Dr. Phil is famous for asking in his southern drawl, “How’s that workin’ for ya?” People sit on his show and share their deepest fears and secrets and what they are doing to meet those challenges. That is when Dr. Phil asks his famous question.
In the spirit of Dr. Phil I want to ask you how your giving is going as we near the end of the first quarter of the New Year? Are you already behind budget? Are you struggling to overcome how the winter months impacted giving? What have you been doing to make sure your church is fully funded? What plans do you have in place? Then here is the question…
How’s that workin for ya?
Think about it. You are almost three full months into the New Year. If you are already behind budget what is your plan for making that up? Most churches don’t have any plans. That is reason number one why they never are fully funded. What are you waiting on? How long will you allow your decline in giving to endanger missions and ministry or even your salary?
Here is my advice for you…
Act Now!
Every week you fail to act you will fall further behind. If you are behind budget now what makes you think things will change?
Don’t make a March decision in July. A few years ago my mentor Dave Sutherland was forced to lay off several people due to a down turn in the company’s revenue. I went into his office to talk with him about it. He related to me that he knew earlier in the year that he needed to make the tough decision to lay off a few consultants. Then he said something that has stuck with me forever. He said…
“I made a May decision in October.”
He knew what he should have done but he just couldn’t bring himself to lay off people. Yet the health of the company dictated action. Dave finally made the right decision but it was months late.
From that moment on I have always tried to never delay a decision. The longer you wait to act the worse the situation will become. If you are already significantly behind budget NOW is the time to act!
I know I need to act but what do I do? That might be your question. Making up a budget gap can be a challenge. I do this on a regular basis for multiple clients. Here are some quotes…
“Has your coaching helped us? The short answer on our giving can be summed up with one word: phenomenal! Giving is up 30%+ this year. I’m so thankful for you and your investment in the Kingdom. You have breathed new life into our church.” A pastor in VA.
“As of the end of last month contributions were up 17% over the same period last year. We attribute much of this to your leadership!” A pastor in TX.
Reach out to me today so we can get started on reversing your decline in giving. Here is my personal email, mark@charisgivingsolutions.com Contact me NOW!
Don’t make a May decision in October, contact me immediately!
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach