by Casey Graham
I want to challenge you to take this list and allow your ministry team to go through these items together. This could create a massive revolution of giving in your church!
We have found 5 key reasons people aren’t giving as faithfully or consistently as we want them to.
1. People don’t feel needed.
At one time, I remember church funding being all about need! The “weekly need” was published in the bulletin, and the goal was to meet the weekly need. I believe we have swung the pendulum too far away from this.
We don’t want to be “that” church, so we try to make our churches look like everything is professional and “done.” People park the cars in the parking lot, we have nice signs and great children’s workers.
We are trained to create a culture where everything feels “done” and people feel welcomed more than needed.
The problem is while we project the idea that everything is OK, the church is struggling to stay afloat financially. People want to be needed. People are attracted to needs.
I’m not going to solve the tension today, so I want you to ask your team this:
How can we help our people feel more needed financially?
2. People don’t understand.
I truly believe if people just had a clear picture of where the church is headed, you could solve most of your funding issues.
People need VISION and CLARITY about the future more than we think they do. People’s giving rarely increases unless you give them something to stretch for.
We find that when a church has three to four objectives they want to accomplish through their operational budget, and they highlight them to the congregation and make a specific ask, people move their giving!
Ask this question:
What are we trying to accomplish over the next 12 months that we could clarify for our congregation to fund?
We assume because we are clear that they are clear. Nothing is further from the truth!
3. People feel like the church wants something from them, not for them.
I have found pastors think they are closer to their people than they really are.
You know who I learn the most from when meeting with staff teams? The spouses.
The spouses who are not on staff give me more insight into the relational credibility of the senior leadership more than the staff team. Here is the deal: Most of the time, we stay quiet about money until we need some. This is why you have to create relational equity with your donors each day, week, month and year.
For instance, having a thriving personal financial ministry is building equity. Sending first-time givers thank-you notes is building equity. An overnight generosity retreat with your top giving and ministry leaders is building equity. A teaching series on money WITHOUT an ask is building equity.
You have to build more equity than you hope to withdraw.
What are your strategic times to build relational equity with your donors this year? What are you going to do FOR them?
4. People aren’t educated.
I have met with more than 1,000 people in a one-on-one financial coaching environment. I never met with one person who was tithing.
Most people would say to me, “We can’t tithe.” About 90 minutes later, they would walk out of the meeting knowing they COULD tithe, but they are choosing not to. In reality, they are choosing five magazine subscriptions over giving to God. That is just reality.
Personal financial education ministry is a must!
You have to train your people on spending, saving, debt and giving! It’s imperative! We are the spiritual leaders, and they are lost sheep in this area!
How can we increase our personal financial education system this year?
5. People don’t know what is expected.
It is so funny that we want to reach all these lost people, but we rarely tell them what the Bible says about giving. It is 100 percent expected of us to give to God and be generous.
How are you helping people understand the theology of giving and all the Bible has to say about it? When people know what is expected, they will oftentimes meet that expectation.
How can we leverage our offering times this year to teach people what the Bible says about giving?
For a lot of people, the reason they are not giving is not their fault. We have to take responsibility and help them get on board NOW!
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