If your church is going to be fully funded this year you MUST move casual donors to committed and consistent donors!  Why?  Because every year you lose donors either by death, or they move or they go to another church.  Typically those that you add are further down the giving chart.  They give casually and thus inconsistently.  You have to change that.  Let’s start by asking…

How many donors do you have?  I once asked that question to a pastor and his reply was that he felt they had around 1,500.  We pulled the giving data of his church and you know what we found?  He did indeed have 1,670 people that donated something to his church that year.  However 912 of those donors gave less than $200 that year.  Basically 55% of his overall donor base were mere casual donors.  What might amaze you is that the other 758 gave 98% of the total dollars given.  We find basically the same results with every church we do research on.

Studies have found that the median gift to a church in America is $200 a year.  So when we look at a churches giving data we count their true donors as those that are above the $200 a year line.  Thus in the above real example over 900 people were simply casual donors to this church.  What could this church do if only they moved half of those 900 from casual donors into committed donors?  How much more money to fuel more ministry could be brought in?

Do you have a plan of action to move casual donors into committed and consistent donors?  Many years ago in a staff meeting two of my staff members were talking to me about an on going issue in our church.  My Youth Pastor interrupted us and said, “You guys have been talking about this problem for two years.  When are you going to stop talking about it and do something?”  Frankly we were all shocked and a little bit angry at his response.  However he had a point.  Too often we talk about things and never do anything about it.  So, stop wringing your hands over those that are casual donors and develop a plan of action.

How to move casual donors into committed and consistent donors.  I put plans together for a living.  I can do that for your church but let me lay out a few specifics that you can do to help move people up the giving chain at your church.  These things should be a part of your plan…

  • Refuse to be intimidated by talking about money.  Jesus preached more on money and possessions than any other topic.  If it was good enough for him what is your excuse?
  • Regularly preach on giving not simply once a year.  Personally I like a series on stewardship at least once a year.  If that doesn’t fit then at least preach one stewardship related sermon a quarter.
  • Have all small groups do a stewardship related study every year.
  • Make the offering time meaningful.  Try my free e-book, “Elevator Pitch Your Offerings,” Elevator Pitch Your Offerings
  • Give your members multiple ways that they can give.  We have to make giving easy.  Check out our online company, CharisGivingSolutions
  • Use all available communications platforms to tell your story of why giving to your church makes a difference.  Facebook, Twitter, email and direct mail are useful ways to encourage people to give.

Those are a few ideas that can help you move your casual donors towards becoming committed and consistent donors.  Stop talking about how you need more people to give to your church and work up a plan of action.

Of course we can help you implement a strategic plan of action for you.  Try my Giving365 plan for 14 days for only $1!  $1 for 14 Day Trail offer

Mark Brooks- The Stewardship Coach