Giving rules? Are there really proven, scriptural rules for giving to the church? You bet! And this year we want to help you establish three of these biblical giving rules, which (although they are as old as the Bible!) may be new rules to apply to your church and ministry.
We have so much to say about each of these rules that one post isn’t enough. Today we’re going to talk about Rule #1 – check out rules #2 and #3 in the following posts.
Rule #1: Talk About Giving
Talk to your members about giving. Yes, it’s that simple – we need to tell them the exciting news about giving. Giving is a part of every believer’s discipleship journey, and it cannot be separated from their Christian walk. Malachi 3: 6-12 talks to us about the ‘unchanging God’ who tells us to put Him to the test when it comes to tithing. But how do we begin to know who to talk to and how? Thankfully, we at MortarStone spend most of our time helping churches reach and connect with givers. Here are a few practical tips to get you started:
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- Know who your givers are. Look at your giving schedules and analyze who is giving to your church – first-time givers, recurring givers, and financial leaders. If you’re using MortarStone to track your givers, use the drop-down menu to select from a handful of useful reports that detail this information quickly. If you’re not a MortarStone user, let’s talk about how we can get you the reports you need to connect with your givers.
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- Set-up a communication plan. Once you’ve identified who you should be talking with, it’s time to put action to a plan. Take time to think through your communication mediums and how you can best communicate your stewardship mission – phone calls, face-to-face meetings, emails, social media, church website, etc. Decide the routes that best fit your culture and create a 6-month communication schedule that regularly and consistently connects with your givers. At the end of 6-months evaluate how successful your efforts have been and make adjustments based on your findings.
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- Get everyone on board. Make sure your senior leadership team is on board with the mission and agrees to talk and meet with givers. After your leadership team has agreed, meet with every ministry head and share your vision with them, as well. With everyone on board, your stewardship ministry will move further, faster!
This might seem a bit overwhelming, but that’s why we’re here to help. Send us an email, and we can talk with you more about your stewardship program and how to move forward.
Let MortarStone give you the tools you need to connect with and disciple your givers. Fill out the form below for more information.