Do More Ministry: Pulpit vs. Pew Archives

September 24, 2009

Georgia Baptist Pastor's Conference: 5 steps to funding a sustainable ministry

I'm leading two breakout sessions today for Georgia Baptist Pastor's at the State Convention Office. I thought I'd share with you the PowerPoint presentation I'm using.

I hope you find this helpful!

GBC 09 Pastor's Conference - Sustainable Funding

View more presentations from Ben Stroup.

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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 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.

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 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 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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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.

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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 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?

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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 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.

November 25, 2008

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 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 4, 2008

Empty Tomb report on giving troubling for Southern Baptists

What we do is more important than we say.

So what are we "telling" the world through our church giving behavior.

Americans spent nearly twice as much on first-day sales of the video game "Grand Theft Auto IV" as the Southern Baptist Convention and its International Mission Board would need to share the gospel with all the world's unreached people groups by 2010, according to a new report on church giving.

Empty tomb estimated it would cost about $11 per Southern Baptist to fund those extra missionaries. Instead, the denomination's 2008 goal of $170 million to support existing missionaries is the equivalent of asking each Southern Baptist to donate just 31 cents more than last year.

"The total portion of per capita income given to churches in 2006 was lower (in 2006) than in the worst year of the Great Depression," the authors found.

Read Report calls US church giving 'lukewarm'.

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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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October 15, 2008

3 brutal facts about giving grounded in the Pareto Principle

The Pareto Principle is more commonly known as the 80-20 rule. In other words, 80 percent of the result is generated by 20 percent of the effort.

This can be applied to church giving habits too. 20% of your congregation is driving 80% of your funds. This will either paralyze you or motivate you to become more strategic.

The reality is the it's the 20% who end up on stewardship and finance committees. These leaders can't imagine or understand why 80% of the congregation doesn't give.

What I've found true is the often the 20% thinks they are actually 40% or 50%. Most church leaders think their church is different (i.e. better) than the average. (Ever run into that before?)

Here are the brutal facts:

1. When your long-term funding strategy is hung on the giving habits of a small percentage of your entire congregation, you are tempting fate. Someone in that small group will leave the church, change jobs, loose their job, die, etc. If you're not building giving habits with the 80% group, you are leaving yourself wide open for disaster to happen.

2. Providing things like e-giving and offering envelopes are primarily to encourage giving and make it easy for the 80% to do so. The 20% don't need offering envelopes or e-giving. They are going to give anyway. If the pastor requested all donations be made into pennies, the 20% would take off from work early to stop by the bank and exchange paper for pennies. (Over dramatic, yes. But you get my point.)

3. Stewardship is more important than your sermon preparation. (I'm anticipating getting some negative feedback for this one. So I'm ready.) Stewardship is about discipleship. It speaks to giving of ourselves - our time, talent and treasure - because we recognize that everything we have is from God and is designed to be used to multiply kingdom efforts. While years are spent preparing pastors to preach, without a consistent stewardship education program pastors won't have a pulpit to preach from. (Pulpit can be symbolic if you are natually opposed to the piece of furniture that usually is found center stage at tranditional churches.)

Now more than ever pastors and church leaders must concern themselves with the fundamentals of organizational funding, stability and sustainability.

Let me sum it up by saying this: More Money. More Ministry. No Money. No Ministry.

That's the brutal facts.

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October 14, 2008

Anne Jackson talks about tithing

Anne Jackson, blog celebrity and author, talks about a very negative experience she had while on church staff regarding the subject of tithing.

Below is my response. I'd welcome your comments too.

You have uncovered a powerful paradox. Churches are the only God-ordained institution designed to continue and sustain the earthly ministry of Christ until his ultimate return. Churches are also non-profit organizations who are exponentially becoming more complex in structure and needs as the demands from members and communities are becoming more complex.

I've summed up my work with churches in this area into a simple phrase: "More Money. More Ministry." It's essential the we begin bringing a level of sophistication to Church as an organization to ensure that it's fully-funded and sustainable over time. Like it or not, this takes money. So the burden falls upon the church leaders (aka "non-profit managers") to ensure long-term sustainability. Our secular and religious non-profit brothers and sisters have been doing this for a long time. It's time the church steps up to do the same.

It sounds like the conversation you had while on a particular church staff was very inappropriate and most likely is the result of the wrong person being in the wrong position (or at least given the wrong task and strategy). However, that doesn't discount the reality that church leaders should be modeling the behavior that they expect from the membership. It's sounds like you were the victim of poor communication habits.

As church members are becoming less convinced the their tithe should be entirely allocated to the Church, it becomes the Church's responsibility to justify why the tithe should be given completely to the church. They "you-should-give-to-the-church-just-because argument" no longer works--if it ever did.

Thanks for the dialog on the essential subjects of stewardship and church giving!

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October 13, 2008

Exploring the impact of American Idol on church giving

"Participatory Philanthropy" may be the next revolution in charitable giving. TripAdvisor.com is asking the public to decide which cause the company should support.

Here is how the program works: TripAdvisor.com is offering five options for the public to choose how the $1 million dollar pledge will be divided. Polls close on a certain date, and then the results will determine how the money is spent and which organizations/causes are supported.

I wonder what this might look like in church. What if the initial budget presentation to the church body signaled the opening of the "polls" where members could pledge their monetary gifts for the specific ministries they want to to support? Then after a certain period, the "polls" would close and the results tallied. The end result would be any ministry that was significantly underfunded would be cut from the budget.

This works for American Idol which is arguably the most successful talent-seeking competition in history. It has also produced multiple pop stars who have been and continue to be very successful.

The dark side of the process is that sometimes, even the talented get cut. This would also have to be considered within the church setting. It may mean the a long-standing ministry might end up so underfunded that it would also be subject to the proverbial axe.

The appeal for me (even as a church leader) is that it puts the power back in the people in the pew - the ones who are giving the dollars to fund the budget. And people tend to be more committed and give more when they have a say in how their donations are used.

Given the precedent of undesignated giving within church settings, would an "American Idol" approach to giving work?

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October 10, 2008

Church givers expect ministry to continue in hard times

Some consumers do purchase products from vendors who support certain causes according to a recent article from The Chronicle of Philanthropy. The research cited evidence that when consumers had an option and the vendor demonstrated a link between their product and a greater human cause, the consumer was most likely to choose that product over other options.

Here's what caught my attention. More than a quarter of participants in this study expected the companies who produce the products they buy as a result of their demonstrated link to a greater human cause to continue to give at current levels if not increase their level of giving during these tough economic times.

This made me think about the church. As some churches are projecting their collections to be less than what they had originally budgeted - particularly for the 4th quarter - it seems prudent to evaluate any necessary cuts through the eyes of the church giver and not simply the business administrator.

If the general public is more likely to purchase a product because of its link to a cause they feel is important or connect to on an emotional level, why would we expect the people in our pews to be any different?

People give to church because they feel connected to and support its ministry causes. If in midst of necessary expense cuts the programs or ministries the church giver feels important are cut, this could unintentionally sever the emotional connection that inititated the giving in the first place.

Churches who wish to maintain the financial integrity of their operations must evaluate every decision from two vantage points: the impact of the economy and how essential the program or mininstry is to the larger vision of the church. (One might add that if a ministry or program is determined as non-essential and cut and is never missed, perhaps it wasn't a good investment in the first place.)

Expense cuts seem to be the first solution proposed when contributions take a dip. But church's run a dangerous risk in the midst of making those decisions of cutting program or ministries that the people in the pew see as essential. (The perception of the person in the pew matters more than church leaders wish to admit at times.)

Expense cuts provide an immediate, short-term solution. Loosing the ministry connection with the person in the pew in an attempt to provide an immediate solution may actually create a new long-term problem.

"It's not just about picking a cause off the shelf and saying this is what we stand for," said Ms. DaSilva. Marketers need to show a clear connection between an issue and a product. Companies, she said, should ask themselves, "What are we doing that is authentic, real, and relevant to connect with consumers on an emotional and practical level?"

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October 8, 2008

USA Today features charitable giving trends

I was so proud yesterday. USA Today added a complete section to their Tuesday, October 7, 2008, edition of their newspaper that shed a spotlight on Sharing in the USA.

For someone who lives and breathes in the world of philanthropy, church giving, fundraising, stewardship, etc., this was like a candy store experience.

Here are a couple of articles that I hope you'll take the time to read from this section:

1. The new face of giving - Electronic giving methods such as giving via text messaging and online giving are opening the world of charitable giving to younger audiences. And electronic giving options are also increasing the speed at which the donations are being received.

Charitable giving is a serious subject. The article cites that in 2007, giving exceeded $300 billion for the first time. There is also a growing interest among younger givers that don't simply want to write a check to an organization. They actually want to know how there money is being used and see giving more than extending a hand to a fellow human being and less of supporting the causes of an institution.

2. Offerings make up a third of U.S. donations - This article features a LifeWay employee and his family who've made a commitment to tithe. It also discusses the importance the act of giving is within all the major Western religions.

What was very interesting to note was a digram printed in the bottom right hand page (6E) that illustrated a striking reality: personal incoming giving to charity has remained the same (2.3% of disposable income) from 1967 to 2007.

Wow! What a day of news in the world of giving and stewardship.

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September 29, 2008

USA Today and Get Rich Slowly discuss Tithing and Foreclosure

Get Rich Slowly points out a recent article in USA today that I completely missed.

The article features Christians who choose to continue to tithe even though they are facing foreclosure on their homes.

Ingram said one of her clients was a 68-year-old woman who obtained a $62,000 mortgage on behalf of her daughter. When her daughter stopped paying the mortgage this spring, the woman was stuck with payments since her name was on the loan contract.

To stay current on the $500 monthly mortgage, she was faced with giving up a tithe to her local evangelical church of around $200 a month. Instead, she let the property go into foreclosure.

"I made an agreement with the Lord 30 years ago and I have tithed ever since," said the woman, who declined to give her name in an interview. "Nothing could persuade me to give that up. My relationship with God comes first."

We can speculate what we might do in a similar situation. Though, we'll never know for sure until we are in the same situation.

This is a key reminder for church leaders that these are the questions the people in your pews are asking. It's important that we help them make an informed, Biblically sound decision should they find themselves in this dilemma.

There is a pink elephant in the room. Admit it. Talk about it. If the rest of the world is discussing it, shouldn't the church be also?

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September 26, 2008

Threads editor talks about tithing

Threads editor Michael Kelley recently posted a personal confession about why he chooses to tithe.

I'm convinced most people would not be able to articulate the reasons why they tithe like Michael has. This means that we as church leaders haven't done our job. We've dropped the ball and need to recognize that we can no longer just expect people to faithfully give to the church. More competition exists from para-church and other Christian organizations than there ever has. At the same time, fewer and fewer Christians see little difference in giving their tithe to the Church or one of these other organizations.

We must give a compelling reason to the person in the pew as to why God designed the tithe to support and fund the ministry of the local church. Further, we must - ourselves - be able to articulate why we tithe.

Are you prepared to answer the question "Why do you tithe?" (Hint: "Just because" is not an acceptable answer.)

Related posts on tithing:
CBS Sunday Morning weighs in on Tithing
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing, an Introduction
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (continued)
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (Part 3)
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (Part 4)
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing, in Conclusion

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March 4, 2008

CBS Sunday Morning weighs in on Tithing

The lead story on CBS Sunday Morning was on tithing--an unexpected way to begin their broadcast. I was in the process of flipping over to Sesame Street (a new Sunday morning tradition at my house) when the story overview began. I was hooked.

I'm not sure that any of the information presented is new. But I'm impressed that enough people are talking about it that it made the headlines on this major news network.

Tithing has always been a hot topic of debate within the church. Now it seems to be the subject of national news as well. Just last November the Wall Street Journal wrote "The Backlash Against Tithing."

And last fall, we discussed the series "The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing."

Read the entire series:
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing, an Introduction
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (continued)
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (Part 3)
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (Part 4)
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing, in Conclusion

With the conversation already in full swing both inside and outside the church, this is a great atmosphere to open a dialog with those whom you're spiritually responsible.

If someone asked you "Why should I tithe?", what would you say? (And "just because" doesn't count as a valid response. It doesn't work with children; why do we think it will work with adults?)

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January 31, 2008

5 Steps to becoming a better fundraiser

We reviewed 5 necessary steps to increase church giving in my conclusion of the The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing series. You may think that Fundraising is someone else's problem. But the best fundraisers are those who are most passionate about their cause.

If we aren't passionate enough about the message of the Gospel and the effectiveness of the Church to assist in fulfilling the Great Comission to inspire people to give their time, money and talents, then something is terribly wrong.

Fundraising becomes a natural step for humans to take once their hearts and minds have committed to a goal, cause, impact and/or message. As church leaders we have the responsibility to proclaim the Gospel passionately so to inspire others to find themselves changed forever--including their understanding of money, giving and stewardship.

If we don't do it, someone else will. And the Church will suffer for it.

Read the entire "The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing" series:
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing, an Introduction
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (continued)
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (Part 3)
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (Part 4)
The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing, in Conclusion

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December 18, 2007

The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing, in Conclusion

We've talked a lot about the inherent need to revisit how we deal with the teaching and preaching about stewardship and giving over the last four posts. As we bring this string of posts to an end, I'd like to conclude with some practical steps that should be able to make a measurable difference in re-claiming the most essential need for any ministry, money. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: No Money. No Ministry.

5 Steps to Ensure More Money for More Ministry

1. Establish a systematic strategy.

Any strategy should be in writing and should be agreed to by both staff and lay leadership. You may also want to consider getting "buy in" from key influencers who may or may not be lay leaders. Their assitance will be invaluable.

This strategy should exist on a macro and micro level. Those churches who have been the most successful at getting the money they need for the ministry they feel called to do establish an annual stewardship and giving strategy that is comprehensive in nature. In addition, each element of the macro strategy is outlined. This provides a road map. Just follow the path and at the end of the road you'll most likely end up where you intended to be.

One thing is for sure: if you're unsure about your plan, you'll certainly fail.

2. Start Talking About It.

Communication theory tells us that ideas are not "real" until we speak them outloud. This is one reason why talking is essential to the human development process. Take the marriage relationship for example, successful marriages have open lines of communication. This is an intentional decision and doesn't just happen by accident.

It's the same with tithing in the church. Talking about it makes it less scary and provides the opportunity to deal with objections from the pulpit and the pew. This is the only way to overcome the assumptions many make about church giving.

The more we ignore the subject, the more mysterious it becomes. And the more removed we are from the truth on the subject.

3. Set Expectations.

Tell your church from the beginning that you don't pay the light bill with a note of prayer. People need to remember that it takes money to operate any organization. Believe it or not, the people in the pew are very busy. And even though you give them a monthly operational budget in review, it's easy to forget the daily needs to operate the church. It's important that people are reminded that just like it takes money to operate a home, the church needs money too.

Plus, as expectations rise for churches to provide programs to meet the needs of the community, those programs have an expense associated with them. Quantify those costs and justify them. If the program doesn't warrant the investment, then don't do it. If it does, then your people will understand the fiscal investment necessary to launch and sustain this new program or ministry.

Another undervalued area is church assimilation programs. Set expectations with new members that you expect them to contribute their time, money, and talents. And then explain why. Be sure you can explain the "how?" and the "why?".

4. Make the Ask.

Give people a way to contribute. And teach them how to use those tools. Offering Envelopes are the most proven method used by churches to generate and deliver the contributions necessary to do the work of the church.

There is a reason why our secular, non-profit brothers and sisters spend money executing donor campaigns and purchasing envelopes. It's not because they think envelopes are "cool." They use them because they work. And they deliver. Bottom line, you have to consider the results.

Of course, offering envelopes aren't the only response mechanism used to contribute to your church. Whatever giving tools you use, make it easy for your memebers to use.

Those organizations who are most successful at generating the contributions for the ministry of the church are those who are not afraid to make the ask. Even Jesus said, "You have not because you ask not."

5. Report the results.

As church leaders, we are responsible for taking the "pains" necessary to report the effectiveness of the ministry of the church. Yes, this involves the principles of accountability. Every organization should be examining every program or effort funded to ensure that it's the best use of the funds. When you consider the non-profit world, one that exists on the donations of its members or the public, it's absolutely essential to prove that the money donated accomplishes the advertised goal.

Why is this so important? Because the people in your pews DON'T have to give to you. We know that they have money to give. We also know that a majority of charitable giving in the U.S. is made through religious organizations. And every day new opportunities arise and present themselves to the people in your pew. So why should they give to you instead of someone else? (Again, the "just because" argument doesn't work.)

This can be done through annual reports, testimonies, bulletin inserts, goal boards, etc. Get creative. But know that people expect results.

In the end, the responsibility to teach stewardship, giving and, more importantly, tithing, falls upon the leaders of the church. That means being unseccessful in this area is a direct result of our efforts. Those of us given the responsibility of managing the affairs of a local church have a lot on us, but that doesn't absolve us from the responsibility of stewardship and giving. Perhaps we should re-evaluate where we are spending our time and our teaching. If we have no plan, we can't be upset if we don't like the results.

Hang in there. And if I can help, give me a call or send me an e-mail.

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December 17, 2007

The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (Part 4)

Alan Gotthardt writes in his book The Eternity Portfolio that:

"We all know that children learn by example. This is particularly true with giving; children of generous givers become generous givers, often because of the example they witnessed growing up."

Let's assume that we continue to ignore tithing. We won't talk about it from the pulpit. We won't discuss it in Sunday School. And we won't even dare bring it up during discipleship training. What is the net result? The next generation--our children--will have absolutely no context for giving to the church.

It is short-sighted of church leaders to believe that ignoring the subject will just make it go away. Ignoring it will exponentially increase the negative impact of the absense of the conversation on stewardship and giving in the local church. Why? Because our children will never know what it means to give of their money to grow the kingdom of God. They'll never see an offering envelope with their name on it. They'll never know a time when the Pastor made the connection between money and our belief and confession of Jesus as Lord of our life.

Our fundraising friends in the secular, non-profit world understand this. They aren't afraid to claim the value and benefit their organization can bring with the necessary donations. Why are we?

Are we so timid about God's ability to influence and transform the world through the ministry of the local church that we don't have confidence to ask for and teach the tithe?

This is a sad commentary. Perhaps the most compelling reason for us to reignite the conversation on tithing is that our children are depending upon us to show them how to live and how to give. If we don't show them that the ministry and work of the church is worthy of our contributions, then we risk the dollars our children generate from their own income and investments in the future going to support other organizations who didn't shy away from the challenge.

The question is not "if" but "when" will we begin the work of ensuring that the ministry of the local church is funded appropriately today and moving forward.

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December 12, 2007

The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (Part 3)

We ended the last post with the need to explore how we can begin to address two things: the "Why?" question when it comes to tithing and church giving and the need to prevent a trend of charitable giving from becoming a crisis.

The brutal facts are well stated in Barna's book on How to Increase Giving In Your Church. People want to know how there money is being used and what type of impact it is making.

Churches need to begin to evaluate their investments. A close look needs to begin with those ministries that are being funded by the church, are they:

1. surrounded with excitment and particitpation
2. encouraging the spiritual growth of the believer
3. producing measurable results (a.k.a. impacting kingdom growth)
4. leading to new ministry opportunities

People in the pew know that they have the ability to make an international impact even with a small sum of money. And people want to be inspired and encouraged that their donation--however small or large--is making a measurable impact.

Most non-profits who are supported by a donor base must give continual feedback as to their ability to accomplish their intended work with the donations given. This affirms the work of the non-profit itself and ensures that those providing the donation deem it worthy to continue to do so.

What if the assumption of the church moved from "We expect you to tithe." to "How can I show you that investing in this ministry is your best chairtable giving option?" I know it's a radical concept. But we must be willing to look at this absolutely critical issue from every angle to learn what it will take to continue to build up the church--God's designated and designed vehicle for ministry on earth.

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December 11, 2007

The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing (continued)

The heart of this issue lies in the options we have available to us. There was a time when the church was the most obvious place for charitable donations because of the commitment it carried to local, social-based ministry as well as global endeavors. Outside the church there were very few options available.

Over time this has changed. And people now have to decide not just between one or two options but an unlimited number of choices and organizations to donate to. In the meantime, other organizations have perfected the work of raising funds. The church has been doing this very well for centuries. Now other non-profits are paying attention to what churches are doing to attract people and raise funds. In response, churches are now paying close attention to successful non-profits too.

But when people have choices, they struggle to make the right choice. Barry Schwartz contends in his book The Paradox of Choice that more options often leads to less satisfaction and more anxiety when it comes to decision making.

If you only have "x" number of dollars to donate, it can become an overwhelming task for someone to decide where that money should go. This puts the church in a position that for the most part it has avoided up to this point. The position is this: every church must now justify to its members and regular attenders why they should donate.

After the fall of Enron and similar organizations, the "heat" was turned up on churches as well. Many people who see their pastors and staff members driving nicer cars and living in nicer neighborhoods than they could ever dream of struggled to adopt the worldview that they must give their "tithe" to the church. So these people respond in silence to the pleas from the pulpit to give, give, give.

Perhaps some have decided that the church already has enough. I'm not against pastors being compensated fairly for their work and expertise. But we are attempting to uncover the perception of the person in the pew. And just like Tom Peters says, "Perception is everything."

I suppose some pastors would object to the idea of having to justify why their members should give. Many might continue to carry forward the "just because" argument. But the brutal facts tell us that--like it or not--church leaders have the responsibility to generate the contributions necessary to build the ministry of the church. Even if that means entertaining the question "why?"

So now the ball in the the church leader's court. The people in the pews have an unlimited number of choices and options when it comes to giving their time, money and talent. Why should they give it to your church?

Another important question is this: what can be done to ensure this change in behavior doesn't become a crisis in the near future?

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December 10, 2007

The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Tithing, an Introduction

Scott Preissler pointed me to a great article in the WSJ recently on tithing. It catalogs the conversation as to whether or not the tithe (or 10%) is a Biblical mandate that carries forward to present-day Christians or is simply a dated model recorded in ancient Biblical history.

What I found to be particularly interesting is the "great divide" that exists between formal statements from denominations and the local church on tithing. It seems that every denomination has a conservative, traditional stance on the issue. But that message is not so clear from the pulpit and even less clear in the minds and practice of the person in the pew.

If we take a step back from the situation, it seems clear what the issue is. And it has nothing to do with theology.

Churches for centuries have commanded their members to give to the support the ministry of the church. For the most part, congregants responded in turn. I believe the primary question that church members have been asking is, "how?" How do I give my time, talent and money?

But now the question has changed to "Why?" first and then "How?" A new generation is non-responsive to the assumption made by church leaders that 'if you are a church member, then you will tithe'. And church leaders are foolish to expect people to tithe "just because." That line is only reserved for parents. (And even in that scenario it rarely works as a long-term strategy.)

I'd like to flesh out my ideas over the next few days on the subject in a series I've entitled "The Pulpit vs. The Pew on Titihing."

See you tomorrow! (And your comments are always welcome.)

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