Does your church need more money?
“Lord, send to Mark churches that need and want his help,” prayed my wife the other day. She hit the nail on the head. If you don’t realize you need help and want help you will never be helped. That sounds simple and yet when it comes to working to increase giving few “get it.”
This morning I head off to the Catalyst Conference here in the Atlanta area. Thousands of people will walk by our booth. Most will see that we are a giving company and walk right by. Some will think that is someone else’s responsibility at their church. Some will think they don’t need what we offer. In doing this for over sixteen years I have found few that head to a conference looking for someone that can help them fully fund their vision.
Christian leaders simply don’t think about money and giving. There are a lot of reasons why. One of the biggest is that our training institutions never teach stewardship planning. We thus not only have a lack of training we have a lack of awareness of the need for stewardship planning. In fact the very word stewardship is not now cool and hip. That is why there is some much talk about generosity. I don’t care what you call it without funding your church will not be able to do the ministry you are dreaming about!
We erroneously think that any talk of giving will drive the crowds away. That is not true. It is not that churches talk too much about money, studies show we don’t. It is that when we do get around to talking about it, mainly out of desperation, we do so in a way that turns people off. Americans are the most generous of all the world’s people. Charities use that fact to raise billions of dollars every year. Do you think the Red Cross is shy about asking for money? Do you think they worry about driving people away if they ask for money?
Make the case for why people should give and they will give, generously! You have to make the connection between your offering and your mission. When people understand the amazing things your church is doing they will gladly give. So, tell your story and you will get the dollars you need.
Ok, but how you might ask? Well there is where you need help. The help is out there. You won’t find it in the halls of seminary but you can find it here. Every day I help Christian leaders message their vision and thus drive dollars into the coffers of the church. I can help you.
What is the catch? The catch is you have to want help to get help! I am ready to help you are you ready to be helped?
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach
The Two Minute Drill: A Winning Plan of Action for End of Year Giving is available at https://thestewardshipcoach.org/store/
24% of charities yearly giving comes between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. That period is like the final two minutes of the fourth quarter of your giving year. Winning teams build out effective strategies for the last two minutes of a game. It is called the Two Minute Drill. They practice their two minute game plan repeatedly throughout the year. Are you ready for your churches final minutes? Do you know how to build a plan to increase giving? This manual will give you the beginning steps you need to take for increasing giving.