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December 31, 2007
Intelligent Giving
I'm just getting caught up on the RSS feeds I missed over the holidays. I read this great post on the Get Rich Slowly blog.
It raised an important question in my mind: If an independent source was set up to evaluate churches and their worthiness of donations, what type of rating would your church get?
That may be a difficult question to ask or even consider. The reality check is this: your memebers are already evaluating the ministry of your church and deciding themselves if you are worthy of their donation.
It's a scary thought. But consistent with the trends we've been discussing in "The Pulpit vs. The Pew" series. If you haven't read it, click on the December archives to review.
Posted by bstroup at 1:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 28, 2007
Technical Issues
We're experiencing technical difficulties. None of our content has been deleted. It just isn't showing up when you come to the main page. If you're looking for something specific, the search and archive funtions still work. Both are found in the right-hand column of your screen.
Thanks for your understanding.
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December 19, 2007
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! In the words of Michael Card,
"Celebrate the child who is the light. Now the darkness is over. No more wandering in the night. Celebrate the child who is the light."
In observance of the season, I'm taking a few days off from blogging. Check back after the Advent becomes the Incarnation.
Blessings to you!
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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.
Posted by bstroup at 1:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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.
Posted by bstroup at 1:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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.
Posted by bstroup at 8:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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?
Posted by bstroup at 1:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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.)
Posted by bstroup at 1:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 7, 2007
Envelope Service gets mention on Townhall.com
Townhall.com mentions LifeWay Envelope Service.
OFFERING ENVELOPES TOUTED -- The offering envelope, though sometimes overlooked, can be an effective way to encouraging faithful giving...
Read the entire brief here.
Posted by bstroup at 8:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 6, 2007
Who's writing about stewardship and giving?
Something has been bothering me for a while. So I'm just going to say it. Who's writing about stewardship and giving?
I'm always looking for related news stories on the subject. When I go to traditional, denominationally affiliated new sites, what I find is often 3 or more years old. That's a problem. If we haven't had a newsworthy conversation or event on Biblical Stewardship since 2004, does that mean that we've been ingnoring the issue?
When I type in "stewardship and givng" into Google, I find many sites on environmental stewardship and other philanthropic endeavors. But the topics of Biblical Stewardship and Church Giving are almost non-existent.
So please give me some help. Can you point me to who's talking about Biblical stewardship and giving today?
Posted by bstroup at 1:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 5, 2007
A Christian View of Financial Planning
Steven Humphrey reasons that "The financial planning process consists of the same steps whether the recipient is a Christian or non-Christian. But for the Christian there is the spiritual dimension that everything should filter through."
As Christians, we are called to be people of "the way." That means our faith must penetrate every area. Maybe you're different from me, but I approach financial planning to protect my family and to provide for the lifestyle we desire. Honestly, I've given very little thought to how consistent that is or is not with the faith I confess.
So what do you think? Do you agree with Steven? Read the entire article here.
Posted by bstroup at 1:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 4, 2007
Growth and Giving
One of the favorite parts of my job is getting to work with churches who are growing in numbers and in their giving. That means what they are doing is leading to more ministry--every day it seems.
I always ask what they attribute their success to. And all of them come back with an answer that echoes a simiar principle: intentional.
Churches who are reaching out to their communities and experiencing a high rate of growth are intentional. They know where they are going and the steps necessary to get there.
So why isn't every church growing and giving more? Because it's much safer to keep things the same. Growth is hard work. And it can be overwhelming at times. But God didn't call the church to manage its assets for the highest net return in dollars. He called the church to be the form and function of ministry on earth until his return.
Giving does matter. Because giving directly impacts a churches ability to grow. That being the case, it could be said that the state of your giving is a direct reflection on the state of your growing.
Posted by bstroup at 1:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 3, 2007
Southeastern's Akin writes about Stewardship
Paul understood how important Christian stewardship was to true and genuine Christian discipleship. He knew that giving cannot help but reveal the spiritual life of those who call Jesus Lord. He knew that how we give is a commentary on our love for Christ, His Church, and the lost.
Read "The Bible and giving" here.
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