Churches need money for ministry, but the needs of congregations today outpace the will of people to give, especially given the generational differences between “the great generation” and baby boomers, and then between baby boomers and millennials. As traditional funding sources are maxed out, There is one asset that nearly all churches possess—land. Why not look into a land-use policy that can help finance ministry? (Photo: Alejandro Rdguez, Creative Commons)
Author Tim Shapiro suggests six measures for whether your congregation is celebrating and cultivating generosity as a way of life. How is your congregation stewarding the call to help people develop lives of deep faith and generosity? (Photo: taxcredits.net, Creative Commons)
Today, church leaders must appeal to the congregation from a variety of vantage points. There are no magical programs, processes or words that fund a church budget automatically, but some broad understandings of what people are looking for can help. Here are three essential aspects of stewardship, all beginning with the letter ‘i’.
Electronic giving is the preferred method of giving for a majority of church members, according to a recent study. In other settings, people have developed habits of giving that rely on e-giving methods. Many of our congregations, however, haven’t yet responded to these changes, says Luther Seminary’s Adam J. Copeland.
If generosity is how we honor and express human value, than any act of kindness counts in the bigger picture. We can all be kind. We can all be generous. This is one of the key teachings of all the world’s religions. So we decided to look into our databases of quotes collected from our reading and see what teachers of our times and earlier ones have said about the spiritual practice of generosity. Read this assortment of quotes and observations, share them, and make them a part of your own development. (Photo: Bert Haymans, Creative Commons)
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, Roberts, Wis., looked at digitial giving options and decided to go with an iPad giving station. Now 8 percent of its offerings are received that way. Read about their experience. From the Center for Stewardship Leaders at Luther Seminary. (Photo: Creativity 103, Creative Commons)
If your church is at sixes and sevens when it comes to stewardship, it’s definitely not alone! The important thing is to keep your heads, trust in God, and make a plan! This free resource from the Episcopal Diocese of Washington has some great ideas, as well as helpful links! (Photo: Techme Slowly, Creative Commons)
In the competitive world of nonprofit funding, church leaders have an advantage capturing the hearts and minds of people to support ministry. Why? Because we often see them face-to-face. How are we doing at creating a culture of giving when our people are present? Here are tips from the Mennonite Church USA. (Photo: ThrasherDave, Creative […]
There’s another way besides a line-item budget to present your congregation’s proposed annual spending plan. A Narrative Budget tells the story of how your church practices good stewardship of the gifts entrusted to it. It provides a vision of where the church hopes to be in the coming budget cycle. It reflects how the congregation spends its time, talent, and treasure rather than paying the bills.Check out this free 12-page resource. (Photo: Rob Nguyen, Creative Commons)
It’s the question you frequently hear about tithing — do you base it on gross income? Or after-tax income? This feature presents different viewpoints from three writers — Frederica Mathewes-Green, David A. Croteau and Steve Stewart. Which viewpoint resonates with your own view? (Photo: Tax Credits, Creative Commons)
