STEPS IMPORTANT TO YOUR COMMITMENT CAMPAIGN #3

          I’m continuing the blog series I started a couple weeks ago based on the “Ten  Commandments for Commitment Campaigns” found on the United Methodist Stewardship Foundation of Michigan website. We’ve talked about not waiting until Labor Day to start; being clear about what the outcome of the campaign should be; and recruiting people to assist with the campaign; making the campaign about commitment rather than budget, being as personal as possible; and focusing on the campaign only.

          The seventh recommendation is to establish God’s abundance as the focus of the campaign.  Too often we focus on scarcity rather than abundance. We have conversations about how the number of the people in the pews has decreased, how income isn’t enough to cover the bills, etc., etc. We are blessed abundantly by the God of abundance. We need to focus on that, inviting people to be faithful stewards with the gifts that God has given to them. Stewardship depends on that; it doesn’t depend on unemployment rates or low giving patterns.

          The eighth recommendation is to encourage proportional giving. Tithing is a Biblical concept that says the minimum amount of giving is ten percent. For many people, ten percent, or tithing is a scary or seemingly insurmountable goal. Focus on proportional giving. If someone is currently giving what amounts to about one percent of income, encourage them to increase it to two percent and so on. Having that concrete goal helps establish giving for them.

All of this Biblical. Don’t be ashamed!