What can a widow who gave two coins teach us? Well, quite a bit. You are probably familiar with the story of the widow’s mite. In Luke 21:1-4, we find Jesus and His disciples watching the rich place their gifts in the temple treasury. More than likely, the disciples were impressed with their generosity. It […]
Most of us have that person in our church we would describe as a “skeptical giver.” Maybe they were part of a church that mishandled finances in the past. Maybe they have a misconstrued understanding of why people give to churches. Maybe distrust is their default position on any organization or person. Whatever the cause […]
Every first-time pastor has their fair share of surprising moments, moments when they realized that all the education in the world could not fully prepare them for what they now face. Some of those moments relate to their church’s generosity. Sometimes, the pastors are encouraged by what they find, and, other times, they find themselves, […]
If you’ve been in ministry for more than two minutes, you know how difficult it can be to talk to your congregation about giving. You might breeze through topics like sin, pride or questioning God, but generosity? No, thank you! Talking about giving—and money in general—has become almost taboo in many churches. As a pastor, […]
Sunday is quickly approaching, but something is different this week. Where there is usually excitement and anticipation for the upcoming service, you are filled with dread. An eagerness to guide your church through the Scripture has been replaced with hesitancy. You’ve felt this before, the last time you covered this topic. This Sunday, you are […]
Most churches aren’t fully leveraging their digital giving and they don’t even know it. Are you one of them? What would happen if you saw a substantial increase in digital giving usage? It would be a game changer. Your giving would grow and remain more stable. With that in mind, here are 7 simple yet […]
Do you dread talking about generosity? You’re not alone. Pastors everywhere avoid the topic. There’s just something “different” about it. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Church leaders courageously hit on a number of different topics throughout the year. Covering challenging topics is a must for pastors desiring to teach the Word of […]
What causes hesitation in pastors when it comes to teaching on generosity? Pastors courageously hit on a number of difficult topics throughout the year. Covering challenging topics is a must for pastors desiring to teach what the Bible says. So, what is it about generosity that creates a pause for pastors? Often, the pause comes […]
You can create positive momentum in a stagnant church! Five years ago, we were blessed to move to Shelbyville, Tennessee and take on the role of leading Gateway Church. Gateway was a 73 year-old church that had seen its better days. The attendance was around 60 people, the building was tired, and the past disappointments […]
When you think of stewardship, what comes to mind? Taking care of the environment? A finance, fundraising, or capital campaign committee? Or maybe it’s nothing but an old, stale church word that’s lost pretty much all importance to you. Many leaders aren’t exactly sure how to define stewardship, and that’s tragic. First, because stewardship is […]
Samantha told her pastor it would be difficult for her to give to the church any time in the near future. She just didn’t trust how the church’s finances were being handled. For a person to give to any organization, there must be an element of confidence in the financial management of that organization. People […]
As church leaders, we desire to see our church filled with people who hold loosely to the things of the world. People who desire to advance God’s Kingdom through their generosity. But how do we know who is truly living that way? You could certainly look at giving records. Giving records tell you, at least, […]