Is this how Millennials see you at the offering time?
There is an easy step towards increasing Millennial giving that will work in any church. In fact if you take this step you might actually SEE Millennials attend your church. If they are not in attendance to begin with they won’t give to help you change the world. As the current age of the Church increases daily we need the next generations to pull their weight in giving so that our work of missions and ministry can continue. Yet how do you accomplish that when so many Millennials have left the Church? One easy step is to change the way we do offerings.
A few weeks ago I posted a tweet focusing on my blog post, “How to Use Email to Close Out End of Year Giving.” The tweet said, “This might help you make budget! Read How to Use Email to Close Out End of Year Giving.” Someone I don’t know or follow saw the tweet and tweeted back, “This confirms the millennial accusation that all the church cares about is money.”
Well first of all this person has obviously never read anything I have written. If he had he would have known that my main thrust is to change our entire approach towards asking for money. I believe we must start by telling the story of all the amazing things our church does to help people and improve the world for good. I contend that Millennials don’t give to the Church because they don’t know what the Church does with the money in the first place. All they see are the buildings. They don’t see what happens in the buildings or what good comes OUT of the buildings as a result of what happens IN the building. Some don’t want to see but others have never been told.
Let me give you a personal example from this Christmas Eve. I was thrilled to be invited by my son to attend Christmas Eve services with his family. Twenty years ago if you told me my son would be actively involved in a church I would have fainted. Yet here we were in a strong Bible Church singing Christmas Carols together. Then the campus pastor got up and announced it was time for the offering. He then prayed for the offering and sat down. What is wrong with that? EVERYTHING!
I thought of how many families might have gotten a lost loved one or a family member that had become disconnected from the Church to attend Christmas Eve services with them. To take up the offering and not say a thing about the offering reinforced the complaint I had received on Twitter. With all those guests present why did the pastor not set up the offering by explaining what the offering was going to be used for? Why didn’t he create a desire to give? He instead acted like everyone knew offerings were required. Never assume anything these days! This is true ESPECIALLY if you want Millennials to give.
Every week I write offering talks that makes the case for why people should give to the church they attend. My mantra is, get a story, work your story, tell about your story and people will give to support that story. Churches do amazing things each and every day. We never get credit for that. It takes money to do what we do and we depend upon the generosity of those that attend our services. Yet we should never assume people get that or that their giving is automatic.
One easy step that gives you a better chance of getting Millennials to give is to connect the dots of how a dollar given to your church makes a difference in the world. Barna recently discovered that less than 15% of Millennials have found a cause or issue at their church that motivated them. If they are not motivated they will not give. If we don’t get them motivated as Baby Boomers move into retirement your church will see a dramatic decline in giving.
So, here is a thought. Each week take thirty to seconds seconds to set up the offering by sharing compelling stories that will motivate people to give. My free white paper, “Elevator Pitch Your Offerings,” will help you learn how to craft a compelling offering message. You can get the manual by going to, Get Elevator Pitch Your Offerings
My members get a weekly offering talk written for them and delivered to their in box every Monday. You can try this out for $ for 14 days at,
Then stop apologizing for taking up the offering. That is what I call the line most churches use before they take up the offering. Usually they say, “If you are a guest today don’t feel like you must give.” The first time one of your members passes the plate without putting anything in your guests will understand that it yours is not a pay for attendance type of church. Instead…
Every week create a desire for those in attendance to WANT to give! Taking this one step will give you a much better chance towards increasing Millennial giving.
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach