generosity: moving your church forward

2 church solutions gener is eBook WWW.churchsolutionsmag.com

CONTENTS


4 CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS: WHAT CHURCHES DON’T WANT TO HEARBy Jim Sheppard

6 THE POWER OF SMALL STEPSBy Ruben Swint

8 STEWARDSHIP REPORTS SURPRISE SENIOR PASTORSBy Brad Leeper

9 MISSIONAL STEWARDSHIPBy Ruben Swint

10 A CLEAR VISIONBy Jim Sheppard

12 THE FOOLBy Allen Walworth

14 TRENDS IN GIVINGBy Ruben Swint

14 STEWARDSHIP RESOLUTIONS FOR 2008By Ruben Swint

15 DEAR JOHN AND MARTHAA Stewardship Letter to Your Congregation

Sponsored By:

A B O U T T H E A U T H O R S — A D V E R T O R I A L

One of the leading church consultants in America, Jim Sheppard has led 94 capital stewardship

campaigns – including 22 that raised more than $10 million – and has helped his clients raise

more than $700 million since 1992. A proven leader and inspirational speaker, he has successfully

adapted to a variety of contexts and cultures, demonstrating sensitivity to both clergy and laity

perspectives. Represented among his clients are some of the largest church capital campaigns

in America.

In his previous career, Jim was a CPA and the CEO of a major division of an NYSE financial

services firm. Drawing from his business experience and active involvement as an officer in his

home church (Perimeter Church in Duluth, Ga.), he brings a wealth of knowledge to Generis as

CEO and principal, advising clients in matters of church growth, strategic planning and financial

administration. He understands the financial challenges that churches face today – annual giving,

debt, capital projects and planned giving – and is a positive force in bridging these global needs

with the power of spiritually motivated stewardship.

Jim holds a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Georgia, and is a

member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the National Association of

Church Business Administrators (NACBA).

Jim and his wife Nancy live in Atlanta and have two daughters, Anna, 23, and Emily, 20. In his

spare time he enjoys reading, golf, fly fishing and hunting.

Jim Sheppard

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With 19 years of experience as a fundraiser, Ruben Swint is a gifted stewardship consultant.

Not only is he well-versed in annual, capital and planned giving, but his disposition – defined

as “strategist” by the famous Myers Briggs Personality Type Indicator – is ideally suited to his

profession. Highly perceptive and confident, he listens, discerns and accurately reads situations,

while providing sound strategic and tactical guidance to the churches and organizations he

serves.

After six successful years in business, Swint answered his calling and earned a Master of Divinity

in church administration from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. With that, he led his church

in a $5-million rebuilding program following a devastating fire. In the 19 years since – both as a

denominational staff fundraiser and in his own practice – he has guided more than 120 capital

campaigns, helping churches build, renovate and retire debt. For six of those 19 years, he also

served as a foundation president, directing $20 million in investments and securing $25 million in

planned gifts.

An inspiring speaker and published writer, Swint often leads professional conferences in the

field. He is an active member of the AFP and the NACBA. He earned his bachelor’s in history from

Columbus State University.

A B O U T T H E A U T H O R S — A D V E R T O R I A L

Based on experience and affinity, Brad Leeper is drawn to innovative, growing churches and

the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually. As a Generis senior strategist, he

is well served by his experiences as a consultant to churches across the nation, a staff leader in

resource development for local ministries, a director for Campus Crusade for Christ and a church

elder in his 5,000-member home church, Perimeter Church.

Leeper has an understanding of the multi-site church strategy and other pioneering church

movements. His unique approach allows him to serve larger churches with significant funding

requirements.

A 19-year member of Perimeter Church, he served for four years on the Global Outreach

Executive Team, which oversees a significant missions budget. He currently serves on the Kingdom

Resource Team, which develops strategic giving for the church. He also served until spring 2007 on

a high school ministry board, and now works closely with several ministries across the country.

A member of the NACBA, Leeper has professional certifications in church risk management

and human resources, with diverse experience in financial analysis, adult education, cross-cultural

missions and strategic planning. He earned a master’s in theology from Dallas Seminary and a

bachelor’s in economics from West Virginia University.

He and his wife Lisa have two delightful daughters, Laura and Sarah, and a son-in-law, Jared.

A gifted and proven consultant with more than 10 years of full-time experience in the church

stewardship ministry, Allen Walworth brings a lot to his work with churches of all denominations:

the passion and calling of an ordained pastor, the training and discipline of a Bible scholar, and the

wisdom of a tenured church “coach.” Allen is president and principal of Generis.

Over the past decade, Walworth has partnered with 90 churches, helping them raise more

than $260 million toward their ministry visions. Five of those campaigns raised more than $10

million each, and one congregation raised more than 15 times its annual budget in a single capital

campaign!

Walworth’s passion for stewardship is fueled by his pastor’s heart and knowledge of Scripture.

Before becoming a stewardship consultant, he was a senior pastor for 17 years, leading small-town

and urban churches ranging in attendance from 1,000 to 9,000 members. He is an in-demand

speaker at churches and other ministry venues across the country. Walworth holds a PhD in New

Testament studies, and has taught at the college and seminary levels.

Allen and his wife Connie live in Florida where they enjoy golf, tennis and their five grown

children.

Allen Walworth

Ruben Swint

BradLeeper


Growing churches at some point will find themselves scrambling

to accommodate the people God is sending their way – which means

they need facilities, which in turn means they need to raise money. But

churches are often unprepared for the hard work and the hard truths that

come with such a project.

Most churches don’t have the cash on hand to fund a new building

or expansion; the operating or general fund is already spoken for and

the church must turn to its constituency for additional funds. The most

frequent means of accomplishing this is through a capital funds effort,

often called a capital stewardship campaign.

A capital campaign is a complex endeavor involving many moving

parts that need to be sequenced and coordinated to position the church

for optimal success. The success of the campaign is important to the life

of the church because it is often tied to maintaining ministry momentum.

Depending on the size of the church, it will take four to 10 months (even

longer, in some cases) to plan and implement the campaign. Think of a

capital campaign as a pilgrimage: taking church people from a point of

awareness to a point of commitment.

In our role as advisers on capital funds efforts, sometimes we have to

say things that churches and pastors don’t necessarily want to hear:

1. You will have to talk about money.This is the elephant in the room, so let’s go ahead and get this one out

of the way. You will have to talk about money – there is no way around it.

The key is to be honest, straightforward and non-manipulative. Contrary

to popular opinion, church people don’t mind their pastor talking about

money; it’s when they think he or she is not being straight that they get

uptight. Talk straight about money and possessions. If you don’t, you

raise suspicions.

Because it involves money, the capital funds effort will invoke some

of the highest sensitivities in the church. As one pastor told me, “I have

people who will sit in my office and tell me some of the deepest, darkest

secrets of their lives, but when I begin to talk about money, they go

silent.” Talking about money in the church can require sensitivity, but it

is necessary.

2. Your people are not as up-to-speed as you assume they are.

No matter how obvious the need may be for the planned project, do

not assume your people see it and understand it the way you and your

leaders do. Church people are busy and committed and do not have the

margin in their daily schedules to think about these things. You will have

to create a process that invokes their attention and focus. Generally, the

senior pastor must lead this effort.

Capital Campaigns:What churches don’t want to hear

It’s inevitable:

By Jim Sheppard

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Building consensus begins with transparent, authentic communication.

Church people do not want you to spin the project a certain way just

to win their support. Give them the facts and answer their questions. A

campaign communication effort must engage the entire congregation in

a meaningful way over time.

Make sure you have thought through the entire project. The

congregation will ask questions (yes, even some hard questions).

Do not assume you can get all of the project details together later.

Be prepared. Detailed construction drawings are not necessary, but

you will need cost estimates, lending information and initial government

approval for the project before moving ahead with the campaign.

Thinking the project through in a comprehensive manner will inspire

confidence in the campaign.

3. You will have to give it priority.A capital funds effort must be properly prioritized. A capital campaign

should not stop a church from doing ministry, but it should get top-billing

for a season. It must have the focus and passion of the senior pastor;

otherwise, church members will assume it’s not that important and will

not prioritize it in their own lives. The campaign result will reflect the lack

of priority. Here are some suggestions:

• Clear the deck of other intensive ministry efforts during the

campaign season.

• When planning a campaign calendar, pay attention to key dates in

the life of the community (sports, civic, etc.).

• Plan around the school and holiday calendar.

• Plan well in advance.

4. Leaders must give.This is a big one. You cannot lead your people to a place that you

are not going. If you and your leaders are not fully committed to lead by

example, you will not be able to bring the kind of passion and focus that

will make the campaign process work. Sacrificial giving – that is, over

and above current giving – will be required. It is a myth that the senior

pastor can coast in a campaign and not lead the way in this area.

This can be hard if not all leaders are giving to the effort. No one

should be in leadership on a campaign team if they are not personally

committed to sacrificial giving.

5. The senior pastor will have to challenge major donors.

Generally, capital campaigns (excluding those for debt retirement) will

produce three-year pledges of two to four times the annual operating

income. A church can raise two to two-and-a-half times its annual

income even without wealthy donors. If a church needs more than that,

there must be a focus on those who can make larger gifts ($100,000

to $250,000 or more, depending on church size). In most cases, this

process will involve the senior pastor visiting with these people to

present the vision, make the case for the project and challenge the

donor to prayerfully consider a significant gift. Asking for larger gifts first

is the model King David used when building the temple in Jerusalem.

You cannot overlook the power of major gifts in a capital funds effort

– whether you believe you have access to wealthy donors or not. Most

churches have at least a few, though they can be hard to identify (read

“The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas Stanley).

You may not want to hear these things, but they are important if you

are to execute your capital funds and building effort well.

One final comment: There are a lot of charitable causes appealing to

your people for their funds. In general, the one who makes the best case

for support wins. No matter how committed a person or family is to your

church, be assured their alma mater or the local cancer hospital will be

vying for those same dollars. If they make a better case, that is where

the money will go. Be bold and make your case well.

You might wonder, “Where is God in all of this?” I have assumed that

your church will place God at the center of your capital fundraising plan

and that everything you do will be for His glory. It is important to bathe

the entire effort in prayer. While we are called to plant and water (in the

words of the Apostle Paul), it is God who grants the increase.

A building project must be a logical extension of the vision and

mission of the church. Any project that does not meet this criteria

will create a disconnect with prospective donors. The project

needs to be expressed not in terms of brick and mortar, but in

terms of people, ministries, and impact on the community or the

world. In other words:

• Why are we building this?

• Why are we building it now?

• What happens if we do not build this now?

Do not assume your church knows and understands the vision

and mission. Having traction with leaders does not guarantee

traction with the broader constituency. Take opportunities in

advance of the building effort to persistently and consistently

inform and remind the church. Vision drives facility expansion

– make no mistake about it.

Capital Campaigns:What churches don’t want to hear

No Vision,No Project

You will have to talk about money – there is no way around it.


Two new books contain principles that can shape effective strategies for increased giving in congregations. “Small Change,”

by Larry Terkel and Susan Neiburg Terkel, provides a process for creating significant life changes by making small changes over

time. Small changes are easier than huge transformations, make a big impact over time and are more realistic, given human nature.

The second book is “One Small Step Can Change Your Life,” by Robert Maurer. He explains how kaizen, the Japanese concept of

continuous incremental improvements, can change one’s life. Kaizen principles have been used to create world-class quality results

from Japanese manufacturers. Kaizen fits change situations that require long-term transformation.

Many congregations struggle today to fund their missions. Many congregational leaders shudder to think about the state of

congregational giving 10 to 15 years from now, when most members of the Builder generation will have passed away. And few

leaders have the will, skills or energy to bring about the massive change in giving that will be needed from younger members. A

generational tsunami threatens to wash away the funding support for future ministries.

Congregational leaders also suspect that current stewardship development and fundraising strategies have run their course. The

old stewardship programs are carried on as a tradition of the church. They do not impact young adult involvement and giving in a

significant way. To keep doing the same things and expecting different results is unrealistic. What is needed is large change.

Congregations are among the most change-resistant organizations. Congregational leaders who seek to bring about large

change are often wounded in the process, and leadership suffers. Members often feel threatened by significant change. Perhaps

what is needed is not immediate large change, but rather the continuity of small steps that, over time, can lead to the desired large

change.

Small steps for increased giving contain power because they are small. They do not appear threatening. They do not risk

leadership and are easily implemented. Small steps are not costly and do not initially challenge the status quo. The power of small

steps is found in the following STEPS:

The Powerof Small

By Ruben Swint

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Speak another language. Congregations often employ the words “budget,” “expenses,” “income” and “needs.” This is

the language of an institution. People are rarely excited about meeting institutional needs. Instead of using these words,

employ the language of mission. A congregation’s mission is carried out by a ministry plan, not a budget. Congregations

have solutions, not needs. To carry out its ministry plan of solutions, a congregation must count the costs of discipleship

and pay the costs of being on mission, not just cover its expenses. Income is earned by selling goods and services. Funding

missions comes from the contributions of fully devoted disciples. Speak the language of mission and discipleship to explain

how people are helped and changed by the ministry solutions your congregation provides in the name of Christ.

Talk about success. Most newsletters mailed by churches to their members are elaborate calendars for future events and

activities. Rarely do these regular mailings communicate ministry competencies or mission successes. Using the paper and

postage already planned, congregations should regularly publish the success stories of ministry that have occurred. Use

photos and personal accounts from members involved in ministry, or from participants benefiting from ministry. Remind

congregants that their faithful contributions make a difference through the ministries they fund. Consider an annual report that

sums up the huge impact that the church’s ministries have on people.

Explain numbers with pictures. Many people have a hard time understanding the relationship of numbers to results. Depict

numbers in visual formats in congregation-wide publications. A simple chart of four bars can be included in each regular

newsletter and potentially inform all members – not just those who attend official meetings. The first bar represents the

ministry plan or budget (to date). The second bar represents ministry costs. The third bar represents contributions, and the

fourth bar represents last year’s contributions.

Consider changing the monthly expectation of contributions from one-twelfth the annual ministry plan. Instead, calculate

the historical percentage of annual contributions received for each month in past years and apply it to each month in the

current plan. The first bar then represents the anticipated contributions to date. This will provide another opportunity to talk

about success, since more monthly bar charts will demonstrate that contributions are at anticipated levels.

Preach mission and vision. Christians live in a world overloaded with distractions. Sophisticated communication industries

send mesmerizing messages of pleasure, materialism and status. Faith, grace and compassion often slip away. Bill Hybels,

senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, once said his congregation “leaks.” So, he preaches mission and vision

on a regular basis. Remind your congregation repeatedly and in differing ways of its identity, values and direction (ultimately

and in ministry this year).

Stewardship is our faithful service toward Jesus’ vision of the Kingdom of God as reflected in our particular faith

communities. The apostle Paul says in I Corinthians 4:1 that he is a “steward of the mysteries of God.” Do not let stewardship

become a synonym for annual fundraising. Rather, embrace stewardship as the Christian’s daily responsibility to embody and

share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Stick with it! The power of these small steps resides not only in their “smallness,” but in their continuous application as

well. Not much will be different after one or two years of small changes. By the third year, however, these small steps should

result in informed, inspired and increased giving. Continuous small changes, compounding year after year, will add up to the

big change that is desired. The funding of future and expanded ministries begins now with small steps – easily enacted, low

in cost and rigorously applied year after year.

Many people

have a hard time

understanding

the relationship of

numbers to results.

Expanding a ministry energizes the heart of most senior leaders.

Thinking about gaining more committed disciples, drawing new

people to the faith and communicating eternal truths to those

without biblical roots motivates an impassioned leader to the core.

In fact, when partnering with these fervent leaders in preparation

to expand the vision through a specific project, I almost need an

automated external defibrillator on occasion!

A critical part of this work centers on getting an honest look

at the giving patterns of a church. If we wish to fully resource a

ministry expansion, knowing the giving configurations helps us

build appropriate plans and expectations. Sometimes, leaders’

deep passions crash into a sea of ice water when they view their

church financial data in depth. All too often, naïve assumptions

about giving lead to shock and surprise. Those chilly waters then

gain major icebergs that challenge the precise navigation of the

original visionary course. The surprises consistently and profoundly

discourage senior leaders – even the most seasoned, courageous

leaders.

Most pastors assume they are taking the high road by choosing

not to be aware of who gives what. To support this stance, they cite

the James 2 passage about showing the rich man preference. They

are more comfortable preaching about sex than tackling stewardship

in such an intimate, authentic manner. While valid arguments

(including privacy considerations) guide such decisions, my deep

belief is that leaders should know appropriate information. Money

is the great intersection of the spiritual and the physical, says John

Ortberg, senior pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo

Park, Calif. We err and waste time in taking a detour around this

junction.

When pastors decide to review the data (specific giving amounts

broken down by giver), they are first surprised that their moral

compasses don’t explode. Leaders quickly understands that

scrutinizing giving data does not violate the James 2 truths. The

issue is not showing preference to the rich man; it is implementing

discipleship into the lives of people and releasing ample resources

into the church vision. Looking at the financial data gives leaders

fresh insight into an arena long locked away from their knowledge.

With this knowledge, leaders gain an understanding of their church

and can think about appropriately raising the bar of stewardship.

The second surprise comes when the pastor realizes that his own

giving total is at the top of the list. Why are pastors on the top ten?

Barna reports and other research say less than 10 percent of people

give more than a traditional tithe, while pastors tend to tithe and be

generous. But the shock of looking at a top-ten list (without names,

but the pastor can identify his own total) and seeing his number

way up the list brings stunned silence. Anger tends to follow rather

quickly.


Stewardship Reports Surprise Senior Pastors

By Brad Leeper

Reviewing the giving data exposes not only your congregation, but

also your leadership team. Generosity is a benchmark of any leader, and

giving data exposes false leaders. It is not unusual for the pastor to ask

those with the financial data to give a report on whether the leaders are

at least giving something.

Pastors are startled when they sense that their high-income members

are not giving. We all know the people who have the club membership,

the second cabin on the lake or the luxury car. Typically, high capacity

people are not in the top ten. They either give to more tantalizing visions

outside the church, are unaware of biblical stewardship or are clueless

as to how to give. I am frequently amazed at people who have the gift

of making money and yet have no idea of how to appropriately invest

those funds into Kingdom work.

Quite often, even committed disciples are puzzled by stewardship.

Do not assume that people know how to give or are naturally generous.

Most of your church members live from paycheck to paycheck. I recently

sat in on a worship service that passed around the coffers with no

explanation of how the act fit into worship or how the gifts impacted the

lives of people around the world. The ball was fumbled at this important

moment. People give radically when they understand how their giving

builds their faith and impacts the world.

I had a conversation with a church leader from a well-known, national

church. The church had just completed an in-house capital campaign.

The results were about one-third of what they could have easily been.

In inquiring about the process, I learned that the pastor prided himself

on the fact that his church did not make a big deal about money. The

pastor’s pride, according to this staff member, promptly led the church

into a failed ministry expansion. It will take years for this church to

recover from the misstep.

Stewardship silence means that financial resources will go to other

ministries or an explosive consumptive lifestyle. More than $2 billion

were given to parachurch organizations in 2005, according to the

NonProfit Times. There is far more capacity for giving than what we

are experiencing in churches. And there is a strong correlation between

the pastor’s generosity and how the church’s vision is ultimately

resourced.

People are eager to know how to live biblically. In a culture of

stewardship – where it’s preached, taught, celebrated and modeled

– your members will respond and give generously. The good surprise is

the one that comes from realizing how much impact a church can have

on itself and its community when the vision is financially resourced to

the degree that it should be.

Some pastors are more comfortable preaching about sex than tackling stewardship in such an intimate, authentic manner.

Stewardship can be defined in many ways. "Steward" and

"stewardship" are biblical words with deep and rich meanings for

Christian theologies and lifestyles. A steward is a responsible person

who acts with the authority of someone else. An owner, trustee or

CEO grants authority and resources for the faithful accomplishment

of an organization’s purpose and goals. A Christian steward is gifted,

called and empowered to act as God’s agent in the world for Kingdom

purposes and goals.

A Christian steward is one who lives and works toward the goals

set by God. The Bible expresses God’s desire for a life of meaning and

purpose for each person, and for each person to show compassion and

justice toward one another. A Christian is empowered by the Holy Spirit

to work toward these goals.

Stewardship is responsibly accomplishing goals set by

someone else. Stewardship requires loyalty, faithfulness

and diligence to meet those goals using that person’s

resources. Stewardship is what we do, with all we

have, to accomplish our God-given mission

as individuals and as congregations.

For many Christians and congregations, stewardship needs a larger

frame of reference than, “How much of ‘my’ money will I give to the

church?” Stewardship is more than fundraising, giving and tithing. A

steward lives, works, gives and serves with attention paid to what God

desires.

Stewardship is engaged when Christians act on God’s intention of a

full life for all people. Therefore, Christian stewards:

• live and share the Good News found in Jesus

• work for justice and peace

• acknowledge and utilize our God-given abilities and opportunities

• share material resources and personal energy in caring for others

• conserve our planet’s capacity to sustain physical life

• participate in communities of faith for worship,

nurture and ministry

Missional Stewardship By Ruben Swint


Many members who aren’t giving to their potential are waiting for

their church to present a clear vision. They will even rationalize

their lack of participation by saying, “The church seems to

have enough money to get done what needs to be done.” They do not

understand how much more could be accomplished if they were to

participate. We hear many stories of churches having difficulty funding

the annual operating budget. But there are also many thrilling stories

about people who decided to do something extraordinary:

• In the midst of a capital campaign, a man (who in the past gave

almost nothing in the way of financial support to the operating

budget of the church) made a $500,000 commitment for capital

needs.

• Two days after the pastor announced from the pulpit that the

church was starting a fund to buy a van for the youth group, a

couple who wasn’t significantly involved in the life of their church,

and didn’t give regularly, suddenly decided to write the church a

check for full purchase price of the new van.

• A man whose name appeared on the Forbes 400 list of the

wealthiest people in America decided to give $1,500,000 to

the church in which he was raised – even though he no longer

attended that church.

There are many factors involved in decisions like these, but it cannot

be denied that these people caught the vision of what their church was

trying to do. Vision enables people to see what doesn’t yet exist. In

this respect, it is like faith. A capital campaign to expand and renovate

a downtown church that has been treading water for years excites a


By Jim Sheppard

person who has been blessed. He sees what his church can become

and he wants to do all he can to make it happen. A church, buying its

first van to transport the youth group, excites the parents of the kids who

are involved, and one family decides to write a check for the van. A man

catches the vision of the church he attended as a child, and wants to use

part of what God has blessed him with to help the church.

Big vision attracts big giving. A lack of vision is why many churches

struggle to fund their annual operating budget. They may have done a

fine job of putting together the department-by-department budget and

communicating the numeric information to the congregation; but the

congregation can’t see beyond the numbers into the impact for Christ.

What can be done to change this? There are many actions that could

be taken, but we will focus on just one: creating and communicating a

persuasive vision of ministry. This is not to say that there is something

wrong with comprehensive financial due diligence; it should be a part of

the process. But the church must find a way to articulate the ministry-

funding plan (a better term than “budget”) other than through numbers

alone.

An integral part of the vision of a ministry should be to expand the

sphere of influence of the church to affect more people – in other words,

more compassion and community. People do not give to budgets,

buildings and institutions; they give to people and causes. In his book,

“Giving and Stewardship in an Effective Church,” Kennon Callahan

says that, while the congregational leaders are likely to respond to

the motivations of challenge and commitment, the average lay person

is more likely to respond to the motivations of compassion and

community. By focusing more on the impact of the church, compassion

and community are more clearly communicated.

James Collins, in his book, “Built To Last,” talks about the hallmarks

of great organizations. One of those marks is what he calls “big hairy

audacious goals” – BHAG. Collins says, “A BHAG engages people

– it reaches out and grabs them in the gut. It is tangible, energizing,

highly focused. People ‘get it’ right away; it takes little or no explana-

tion.” Churches should consider BHAGs as part of their overall vision

of ministry.

Once the vision is clear, the communications strategy must be

carefully thought out. It must be explained in a way that presents the

vision of the church as trying to expand its sphere of influence to:

• Evangelize those who do not know Jesus Christ

• Help others who are less fortunate

• Reach out to the hurting

For example, rather than presenting the video of the mission team

to Central America doing their work, show more up-close footage of

the people who were impacted by the mission team’s work. Rather

than showing all the church volunteers who worked on the Habitat for

Humanity house, interview the family who will occupy the house. Rather

than showing the church outreach team going to the downtown soup

kitchen for the homeless, show interviews of homeless people sharing

what it means to have the church reach out to them.

The mission of the Church is clear: to make disciples (Matthew 28:19).

However, the vision of ministry for each church will differ based on

culture, demographics, pressing community needs and other factors.

As you approach your next emphasis for annual ministry support, ask

yourself, “Do we have a clear vision of ministry? Is it big enough to

stimulate participation? Has it been clearly communicated?”

A lack of vision is why

many churches struggle

to fund their annual

operating budget.



A popular TV show in recent years has been the reality series, “The Apprentice.” Perhaps you watched some of the shows or at least heard about them through interviews with the star, real- estate mogul Donald Trump. Trump, or “the Donald,” as he prefers to be called, is a wealthy man. And wealth is the primary fuel of his stardom – not his acting ability or his comb-over hairstyle. The Donald is rich. And the would-be apprentices vying for his attention, and for his six-figure job offer, want to be just like him.

By Allen Walworth


For the first season of the show, more

than 200,000 applicants lined up to

audition. And the next season saw more

than one million applicants. Trump’s new

book, “How to Get Rich,” is a best-seller. I

guess he should know. Forbes magazine’s

annual list of richest people in the world

lists his net worth at $1.3 billion. (By the

way, what does it say about American

readers that Forbes would publish such

a list in the first place? Do you think

America has a love affair with wealth?)

Let’s face it: We are enamored by the

prospect of wealth, and glorify those

who have it. So, the $1-billion-per-year

empire of the 18-year-old Olsen twins, or the multi-billion-dollar

wealth of Bill Gates or Warren Buffet, is always fodder for news and

commentary. The wealthy are our society’s heroes, our idols, our stars.

Our lust for money is out of control.

It’s time for a corrective view. And Scripture provides just the

wisdom we need on this issue, offering a balanced view of material

wealth. God created all things in this world, and He called it all “good.”

Wealth, money and material goods are not evil in themselves. Jesus

had some wealthy friends, owned an expensive garment without

seams, and lived a life that some of his critics called excessive with

food and drink. He was obviously not an ascetic or a hermit, vowing a

life of poverty to cleanse the soul. The example of Christ shows that

material things are not demonic.

But material things are not divine, either. Jesus had many friends

and disciples who owned little or nothing. He borrowed much of what

he used in life, and he warned his followers frequently of the dangers

associated with money. A passage in Luke 12 is a good example

of this: Two brothers who are arguing over the division of the family

inheritance are in danger of falling prey to the grasp of covetousness,

Jesus warns. They are placing the value of money before the value of

brotherhood. Like so many of us, they think that money can give them

more than it can. It can deliver material comforts, yes. And there is

nothing wrong with that. But bank accounts and real estate deeds do

not translate to character, and may even cheapen it. Money can’t buy

happiness, peace or real relationships. This is also the lesson taught

in Ecclesiastes 1 and 2.

In Luke 12, Jesus also tells the parable of a rich farmer. He is not an

evil man. He does not become wealthy by stealing or cheating anyone.

He just has a bumper crop one year, thanks to his hard work and factors

he did not control – the proper and timely delivery of sun and rain on the

soil, and the miracle of seeds opening up to become plants for harvest.

His wealth would make him a real success story in our society. Maybe he

would be listed in Forbes and host a TV reality series with would-be farm

hands who compete for the privilege of owning a farm of their own. But

Jesus calls him foolish. Why? The farmer’s folly is that he failed to learn

the lessons that material goods are supposed to teach.

And what are those lessons? First, when we hold material wealth,

we are supposed to respond with gratitude, aware that those goods

are blessings from a generous God. Even if we worked hard for the

money, it still belongs to God in the end. We are only stewards, and

we should hold wealth lightly and gratefully in our hands – not with a

clenched fist or a hoarding spirit.

Second, wealth is supposed to move us toward generosity to others.

When we discover that God intends wealth to pass through us on its

way to someone in need, we begin to understand the grace and the

responsibility God places on us. This is one of the great joys in life – to

have the privilege of receiving and distributing His resources. And if we

learn these lessons, wealth will bless us, but also enable us to bless

others. In this case, material goods are good indeed, and lead to a truly

joyous life before God.

Tragically, the rich farmer in Jesus’ story failed to learn these

lessons and died planning a long and selfish retirement, leaving all the

accumulated wealth for someone else to distribute. In the end, all of us

are separated from whatever goods we have failed to distribute. The

Egyptian Pharaohs had it all wrong: You really cannot take it with you. Or,

as the Arab proverb says, “There are no pockets in a burial shroud.” The

rich farmer missed this truth, blinded as he was by his sudden windfall

of abundance. And for this reason Jesus called him foolish. He had the

rare chance to spread his abundance to those in need. What a pity that

he died without ever experiencing that joy!

I wonder if the brothers who were arguing over the family inheritance

– and for whom Jesus told his parable originally – got the point before it

was too late. More importantly, I wonder: Will we?

America has a love affair with wealth?)

A passage in Luke 12 is a good example

of this: Two brothers who are arguing

over the division of the family inheritance

are in danger of falling prey to the grasp

of covetousness, Jesus warns.


An article on giving trends sounds just like what we need for

our churches, doesn’t it? If we knew what the trends were, we

could react to them. Right? Unfortunately, that has not been my

experience. Knowledge of the trends has not led to the changes needed

to bring about different results.

The one big trend in most of the churches I interact with is that, year

after year, budget giving falls flat when compared with inflation. There

is little or no increase in ministry purchasing power. The second trend is

that senior members who give generously will not always be with us; we

say goodbye on a regular basis to members of the greatest generation.

The third trend is that most of our churches are wedded to the budget-

driven model of stewardship that developed in the 1950s, and they are

fearful of letting go of the familiar. Stewardship is budget-driven rather

than mission-inspired.

So let me attempt to offer – in a 2-Timothy spirit of power

and love and self control – a vision of the trends we should

be experiencing in our congregations:

1. We are facing and overcoming our fears associated with

money so that personal finances, spending and giving are

not taboo subjects.

2. We are preaching, studying and acting on the whole

counsel of God, including those texts that mention

generosity, possessions, greed and contentment.

3. Clergy and lay leaders are modeling Christian lifestyles

that are unburdened by consumer debt.

4. We are learning and applying Christian money-

management principles and strategies, and talking about these

experiences with one another.

5. We are less obsessive about meeting a budget and much more

interested in fulfilling our mission (the real stewardship).

6. Our generosity is extending beyond our congregation.

7. We are asking for and receiving current major gifts and estate gifts

in proportion to the wealth of our members.

This vision of trends we should be experiencing is based upon

God’s abundance. For too long, too many of us have reacted as if to

a scarcity of resources. But God has been generous to us – God has

been extravagant! God is providing us with every gift in abundance. To

paraphrase 2 Corinthians 9:8, if we are content with enough, we will

have more than enough for every good work.

I will face and overcome my fears associated with money.

I will use more of my natural abilities and talents with which God has blessed me.

I will say "no" to the urgent and "yes" to the important as I plan my schedule.

I will receive the whole counsel of God, including those texts that mention generosity, sharing, possessions, greed and contentment.

I will model a Christian lifestyle unburdened by debt and consumerism.

I will reserve time on my calendar for my spouse, my family and myself.

I will honor my body as the temple of the Holy Spirit, and keep it clean and healthy.

I will challenge myself to give a major gift in proportion to my wealth.

I will give another $5 every time I want to buy a latte.

I will teach my children to work, earn, give, save and spend – in that order.

I will participate in special offerings to meet the needs of the hurting, hungry, homeless and hopeless.

I will encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ to step onto the giving path.

Stewardship Resolutions for 2008By Ruben Swint

Trends in GivingBy Ruben Swint

I will face and overcome my fears associated with money.

I will use more of my natural abilities and talents with which God has blessed me.

I will say "no" to the urgent and "yes" to the important as I plan my schedule.

I will receive the whole counsel of God, including those texts that mention generosity, sharing, possessions, greed and contentment.

I will model a Christian lifestyle unburdened by debt and consumerism.

I will reserve time on my calendar for my spouse, my family and myself.

I will honor my body as the temple of the Holy Spirit, and keep it clean and healthy.

I will challenge myself to give a major gift in proportion to my wealth.

I will give another $5 every time I want to buy a latte.

I will teach my children to work, earn, give, save and spend – in that order.

I will participate in special offerings to meet the needs of the hurting, hungry, homeless and hopeless.

I will encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ to step onto the giving path.

DearJohnandmartha,

idon’treallyknowwhoyouare.Bythat,imeanthatidoknowyou,butidon’tknowifyouarereceiving

thisletterornot.onlyourfinancialsecretaryknowsthat.idoknowthatyouareimportanttomeandto

Fellowshipcommunitychurch.Yourspiritual,emotional,physicalandeconomichealthconcernsmeasyour

pastor,hencethereasonformyletter.

2007wasagoodyearforourchurch.Wehadsomesignificantministrysuccessesthatenabledusto

moveforwardinaccomplishingourchurch’smission.Wereceivedenoughcontributionsofmoneyandtime

toreachandtouchpeoplethroughourministries.asacommunity,wedidwell.

however, not everyone in our faith family contributed to these successes.this letter is not about the

financialneedsofourcongregation.thoseweremetin2007.thisisaletteraddressingthespiritualneed

weallhavetocontribute–toinvolveourselves,togive.

alliknowaboutwhoreceivesthisletteristhatwehavenorecordofyourgiftstoourchurchin2007,or

thatourrecordsshowyougavemuchlessthanyouhadintended,basedonwhatyouexpressedtousin

thepast.sinceidon’tknowwhoisreceivingthisletter,youdon’tneedtoavoidmethenexttimewemeet

ortalk.ifyoufeelyouarereceivingthisletterthroughourerror,pleasecallourfinancialsecretaryandhelp

uscorrectourrecords.

ifourrecordsareaccurate, iencourageyoutoexaminethespiritualdisciplineofgivinginyour lifeas

god’schild.ifyourcircumstanceshavemadeitdifficultorimpossibleforyoutogive,thenyourfaithfamily

andicanhelp.ifyouareexperiencingafinancialcrisisoracrisisofanykind,wewanttohelp.ifyoulike,

wecanscheduleatimetogethertotalkconfidentiallyabouthowwecanministertoyouduringthisdifficult

time.

theclaimsofcultureand theclaimsofchristhavealwaysbeen in tension,and today’ssociety isno

different. choosing which claim is our priority – this is the test of discipleship for us in 21st-century

america.We are called to faithfully manage financial resources in order to prove ourselves capable of

handlingspiritualtreasuressuchasfaith,hopeandlove.givingandservingareaccuratemeasuresofour

christ-likeness.Whereweplaceourtreasureiswhereourheartis.

Youareimportanttome;iloveyouandcareforyouinchrist.Pleasecalltodayandsetatimeforusto

talkandpraytogether.iwanttogiveyouthehelpthatisuspectyouneed.

YourFriendandPastor,

rubenswint


A Stewardship L� er to Your Congregation

Count on Success.It’s our track record.

Since 1989, our skilled consultants have partnered

with more than 1,800 churches — from 200

members to 20,000 — to provide stewardship and

fundraising counsel in support of their God-given

dreams. We can help yours, too.

Whether your approach is traditional or non-

traditional, we’ll tailor the effort to fi t your needs.

We can even help you plan the big celebration —

it’s the best part!

We know from experience.

800.233.0561 generis.com

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