Since no one I know has written more offering talks than I have, I thought it would be good to share with you how I write offering talks. I actually got the idea for this post as I was writing, actually typing, next week’s offering talk for those that subscribe to my newsletter, “The Stewardship Coach.” I’ll end this post giving you the offering talk I wrote.
First, let me state my premise with regards to taking up the offering. This drives everything. I believe in what the local church does. So much so that I believe it should be fully funded. I believe that disciples of Jesus should be generous in their support of Kingdom work. Why wouldn’t they give to what their local church was doing?
I also believe that the offering IS worship not an interruption OF worship. So, I believe it should be done with excellence and that it deserves time in the service. As a result I don’t work for my offering talks to be short. I work on them being effective. Granted, you can’t go on and on and on. Yet, hurry is the death of anything. Being fully funded is too important to rush through the process.
So, from that beginning point of assumption, I move into crafting the “ask,” for that offering. I know I have limited time and that typically most view the offering as an interruption.
So I work to…
Get their attention immediately. I like to use timely events like the World Cup, this week’s offering talk, or focus on things that everyone is talking about. For the upcoming offering talk listed below, I used the price of a tank of gasoline as the topic and introduction.
After I have their attention I want to move to…
Show them what the church is doing and how it is making a difference in the community and world. Why? Because people give to that which is making a difference. You might list specific things like how many just attended VBS or some other ministry initiative. It could be stated as simply an overarching concept much as what the offering talk listed below mentions. The point is to help them make the connection that a gift given in today’s offering WILL make an impact for the Kingdom.
Here are some other keys I use in writing offering talks…
- I never use guilt. Guilt doesn’t work to accomplish what you really want, a long time cheerful giver.
- I try to thank them often for their generosity. Assume they will give, thank them for giving and you will find…they will give!
- I change how I say what I say so that what I say will never become dry and boring.
- I use Scripture often to reinforce what I am saying and to teach long term generosity. Never assume those in attendance will magically “get” generosity. Teach it so they will live it!
- 120 seconds or less. That is my time goal. Some argue that is too long. I argue back that since the offering IS worship it deserves at least two minutes. We give time to what we deem important. Trust me, your staff wants to get paid. Help them see that giving 120 seconds of time to the offering is in everyone’s best interest.
That is some of the things that run through my mind each week as I write another offering talk. Put those same principles to work at your church and I believe you will see an increase in giving.
Now here is the offering talk I wrote that gave me the idea for this post. Let me know how it works out for you.
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach
The Price of Gasoline
Have you seen the price of gas lately? Wow! There was a Facebook post that showed a gas station listing out the various grades of gasoline you could buy. Instead of listing the price it had listed, Arm, Leg and Both. Get it? Gas is costing us an arm and a leg!
Here is the question. Does the high price of gas keep Americans off the road? Will it impact vacations and travel this summer? Apparently not. I Googled that and found multiple articles talking about this topic. We might grumble at the price at the pump but we still find a way to pay for that vacation that is so important to us.
Here at, YOUR CHURCH NAME, we do important things each and every day. While this summer has been a busy time for us, there is never a day or season that goes by that we are not impacting someone for good. We know that what we are doing is important, not just for today but for eternity. We are making a difference in the lives of so many. That is important.
Every time you give you are standing with us in our mission to reach our community and world. When you give you are saying something important, that you agree with that mission and you want to make a difference with your gift. So, thank you for your generosity.
The bottom line is that we spend our money on what is important to us. As Christians we are called to make disciples. That is what is important to us and it is worth giving to!