Two things are true when it comes to money and the church:
- Tithes, offerings, and generosity are needed if the church is to fulfill its mission.
- It’s hard to ask for money.
So how can you, as a church leader, spark generosity without actually talking about money?
Encouraging generosity in creative ways can not only help prevent giving from feeling like a chore, but it can actually inspire your church members to give regularly, joyfully, and generously.
Here are a few ways to spark generosity:
1. Share Testimonies
Stories are powerful. Take some time to gather and share testimonies of life change as a result of generosity.
This could be people who receive generosity or people who choose to be generous. A few ideas include:
- Filming a video testimony to share during a Sunday service.
- Doing a Q&A live on the stage with someone who God called to give generously.
- Sharing written articles in your weekly newsletter or social media about the impacts of generosity.
- Asking small group members to share personal testimonies about generosity in their groups.
2. Clearly Communicate Your Mission
Your mission should be the driving factor in all you do. When it comes to giving, communicating what your mission is and why it’s important is crucial.
People are more willing to give to initiatives that they believe in and see the impact.
According to Barna Research, “when it comes to generosity within the local church, just 21 percent of Christians set their church giving at 10 percent or more of their income.”
This doesn’t necessarily mean the other 79 percent doesn’t tithe 10 percent, it just means that they might not tithe it to the church.
Instead, many people are spreading their donations out across organizations and causes they find important.
Studies have even found that 34% of 35-44-year-olds report giving to causes they’re enthusiastic about.
As a church, this proves it’s more important than ever to clearly explain what your mission is and show why it’s important that donors give specifically to your church. Generating enthusiasm, passion, and need will go a long way in sparking generosity.
3. Highlight A Local Ministry Partner
Another great way to spark generosity is to talk about another organization or ministry and show how people supporting them made an impact.
Find organizations your church supports such as pregnancy centers, food banks, and shelters, and work to find stories of generosity.
Again, people want to know their money is making a difference. The more you can show these impacts, the more likely people are to give generously.
4. Share Missionary Reports
Similarly, it’s impactful to update people on the missionaries your church supports and show how their giving positively impacts them.
The most impactful way to do this is to have the missionaries themselves give updates when able.
If this isn’t possible in person, consider hosting a live call with them or asking for a video showing the work they’ve been doing. During this time ask the missionaries to share:
- Details about their current work.
- Statistics about both physical needs being met and spiritual decisions being made.
- Prayer requests.
- Specific needs your church could help meet.
5. Provide Financial Transparency
Lastly, people are more willing to give when they know the money is being stewarded well.
When people give to your church, do they know where the money goes? Is your budget available and accessible for people to see? Do you communicate the needs your church is working to meet?
Unfortunately, Lifeway Research found that only 32% of the population trusts the church as an institution. Lies, skepticism, and a lack of transparency have all fed into this distrust.
While changing peoples’ opinions will take time, taking steps now to regularly share financial reports, conduct independent audits, and open avenues of communication and accessibility will go a long way.
Next Steps
While money will always be needed in the church, the good news is there are creative ways you can spark generosity.
Don’t get stuck in the same pattern of simply reminding people to tithe every week, instead do what you can to show where donations are going and the kingdom impacts they’re making in your church.
Generosity can also increase when your church has the right digital giving tools to simplify the process and make reporting easy.
Ministry Brands Amplify includes a giving platform specifically created to amplify generosity at church. Explore the platform for yourself by signing up for a free demo of Ministry Brands Amplify here.