Do More Ministry

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?

Posted by bstroup at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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

Posted by bstroup at 2:13 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

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?)

Posted by bstroup at 1:32 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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

Posted by bstroup at 5:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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