Giving development in a difficult economy

Giving in many churches was actually lower for 2002 than in was in 2001. In many churches giving was down by 20% - 25%. This phenomenon is actually quite rare, even in the face of very difficult economic times.

On the other hand, giving improved significantly during 2002 in many growing churches. Yet even in churches with a considerable increase in attendance during 2002, that increase in attendance was actually responsible for relatively little of the increase in giving.

Causes of Increased Giving

Essentially all of the increase in giving was a result of the following:

Emphasizing the Grace of Giving (vs. the obligation of the Christian to give)

Effective communication of compelling “stories” of transformed lives of Christians who learned to give out of response to God’s grace.

Emphasizing the Effectiveness of Ministry (vs. the financial needs of the church)

Effective communication of compelling “stories” of effective ministry (resulting from giving).

Integrating the message of personal Christian growth through giving into every aspect of Christian teaching (vs. only relying on a special sermon series leading up to a “stewardship campaign”, for example).

Motivation to Give

Few people in our society give because of a need, obligation, or guilt. Yet that’s the kind of message many church finance committees pressure the Senior Pastor to communicate to the “flock” when finances get tight.

As an associate of The Aslan Group teaches, “Ministry Thrills, Church Work Kills”. This is true now more than ever – not only regarding ministry volunteers, as the phrase is normally applied, but also concerning emphasis toward giving. Very few of us (less than 20% in most churches, and well under 10% in an effective growing church) will respond positively to requests for contributions because the church is in financial trouble. Most will actually turn away (at least mentally, sometimes physically as well), not wanting to be associated with “a loser”.

The temptation, although sometimes very strong, to appeal to each member’s “sense of duty” is likely to cause more harm than good. It may indeed result in a short-term increase in giving in a few cases, particularly people who have grown up in the Church. However, for the vast majority of members and constituents (those who attend, but who haven’t yet joined), it will almost certainly result in a defensive response – a “holding back to protect myself” reaction.

Ministry Focus

Intentional, focused effort is required to engage members of any congregation to embrace and support the ministries of their church, even if the church is “obviously” effective. It is not at all obvious, from the perspective of the majority of church members, what impact giving has on the lives of individuals and families receiving the benefits of the ministries of the church in the name of Christ … unless it is carefully, consistently, and effectively communicated. It is also not obvious to most Christians what role giving as a response to grace plays in their own spiritual growth and in the spiritual health of a congregation.

For a church with many ministries, especially complex ministries such as a Christian School, it takes a well-designed and disciplined process to understand, prioritize, and then communicate the message in a consistent, compelling, and balanced way. This is a critical foundation for effective giving development at any time, but especially during a challenging economy.

Help Available

Consultants such as those of The Aslan Group who have proven success in this area, can play a crucial role in helping an effective church grow through this process. The increase in giving resulting from this process should completely overshadow the cost of engaging the right consultative assistance.

Aslan recently completed an annual fund drive for a metro Atlanta area church. We are pleased that the church exceeded its previous pledge commitment by nearly 50% and had its largest percent participation ever. We are equally pleased that the pastor tells us, “You and your associates made this year’s annual financial campaign one of successful stewardship, joyful celebration, and profound spiritual growth for the people who worship as [our church family].”

A recently completed capital campaign for another church in the Atlanta area experienced an increase of more than 250% in participation and amount pledged compared to their previous campaign. The pastor refers to the campaign as “the event of our history” and says that “the life of this community will never be the same!”

These comments effectively articulate our goal for every giving campaign.

For more information contact:

John Butler
jbutler@aslangroup.com
678.592.9241