The recent earthquake disaster in Haiti will lead many churches to send very generous aid to the affected areas. Unfortunately, most churches do not maintain adaquate reserves in order to immediately respond to such needs and will therefore find themselves making special appeals. This implusive approach to giving creates lagtime and interferes with the discipleship of Christian stewards.

A couple of years ago Network for Good released a report which examined giving behavior in response to the December 2004 tsunamis, Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, and the Pakistan earthquake of October 2005.

The first finding was described as the impulse effect. They wrote: Disaster giving is impulse giving. People are shocked by the disturbing words and pictures that emerge from humanitarian disasters, and they want to help in that moment.

Another finding was that disaster giving follows a fast but fleeting pattern. The impulse effect spikes and drops within a short, two- to six-day timeframe. This sort of unstainable generosity would not surprise any church treasurer -- post-crisis giving within the church quickly adjusts back to its usual lows in the weeks to follow and remains as such until the next crisis occurs.

At first you might ask, Whats wrong with that? So people respond to emotionally-charged appeals. As deserving as needs might be, implusive giving is not consistent with a Biblical definition of Christian stewardship; and, regardless of an amount, consistency is characteristic of Biblical Christian stewardship. (1 Corithians 16:2). We must teach our people how to respond to urgent needs without enabling them to become fast but fleeting givers.

One commentator writes:
It is a well-known fact that telethons that play on people's emotions to solicit contributions often end up with donors who pledge impulsively but not deliberately enough to follow through on their pledge. Paul says that giving is to be based on a calculated decision. It is not a matter to be settled lightly or impulsively.

While I would never suggest that churches overlook needs such as those in Haiti, and I can certainly make a case for special appeals, it is my strong belief that churches should plan ahead for disaster-relief. We must recognize that disasters of this maginitude will occur periodically. As a church, we should reserve a portion of church funds so that we are able to respond in a timely manner without requiring a special collection. I would certainly invite the congregation to give specifically to needs as they arise, however, I would urge that these additional funds be recognized as above and beyond those already allocated for this purpose.