Podcast Episode #453
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Money is a subject too many pastors avoid—but they shouldn’t. It’s important to preach and teach on biblical stewardship. Today we explain seven ways that can lead to increased giving.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- Pastors shouldn’t be fearful about preaching on money or stewardship.
- According to some studies, giving increases threefold when someone moves from attending worship only to being a part of a small group.
- Consistent ministry involvement typically leads to greater giving involvement.
- People no longer give due to institutional loyalty—they give because they believe in the vision.
The seven reasons we discuss are:
- Pastors preach about money and stewardship.
- People move from worship only to small groups.
- Members get involved in ministry.
- Church leadership is clear and passionate about the vision of the church.
- The church has multiple channels for giving.
- Leadership is transparent about church finances.
- The church is outwardly focused.
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Feedback
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Just a bit of clarification suggestion. #3 can be read as, “People move from attending to worship to only attending small groups.” I realize that is not the intent, but I had to verify that from the notes above.
Sorry, #2
#3. getting involved in ministry. I always said if I decided who got to be a voting member in my church they’d be people who have gone on (at least) a short term mission trip. At least a week in another country or a reservation, or a city mission where you’d live in the area you are volunteering. Away for home, just you and God, and the other volunteers with you. I’d extend that to volunteering at a kids camp.
Nothing like wanting to meet the needs of others and realizing you were the one to be blessed as well, to open ones eyes to kingdom ministry.
Some related thoughts:
1. The value of the contents of the suitcase that the average American church member on a mission trip carries with him to another country might be far greater than the annual household income of the average citizen of the foreign country to which he has traveled to share the Good News. Sobering thought!
2. Research of twenty or so years ago showed that, among SBC congregations, the average weekly per cap rate of giving for those attending worship only was 50 cents, while that of those participating in both Sunday School and worship was $32 (a difference during that time period of $31.50 per person per week). The reason seems to have been because “Giving” was one of the few standards of those well-organized Bible study ministries at the time (the word was printed on offering envelopes distributed to all participants and regularly used by them [us] weekly/monthly when they put their tithes/gifts inside of it and then traveled from home to the church campus to turn it in at the start of the Bible study hour there). Does anyone know what is done now? (It must be something different/less effective, if churches have problems with annual undesignated receipts?)
3. Preachers CAN preach about giving money–but they probably OUGHT to teach their congregations much-much more about how to grow the weekly attendance of their weekend, on/off-site small group Bible studies–and then to do that with them. Giving rates would follow. Otherwise, do we not simply have well-funded but organizationally-dysfunctional local churches?