Looking To Increase Church Giving? Try These 6 Things…
You’ve heard it before: “We could do this cool outreach event if only we had the funds.” Or… “We really need to hire someone to do kids ministry, but it’s not in the budget.” Right away, your mind starts to wander. It would be so great if there was a reliable way to increase church giving.
Research tells us that nonprofit giving has changed a lot. Across the board, church giving is going down (due to many factors, as we’ll see in a moment). Don’t be discouraged, though! I’ve made a list of 6 things to do (and what to avoid) so that you can turn that trend around at your church.
But first things first: make sure you’ve selected the ‘just right’ church giving software tools for you and your leadership team. It will serve as the infrastructure your church relies on as you seek to grow giving.
TLDR: The Single Most Important Idea
Of all the ideas to increase church giving, the most important is to focus on the heart of your congregation.
Sometimes, the best approach to increase church giving isn’t to teach more about giving, but rather to teach about a person’s identity in Christ.
This knowledge leads the way for true generosity, which comes out of a response to God for His love and faithfulness in their lives.
So… Church Giving Is Decreasing In Churches Across North America. Why?
Though there are many ways that churches make money, donations will be by far the largest source of income within your church. If you have noticed a decline in the giving at your church, you aren’t alone. So let’s understand the problem.
Reason #1: Attendance Dropping
According to Gallup News, “Two decades ago, an average of 42% of U.S. adults attended religious services every week or nearly every week. A decade ago, the figure fell to 38%, and it is currently at 30%.” Fewer people means fewer donors, inevitably leading to less income for your church.
Reason #2: Shift Toward Consumer Mentality in Church Attendance
The shift in our culture today has many people approaching church believing it is meant to serve me and meet my needs, the keyword “me”. This consumer mindset leads to passive participation rather than active investment in the church’s mission… Which leads to congregants easily moving on to a new church when they don’t feel their needs are being met and are not usually interested in generosity in their giving.
Reason #3: Less Discretionary Funds
With so much apparent economic uncertainty in North America (compared to previous decades), more and more households have decreased disposable income. Rising interest rates, stagnant wage growth, and increased cost of living have made it more challenging for families to keep up with rising costs. This makes giving less of a priority because they have less disposable income to donate.
Reason #4: Changes in Giving Preferences
Where in the past, churches primarily received their donations of cash or checks on a Sunday morning in the church offering plate, more and more donors prefer to give through online giving platforms.
Churches struggling to keep up with the shift to online giving will likely take a hit on their donations. Finding the right giving software is important and will enable your congregation to give easily and set up recurring donations.
Reason #5: Distrust in Church Leadership
Sadly, it’s not surprising to see new headlines talking about a pastor caught in some scandal or a church accused of financial mismanagement. This leads to churchgoers feeling wary of giving to churches, especially if they feel there is a lack of transparency in how the funds are being managed.
Six Ways To Turn The Trend Around And Increase Church Giving:
Keeping an eye on the budget is just one more thing on a very long list of responsibilities we have as pastors. Bottom line… Church Finances = Stress.
Here’s the good news: this is one more thing that you get to rely on Jesus for. Trusting Jesus with money isn’t just for church members - it’s also for pastors and church leaders to do.
Consider a more comprehensive approach to increase church giving - and these six ideas can help your leadership team beat the current trend in donations.
1. Teach Scriptural Stewardship
As Christians, we are called to be good stewards with the resources we have been given (Genesis 1:28). Stewardship is about so much more than money, it is about using all the gifts we have been entrusted with, which includes your time, talents, and money. I think the focus here needs to be to teach that the church isn’t after your wallet. God cares about the heart of each person and whether they are walking with and trusting Him as their provider and source of life.
Think about it. Would you rather have your congregation giving money because they feel obligated and think that it’s the only way that God will bless them? Or would you rather they talk to Jesus about all aspects of their lives, including their finances, and trust Him to lead them in how much to give (or not) to the church?
The latter focuses on their identity in Christ, and that they are already completely loved and accepted regardless of their performance or behavior. They don’t need to tithe to be accepted by God. This is an important part of a healthy church culture. Unconditional love and acceptance are hard to measure because it’s not about money or the size of your church. Instead, it’s people and relationships that matter most.
While this teaching may feel counter-intuitive, it can open the door to more generous giving. If I don’t have to tithe but rather am seeking God for wisdom, He might tell me to give even more than 10%.
Most importantly, remember that God is the provider, not only for your church members but also for the church.
It’s challenging to look at the finances and think, “Man, we could do so much more if our church members were giving more money.” But when I understand that God is the provider and that it’s His church, I am set free. I don’t need to look at the numbers to determine success.
I can focus on trusting Him to give me what I need to lead and shepherd those He has entrusted me with.
2. Provide Financial Transparency
To build trust you will need to be transparent with the finances. When your members have confidence that the leaders are acting in good faith with their donations (1 Corinthians 4:2), they will give more freely and with confidence.
what can you do to build trust and transparency within your church?
At New Life Fellowship, where I pastor, we make a point of sharing multiple times (from the front) that our finances are open to anyone who has questions about them. We don’t want to hide anything.
In addition, we also regularly host a newcomer. Here, people who feel new to the church can come and ask any questions about the church, its leadership structure, and even the financial position of the church. No question is off the table. For some who have come from past hurts at church, it’s refreshing for them to be able to ask their questions and get an honest answer.
3. Make Giving Simple
Technology has brought a lot of opportunities when it comes to giving. It’s easy for someone to donate from their phones through texting or with a church giving app. Make sure your church website has a visually appealing and intuitive giving page and that you are taking advantage of the latest in church-giving software.
The easier it is for someone to donate, the more likely it is you will receive more. Another great feature of online giving is that it’s simple to set up recurring donations (which have proven to be a consistent income source at New Life Fellowship.)
4. Teach Scriptural Generosity
True generosity comes from a heart that is responding to God and His leading.
Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:7
Giving in the bible is not meant to be out of obligation, but prayerfully and following after what God has placed on your heart to give. Lead pastor Ross Gilbert shares more on this in his message on tithing.
The way to teach about generosity is to start with understanding who God is and what He has done for us through His Son Jesus.
Here are a few things that God is to us:
- Righteousness, Redemption, Wisdom, Sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30)
- Provider (Philippians 4:19)
- Life (John 17:3)
- Justification (Romans 5:18)
- Blessed with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
- Hope, Peace, Joy (Romans 15:13)
Teaching an accurate concept of who God is and our relationship with Him helps to build a culture of generosity.
I could go on and on about His goodness, and I’m sure you could too. So how does that apply to financial stewardship? When we understand that God is the source of everything we need, and we know we can trust Him to provide for us. We don’t need to hold onto our resources out of fear. Knowing God’s grace and generosity enables us to be generous with all that we have.
5. Cultivate a Culture of Gratitude and Celebration
Be sure to regularly thank your congregation for their generosity and make sure they know that their donations, no matter the size, are appreciated.
Take the time to celebrate the impact of giving by sharing testimonies from people who have been blessed through the church and its ministry, whether it is within the church or through outreach programs in the community. Recognizing contributions, both big and small, fosters a positive culture where giving is appreciated and encouraged
6. Engage Younger Generations
Young people are the future of the church. While they may not be the largest givers in your church currently, they will be one day, so learn how to engage with Millennials and Gen Z.
The financial landscape has changed so much over the last 40 years that these new generations are facing many different challenges than their predecessors.
The rising cost of living, student debt, and uncertainty about the economy are just some of the pressures they are facing.
Engaging with younger generations is about more than social media, it’s about understanding the challenges they are facing. Get to know them, their goals, and their heart for connection. It will go a long way to building a community that will last for generations to come. And…they’re fun! At New Life Fellowship, we’ve developed a thriving youth community at our church. It is such a blessing to see their authentic relationships and the way they hunger to know God more.
Bonus: DO NOT DO THESE THINGS:
As pastors, we face daily the pressure and stress of financial constraints, even if we aren’t managing the funds directly. We see the difference that having more money in the bank account (or the various funds if you're using fund accounting in your church) would make for the church services, initiatives, and missions.
Don’t resort to unbiblical, worldly tactics to increase giving because they are not going to produce the fruit you are looking for long-term.
1. Don’t use guilt or manipulation to force giving.
This will never get you the outcome you are truly after. Asking for donations is a necessary part of ministry, that’s why I’ve put together The Pastor’s Collection of Effective, Biblical (and Short) Offering Messages. Simply put, using guilt or manipulation to force people to give doesn’t work. While you might see a temporary uptick in donations, in the end, it will lead to conflict and be counter-productive in reaching your goals for your church.
2 . Don’t use giving as a way to enrich yourself.
Do I need to say it? Trying to increase giving to bring about your own greater financial gain is selfish and unbiblical. No, it’s not wrong to be rich, and I’m not saying that just because you are in ministry means you should live like a pauper. What I am saying is that we have all seen the downfalls of self-enrichment to the extreme by watching some televangelists on TV.
Remember that God will supply all your needs and trust Him to provide.
He will give you what’s best. It may not be a fancy jet to travel the country with, but your crown will be a little bigger in heaven, I’m sure of it. ;)
Just kidding, I don’t know how big your crown is going to be. But I do know that true life and peace are not found in material gain, but in Jesus Christ alone. Keep your eyes on Him and you won’t go wrong.
3 . Don’t use financial success/failure as a way of validating your ministry.
We want to see measurable wins within the church, and the easy way to do that is to look at the numbers.
- How many church members do you have?
- Is the church growing?
- How much was donated this month?
- Are we running a deficit budget or surplus this year?
Church metrics can be helpful and provide useful information. However, don’t fall into the trap of only looking at the numbers, because that is not where true success lies.
True success is found in the hearts of your congregation.
- Are they following Jesus and trusting Him?
- Are they building and experiencing authentic and grace-filled community with one another?
- Are they maturing in their faith?
These are the questions that truly matter. They will be harder to measure, but they will be the ones that grow your church in all the best ways. The benefit of this is that you will likely see an increase in giving because people who love their community and are maturing in their faith are going to want to give generously.
4. Don’t Only Focus on Large Donations.
Who doesn’t love a large donation made to the church? Just don’t focus too much on the big ones without recognizing and honoring the faithfulness and generosity of the people who are giving small amounts. Remember the widow who gave her two copper coins (Luke 21:1-4)?
The amount didn’t compare to the rich people who were giving out of their excess, and yet it was more meaningful to Jesus because she gave all she had. It was such a beautiful expression of her faith in God and her love for Him.
Overemphasizing large donations without recognizing the small ones will send the wrong message, showing that you are focused on the bottom line rather than the hearts of the givers. It doesn’t communicate gratitude and can lead to defeated attitudes in your congregation.
4. Don’t Overemphasize Financial Needs
“Remember to talk about money–but don’t talk too much about money.” Well, which is it? On the one hand, asking too often for donations can lead to donor fatigue and the belief that you are only after your people’s wallets.
But, providing opportunities for members to give to the church is one of the ways that God provides for our needs. Be clear and concise about the needs facing the church, and teach that giving is part of how the mission of the Kingdom of God is achieved.
Always remember to bring it back to relationships. It’s about trusting God and looking to Him to lead in all aspects of our lives, including and especially giving of our resources.
Stay Equipped, Stay Encouraged!
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