11 WAYS TO SUPPORT STEWARDSHIP FOR YOUR CHURCH #1

 

            Continuing my reading of VANCO’s stewardship material has led me to their booklet on the 11 Ways to support stewardship for your church.

            The first way is How to Increase Tithing. To do that:

1.    Teach Authentic Stewardship – we need to let our money serve God, not the other way around. This is obviously not the prosperity Gospel. Our folks need to feel comfortable hearing about money from the pulpit. Hearing about authentic stewardship helps lay the groundwork for healthy church finances. The entire point, however, is not to just increase the amount of money that comes in, but to help your folks live a more Christ-centered life.

2.    Lead by Example – Does your financial life reflect the Gospel? Take an honest inventory, consider a money autobiography; determine the areas of your life where you may be serving money instead of God. People are looking up to you as a leader in the church.

3.    Ask Frequently - I know people complain that we talk about money too much in church but, to be honest, we usually don’t ask. You can preach about stewardship and talk about Christ-center lives, but you still have to ask. The time in the service when we talk about giving is a good time to remind folks different ways to give and how their gifts are used.

4.    Get Excited About Church Projects – Tell the stories of how lives are changed because of the generosity of folks. People want to give when they know that their money is making a difference.

5.    Show Gratitude – We need to thank people for their gifts. A throw-away line in the bulletin or newsletter isn’t enough. Give a warm thanks. The year-end giving statement is a perfect place to thank people (not just the lines that the program spits out) – you can put in something that you create – share how their money was used.

6.    Explain Biblical Tithing – Some of our people don’t honestly know how much to give. If you talk about tithing, about determine what they are giving and what they are called to give, that will help. You could use the “steps” to help people determine where they are and where they can step up to.

7.    Be Financially Transparent – Most people, unless they are on a committee or in leadership in the church, don’t honestly know how much it takes to run the church. Let people know. And I don’t mean tell them how much we need weekly, and how much we’re short, but something more encouraging. Be financially transparent about how funds are used.

8.    Ask with Confidence - Don’t feel awkward or embarrassed. Ask with confidence. If you don’t feel confident, practice!

 

            If you wish more information on anything you’ve been reading about, please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or sranousacctg@twcny.rr.com or susanranous@unyumc.org.  I’d be happy to help or answer any questions.