A central feature of worship services across church traditions is the weekly invitation for attendees to make a financial contribution. This practice has continuity with the Early Church, which was not sustained by compulsory systems, but by the willing generosity of its members. As Acts records, “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:44–45, NRSVUE).
Who makes the offertory appeal in your congregation? What do they say each week? Ironically, despite the unavoidable need for financial resources, money can be a sensitive topic in faith-based institutions. If you put too much emphasis on giving, it can make people feel uncomfortable. If you don’t know how to talk about money, it can compromise the church’s ability to fund its operations while leaving members misinformed about the importance of stewardship. No church wants to be accused of “begging for money.” Neither does a church want to miss the opportunity to encourage the spiritual practice of generosity.
To get beyond this tension, it’s important to know what motivates generosity. Some people give out of a sense of obligation, but they are often among the Baby Boomer generation. Their giving is consistent and intentional. Others prefer to give to causes that are meaningful to them. To reach them, the weekly appeal needs to connect to the church’s impact in the world. We may wish most people were planned givers, but according to the Lake Institute, most of our members are “Impulsive Givers,” meaning they are more likely to respond to the call to support special initiatives and programs than regular donations.
Like the early church in Acts, today’s congregations thrive when generosity flows from genuine community and shared mission. The key is helping every person — whether motivated by duty, impact or impulse — see their giving as partnership with God in the redemption of the world.
Resources
Three churches share their experiences practicing intentional stewardship year-round
Different in size, location and denomination, these churches are all working to move beyond traditional fall giving campaigns by creating a philosophy of continuous stewardship.
By Leslie Quander Wooldridge
The church has a complicated relationship with money
The author of a new book opens a discussion on stewardship, poverty and the holy uses of wealth.
Q&A with Miguel Escobar
Why pastors should understand economics
Economists live in a world of scarcity. Christians believe in God’s abundance. In this conversation, an economist and a pastor talk about the ways in which that tension plays out in ministry and life.
Q&A with Laura Ullrich and David Brown
How do you fundraise and ask for major gifts? Don’t pitch. Nurture relationships first.
Fundraising is about forming relationships, sharing the mission of your organization, and inviting others to participate, writes the managing director for the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving.
By Melissa Spas
Before you go
Here’s one step you can take if you want to strengthen your practices around generosity: consider making simple changes to how your congregation talks about money. This week, try replacing “We need your support” with “Here’s what your generosity made possible.” Write down three specific stories of impact from the past month that you could share during the offertory. If you’re a congregational leader, have an honest conversation with your finance team about the difference between guilt-driven giving and grace-inspired generosity. This language shift is important to think about because ultimately, most people won’t give generously to keep the lights on, but they will give sacrificially to see lives transformed.
You can always reach me and the Alban Weekly team at alban@duke.edu. Until next week, keep leading!
Prince R. Rivers
Editor, Alban at Duke Divinity