think" and begin believing that these are the worst times ever. Below are three contrasting ideas/insights about giving in tough economic times and what this means for the church.

Insight #1 - Church giving will plummet in light of the current economic crisis.

Donors Start Cutting Back is some of the worst news a Church Business Administrator wants to read. If we believe this, then we make the assumption that ALL people give out of their excess instead of out of their first-fruits.

Insight #2 - Church giving will remain consistent in light of the current economic crisis.

One wealth expert believes that the stock market has little to do with people's regular disposable income or the source of much of philanthropic (that includes church) giving. His claim is the the stock market only impacts a nominal percentage of the average households monthly income. This is good news for Church Business Administrators

Insight #3 - Church giving will increase in light of the current economic crisis.

Ok. I realize this might be a tough sell. But one investment firm is claiming an increase of 12% in grant-giving to NPOs from its benevolent investment funds. If church adminsitrators have done their homework and managed the church business conservatively, then there will be a pile of money somewhere to assist the church during an interruption in normal giving habits.

Perhaps there are some who don't want to use these funds. My question is: Why not? That's what these funds are for. Once we emerge from the recession or crisis or whatever you want to call it, the funds will be replenished.

If the church coffers are choked and ministry is suspended for fear of not having enough, then the church won't be able to help or assist faithful members who now find themselves in need and members of the community who are turning to the church for help.

How you respond says a lot about what you believe. Adequate business management should have prepared all churches to thrive even with short-term interruptions in normal giving levels.

This too shall pass.

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