Do you know how to avoid a boring offering? I believe the offering is the most boring part of worship in our churches today. The average pastor spends little to no time on offering planning. Most simply “wing it,” when it comes to saying anything. About the only thing most say before the offering is,
“If you are a guest today don’t feel like you have to give. Our offering time is for our members.”
STOP SAYING THAT RIGHT NOW STARTING WITH THIS WEEK’S OFFERING! Let me ask you, is the offering not an act of worship? Do you at the start of your worship service say, “We are getting ready to worship today but if you are a guest don’t feel like you have to worship?” Of course you don’t say that. Why? For one thing you WANT them to worship. For another you realize they are smart enough to figure that out themselves. So why then would you tell people they don’t have to give if giving is worship?
Let’s give people a reason TO give so they will WANT to give! To do that you need some planning. I write offering talks. I have been doing this for years. Let me give you some key elements that will help make your offerings more impactful, less boring and ultimately bring in more funds for missions and ministry. Find out how to get the best offering talks at https://thestewardshipcoach.org/
First, plan out EVERY offering. Stop winging it on something as important as funding your missions and ministry. You know the value of sermon preparation why would you not see the value of thinking through what to say at the offering time? A part of every staff meeting should be planning out next week’s offering talk.
Work towards connecting the dots for your attendees. Connecting the dots means showing them how their gift right then will impact our world for good. Tell the story of what you are doing for Christ and tell them their gift allows you to do that. We work with our clients toward establishing, sixty second talks that create interest and results for the offering. Do you know how to do that?
Never let anyone “take up” the offering that doesn’t understand the key elements of the offering set up. The offering is important and you should not let just anyone up there making the case for why people should give. Personally I feel the Senior Pastor is the best person but others can and should be trained in how to make an effective offering appeal.
Finally, don’t ever apologize again. Ever! Your church is doing amazing things so why be afraid to ask people to support that work?
The Red Cross never apologizes for asking people to give. They just tell their story and make the appeal. People give. We have a better story than they do so let’s tell it. By telling your story and then making the “ask,” your offerings will cease to be boring.
Try my offering talks for $1 for 14 days and see if they will not help you improve your offering results. To try out Giving365 go to https://thestewardshipcoach.org/2015/06/15/giving-365-introductory-special-14-days-for-1-00/
My Giving365 will increase your giving!
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach