How to Develop DonorsSeven steps for promoting giving in your churchby Church Central| Topics: | Fundraising, Giving, Money, Vision |
| Filters: | Bible study, Fundraising ministry, Pastor, Preaching, Small group leader, Small groups, Sunday school |
| Purpose: | Ministry |
| References: | Matthew 6:19-24 |
| Date Added: | December 02, 2008 |
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The responsibility for raising funds in the church falls squarely in the lap of the senior pastor. Whether we like it or not, that's how most church cultures operate. Bill Hybels compares financial sources to a river and correctly observes: "And like it or not, it is the leader's job to create that river and to manage it wisely. The sooner the leader realizes that the better."
Let's consider how pastors raise the needed finances: the simple answer is that they must develop donors. We suggest seven means that pastors could use to develop their donors and raise the ministry's operational funds.
Regularly cast the church's vision
First, you must regularly cast a clear, compelling vision for the church. The key to cultivating donors for your church's ministry is vision. Our experience is that people are not that interested in just paying the light bills or staff salaries, nor do they respond well to guilt trips, negativism, or shortages. People give to big, dynamic visions that, in turn, produce the passion that is vital to giving. They are more willing to invest in "What could be" (future possibilities) than "what is" (present reality), especially if "what is" is floundering or in the red. The exception is when "what is" is obviously blessed of God and growing spiritually and numerically.
To a certain degree, raising finances is a vision measure. What does that mean? People's giving responses will often tell you something about the quality of your church's vision and the leader's ability to cast the vision. The people can know what the church's vision is only through the vision caster and how that person articulates and frames it. Thus a pastor who fails to or cannot effectively cast the vision will have a negative impact on the church's income.
Implement a church-wide stewardship education plan
One of the most effective ways of developing donors is to implement a church-wide stewardship education plan. This involves developing and implementing a strategy for building biblical training into your ministry. Scripture has much to say about giving, and this forms the basis for your stewardship plan. Effective communication vehicles will assist your people in becoming mature givers. We strongly encourage you to utilize all the following communication vehicles, which will work together in your church to enhance stewardship education.
Sermons about stewardship
The first and most important step that a pastor or leader can take in developing donors is discovering what the Bible says about stewardship and then teaching these truths consistently to his or her people. Leaders should not wait until there's a dire financial need in the church to address the issue of stewardship. Somebody once said that God is not in the business of raising money; he's in the business of raising Christians. The issue of stewardship is more about the development of the believer than it is about the financial condition of the local church. As we grow our people and teach them what the Bible says about stewardship, they mature and learn to give. Every time they give, they learn to give away a little of their selfishness.
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