Teaching pastors and church leaders
My passion and drive in ministry is to help churches across America be fully funded. I get up every morning excited about this challenge. I just started my 17th year in the stewardship ministry and I am more excited today about what I am doing than the day on October 1, 1998 when it all began.
God has given me some big goals. Here is what drives me…
I want to change the way pastors and church members view giving. We are called not to create a crowd but to make disciples. Disciples are generous givers. Make disciples and you will make budget!
I want to change the conversation about giving. We have for too long apologized for asking people to give rather than creating a desire for them to WANT to give.
I want to reverse the decline in giving one church at a time! Giving to the church at the current rate of decline will be only 1% of Americans incomes by the year 2050.
Few are talking about this coming crisis. None of the above are easy tasks. Yet why would any of us want to do something easy? Why would we ever want to have goals that without Devine help be possible?
My biggest hurdle are the very people I am trying to help, pastors. I love pastors. For twenty plus years of my life I was a Senior Pastor. I understand what they are going through and yet at times they can be their own worst enemies. This is especially true when it comes to giving. Why is this?
Few pastors “get it,” when it comes to the need for a giving plan. Frankly no seminary or Bible college “gets it” either so our preachers are poorly trained. If it is never talked about throughout your educational process how important is it? Wait until you can’t pay your staff and then you will see how important it is!
Pastors simply don’t know what to do and don’t have the time to do anything more anyway. One reason I put together The Stewardship Coach was to help pastors with this. I am grateful for others like Giving Rocket that helps pastors. My passion is to provide personalized help not simply standard forms. Using my tools I can save a pastor time and help him know exactly what to do and when to do it.
So, forgive me if I wonder why when giving continues to decline so few reach out for the help they desperately need? Yet God is leading a select few to find my stuff and get the help they need. Are you one? I would love to help you by taking the burden of making budget off your shoulders.
You can’t do anything about giving at the church down the street but you can do something about your church! Let’s get started!
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach