Church Giving: TOP 10 New Year's Resolutions to Make Giving Go UP in a Down Economy
by Brian Kluth
1/6/2010
Do you want to make a real difference in the lives of your church families in the coming year? RESOLUTION #1 - OUR CHURCH WILL EMPHASIZE generosity not because of what the budget says but because of what the Bible says
For too long, we've emphasized giving as a budget issue instead of a Bible issue. We're taught people to "give to the budget" instead of "giving to God." The budget is a spending plan, but it should never become our giving goal! If you think about it, all of our budgets are set to mirror people's levels of unfaithfulness in giving so we don't over spend. More than ever before we need to teach generosity to help people honor God in their lives. The four years before I became the pastor at my church, they had not met the church budget. So, I switched the emphasis from "giving to the budget" to "giving to God" and we met and surpassed the budget (i.e. spending plan) 9 out of 10 years and increased giving 88%.
RESOLUTION #2 - OUR CHURCH WILL SHARE a generosity Scripture verse when receiving the offering
We need to incorporate Scriptures on generosity into our worship services. In the free www.GiveWithJoy.org eDevotional and the www.GenerousLife.org 40 Day Generous Life devotional there are over 400 Scriptures on finances and generosity to choose from! The best way to use Scriptures is to have them on the screen at the start of the offering, have the pastor or worship leader read the verse aloud and then prayer for the offering, and then keep the verse on the screen during the offering.
RESOLUTION #3 - OUR CHURCH WILL GIVE people a Bible devotional to help them in their finances and generosity
More than ever before, people today need the Word of God to help them know how to manage their finances and giving. If we don't share God's Word on these important matters, who will? If not this year, when? I know the government, banks, car companies, and retailers will never give people God's Word on this subject. We're the only ones that can do it and it needs to be done! And we need to do it sooner than later!
RESOLUTION #4 - OUR CHURCH WILL PREACH a sermon series on finances and generosity
The Bible has 2,350 verses on the subject of finances, possessions, and generosity. If you even take a casual look at Scriptures, the spiritual leaders that taught people in their generation to be generous and faithful givers is a "Who's Who's List" of Bible heroes - - Paul, David, Jesus, Nehemiah, Hezekiah, Malachi, Elijah, Joash, Solomon, Haggai, and many more. As pastor speaking to pastors, it's time we share the "whole counsel of God" with our people. For generosity/financial sermon ideas and helps, go to www.GiveWithJoy.org, www.sermoncentral.com, www.GodsProvision.org.
RESOLUTION #5 - OUR CHURCH WILL HELP create more ways for people be more faithful in their giving
For a number of years, the offering "debate" has been on whether to pass the plate or to have a box in the back. In today's "new normal", it may be wise to have both plus many more ways to give! In today's world, we need to make it as easy as possible in as many ways as possible to allow people to be faithful and generous givers. Today's options and some available providers I recommend, include envelopes, mail-in envelopes, online and EFT options, automated check processing, stock brokerage accounts, gifts-in-kind, and estate gifts. If you're not quite understanding what I am saying, go and ask a 28-year old to write a check to church. It's very possible they won't even have a check book since they do ALL of their financial transactions online or with a debit or credit card.
RESOLUTION #6 - OUR CHURCH WILL TEACH our children Sunday school lessons about being generous
Our national "State of the Plate" church and personal giving research has shown 25% of people that give 10% or more of their income to God's work started when they were growing up. And yet, there is very little available to in Sunday School curriculum to help teach children to be faithful and generous givers. It is time we step up to the plate in inspire and instruct our children in the importance of being faithful and generous givers. The Bible says that is "we're faithful in little, we'll be faithful in much." If teach children to give when they only have a few dollars a week there is a much higher chance they will be generous givers when they make a few thousand a week.
RESOLUTIONS #7 - OUR CHURCH WILL PROVIDE online video seminars and resources to our church LEADERS on generosity
Over the past 15 years, we have partnered with others to put on Church Giving seminars for thousands of pastors and church leaders across the country and around the world. But no matter how many attend these events, far more stay home. Issues of money, time, and uncomfortableness with the subject cause many that need the training never to receive it. But we have also learned that it is not about just training the pastor or 1 church leader, but about empowering a whole team of people in a church to embrace generosity as a spiritual value. Our ministry and other ministrries are beginning to offer more 24/7/365 online seminars and downloadable resources for pastors, church leaders/staff, and church committees. Training videos and downloadable resources will encourage, empower, and equip pastors/leaders/staff in a church to inspire greater generosity and increase giving.
RESOLUTION #8 - OUR CHURCH WILL OFFER financial classes and seminars in our church or tell people where they can attend them in our community
In our churches today, many of our people need training on how to better manage their finances. One of the largest churches in America, Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale (20,000+ attending) has developed an excellent Guide that integrates our 40 Day Generous Life devotional with Willow Creek's Good Sense Freed-Up Financial Living money mangement course. www.Crown.org, www.HeartInFocus.com, www.DaveRamsey.com also provide money management courses for churches.
Financial seminars are available through www.financialhealthfair.org, www.mattaboutmoney.com, www.BrianKluth.org.If you cannot offer your own course, check out the website above to find out where courses or seminars are being offered in your area and put information in your church bulletin so people can attend.
RESOLUTION #9 - OUR CHURCH WILL EMPOWER people to include God in their asset and estate giving
90% of a person's wealth is in their assets and estate. And yet churches spend 99% of their effort concentrating on getting what's in people's wallet and check book. But the BIGGEST donation(s) a person will ever be able to make in their lifetime to their church will be from their accumulated assets and/or estate! As a pastor, I wrote the "Because I Love You FAMILY ORGANIZER" manual to help people in my congregation get their house in order for their spouse, loved ones, and God's work. Many denominations and national ministries provide asset and estate planning seminars and resources. An attorney and giving expert, William High, has developed the national www.idonate.com network for churches and non-profits to easily receive the cash proceeds for tangible gift-in-kind donations (land, buildings, boats, RVs, time-shares, equipment, vehicles, jewelry, artwork, and much more).RESOLUTION #10 - OUR CHURCH WILL SEE generosity as a vital issue of spiritual transformation more than financial transactionsThe bottom-line of generosity initiatives is not just getting more money in the plate. The bottom-line is transformed lives. It's about people learning to become generous. This isn't about manipulating people to give more, but instead it is about ministering to people in a way that can change their life so they become the generous people God intends for them to be. When we make spiritual transformation as our goal, we will also see changes in the church offerings. Increased giving will be the by-product of us appropriately ministering to our people. While we may utilize Biblical teaching, techniques, and tactics to help us in our ministry, already remember that the goal is spiritual transformation not just financial transactions.
BONUS RESOLUTION: WE WILL DEVELOP a multi-faceted 12-month plan encourage generosity as a spiritual value in our church
An effective stewardship ministry is NOT just a once a year sermon or pledge campaign. It is a year-round emphasis using a variety of effective resources. Our ministry is dedicated to provide free and affordable biblical resources to help churches identify and implement and year-round strategy to ignite people's faith, inspire greater generosity, and increase giving. Check out the following resource:FREE eBook: 50 Best Church Practices & 12 Month Calendar to Increase Church Giving.DR. BRIAN KLUTH is a pastor, bestselling author, and guest speaker on generosity and church giving. His www.GenerousLife.org devotional has been used by over 1200 churches to inspire generosity and increase giving. Dr. Kluth also has a FREE Church Giving eNewsletter that available through www.MAXIMUMgenerosity.org. His www.GiveWithJoy.org radio stories and FREE 40 day eDevotional is available through hundreds of radio stations across America.
