ColinOfChurch-Development

Since I help churches raise capital without offending people for a living, I like to tithe off what God has given me, including knowledge. With that in mind, I wanted to give away some basic info on how you can increase giving in your church (again, without offending people with guilt-ridden hard-sell tactics). While there's a fair bit more to it than this, I want to at least point y'all in the right direction. Here's a blog we posted up not too far back on how volunteering and giving are tied: Increasing Generosity: Engaging Your Congregation as Volunteers Church Development explores the techniques that increase financial giving in the church. In today’s blog, we take a look at the correlation between volunteering and generosity. If I told you I’m a football fanatic, you would expect to see certain things show up in my life: Season tickets, a decent NFL cable package, and maybe a jersey or fifty. But if I spent zero time watching football and zero resources pursuing that end, most of you would come to the conclusion that maybe I’m not quite the football fan I think I am. This is because of a simple truth that what we care about will show up in how we spend our time and money. Bluntly put, you show me your bank statement and your schedule and I’ll tell you what you’re passionate about. With this in mind, the key for churches looking for increased giving is to get their congregations to engage the ministries they love (or will love). When people have a heart tie for what Jesus is doing in their lives, financial giving is a natural consequence. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (NIV) Although this is a section about spiritual gifts, stewardship is mentioned here in reference to managing God’s grace. The point is that stewardship isn’t fundraising; it’s a way of life. I know, it’s tempting to roll your eyes at that last statement, as discussing money has a way of dropping the anchor from any conversation, but the point is that God wants every part of you engaged in loving Him and your neighbor. I think Jesus might have covered this in His two greatest commandments bit. Back to the 1 Peter 4:10 passage: “whatever gift you have received” means that everyone has at least one spiritual gift. Then, as “faithful stewards” (I’ll loosely define stewardship as wisely using what God has given you), we implement what God gives us in “various forms.” As mentioned at the start, these various forms will show up in how we spend our time and money. This isn’t some forceful requirement; it’s a natural consequence of finding your passion. Still not convinced? Let’s look at the numbers: A 2009 Fidelity study found that the average annual giving from non-volunteers to nonprofits was $230. The average annual amount donated from volunteers? $2,593. That’s right: Volunteers donate over 11 times more to nonprofits than non-volunteers. And yes, they’re usually donating where they volunteer. So if you want to see your congregation give more financially, give them volunteer outlets to pursue in the church. Apparently this turns them into the kinds of cheerful givers God seems to enjoy so much. Oh, and there’s that wonderfully encouraging part where you get to see lives changed for and by God’s Kingdom. That’s not half-bad either.

Whoops, guess I can't mention any specific site. Google them, and ye shall find.

I dig Coffey Anderson. Dude puts out the joy of Jesus: Doesn't hurt that I love hearing about the rest God brings.

Wow! Are you trying to suggest that merely using a translation other than KJV has caused this video to present the wrong Jesus??? Hmm, I should see if there's a KJV Only topic around here. That issue can get heated mighty quick. As for the video, I get what the guy is saying, but I think his message winds up being touted more by people who don't know Jesus as a reason for not going to church, rather than embracing the beauty of Jesus in a healthy community. "Religion" is rarely used in a good way in the New Testament. About the only time it comes close is in the book of James, where it says (in James 1:27), "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." The basic point is: You want to say you're some pious religious guy, well at least take care of the orphans and widows and live right, okay?

I'm sorry to hear that. Money is such a touchy topic, but we do have to address it, as how we spend our time and money is indicative of what we value. Hopefully your financial life has recovered a bit since then. A friend of mine didn't know her husband had huge gambling debts until one day she got a call from someone looking to buy her piano. (This fancy piano, much like her car, was not up for sale, but her husband was looking to sell it off without her knowledge.) She found out how deep they were in soon after.

A lot of people have given some really solid advice already -- namely prayer and discernment in where to give. These days though, there are also a number of charity raters (you can google this) link removed by Mizzdy I doubt they're perfect, but they can at least give you a ballpark. Personally, I have a great church that strives to give. Twice a year we close our doors on Sunday to go out and serve the community collectively (in addition to normal week-to-week aid). I trust my pastors and the ministry and I've had many opportunities to be involved with them and see what goes where. Finally, some of this issue is in the heart (I'm not saying that you're doing something wrong -- rather that we all struggle with things). I hope you've got some people to chat to about it.