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?"

I was reading through the string of conversation within the yahoo users group for church business administrators yesterday when I saw our name.

The question of e-giving service companies was raised by a church considering implementing this functionality. This administrator was evaluating vendors and naturally went to a peer group for recommendations.

In response, one of our customers recommended the fellow business administrator consider LifeWay's e-giving service. (Honestly, I felt like a proud parent.)

There is something really cool when other people talk about your products and services without your prompting.

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.

I'd like to hear from you. What exactly are you looking for? Are you finding it? If you could wave your magic wand and have the "perfect" resource/solution to help you teach children about stewardship and giving, what would it be?

I'll wait to hear from you.

As more and more people experiment with online giving, I found this research on the success rates of online giving appeals quite interesting.

The internet seems to carry with a sense of urgency. This can translate into an opportunity for your church members to respond immediately to your next "catch-up" contribution appeal.

It's worth trying.

And if you do try it, let me know how it works.

(Shameless plug: we offer churches who purchase their offering envelopes through us e-giving with event manager for FREE!)

Some of the notable ones:

1. Control - THEY want what THEY paid for.
2. Service - Some see church as a personal service such as pastoral visits when sick, etc.
3. Membership Dues - Some give as if they subscribed to church much like cable tv or even membership in local country club.

This should be a wake up call for all church leaders that we constantly need to be planting the seeds of Biblical stewardship. Giving is first and foremost a spiritual discipline. I would bet that individuals who view church giving in these ways are not experiencing true spiritual transoformation in their lives.

The ultimate question is how many people sitting in your pews are giving for these reasons. Do you know?

It reminds of an important giving statistic I came across earlier this year. Church giving - per capita - was actually higher during the Great Depression than it has been for the last 50 years.

A few of the questions were featured and discussed in the report.

1. How important is it to touch/see/interact with the people or organizations you are giving to?

The response rated very important.

2. How important is a role other than check writer?

The response rated very important.

3. How important is it to know someone on the Board or from your peer group that recommends the issue or oganization?

The response rated important and slightly behind that was very important.

4. How important is impact data for gifts?

The response rated very important. (Note: The response was measured both before initial gift and repeat gift.)

So what relevance does this have for church giving? Here is what jumps out at me:

1. No matter the size of the gift or the wealth of the donor, people don't just write checks. Donors have a deep desire to get involved with the organization they are prepared to financially support.

This supports my theory that giving is an outward sign of an inward commitment.

2. Donors pay attention to what other people say and think. As objective and rational people claim or aspire to be, we are emotionally driven beings that make decisions based upon who we know, like and trust. The same is true for donors.

This supports my theory that it's important for church leaders to tell stories. Stories involve people. And people give to people - not organizations.

3. Donors, whether they are giving their last two pennies or out of their vast treasure chest, want results.

This supports my theory that the organizational leader who is best able to make a case as to the impact of the dollar will end up with the most dollars.

Bottom line is this: Get your people involved. Help your people become personally invested in your ministry. Provide measurable results. Then watch your giving increase.

Ashley, Phill Burgess with Holman Bible Outreach International (HBOI) and yours truly with LifeWay Envelope Service developed a set of resources that we believe will support a church's effort to address debt as systemic within our society and thinking.

Debt relief may be one of the most effective bridge-building opportunities the church has with a lost world. Our modern, western, super-sizing American culture is literally squeezing the life out of believers and non-believers alike. And people are looking for a way out. It's critical that the church respond with practical help that will lead to a larger dialog of spiritual as well as financial transformation.

Why not see this campaign as an evangelism opportunity? Crown logged more than 17k salvations in 2006 from people who completed their program.

Who would have ever thought that stewardship might very well be the theme of your next outreach strategy?

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."