If you have gone to church much at all, you have probably heard the word tithe used. You might not know what that term means or where it came from. Don’t feel bad. A recent study asked Americans, “Are you familiar with the term “tithe,” here are the responses. 39% of...
There are three classical reasons why people give to any organization. First, they must believe in the vision of that organization. Second, they must believe and trust in the leadership of the organization, and finally, they must have trust in how that organization handles money. Violate any of these three,...
“I have found without exception that the lack of pastoral involvement in stewardship is the number one reason churches are failing to realize their potential in giving.” That is a line from the first chapter of my 2012 book entitled The Top Ten Stewardship Mistakes Churches Make. That first chapter...
Few companies are as profitable as Apple. Most Apple products are met with immediate acceptance and quickly become best sellers producing millions of dollars in their first year. But this is not always the case, as reported in a recent Wall Street Journal article entitled “When Did We All Start...
Welcome back to another edition of the Stewardship Journal. Here is a preview of this week’s Stewardship Journal. Are you struggling to see online giving be accepted at your church? Our lead post, When It Comes to Giving, Patience Pays, gives great advice on how to address the changes in giving because...
Do you know what most would say if you were to go door to door across your neighborhood and ask people the one thing they don’t like about church? That all we ever talk about is money. Well, here we go again; it’s time for the offering! Some churches have decided...
How Does the Staff/Church Change the Conversation About Money? The following are some key thoughts on how. Be like Jesus. Jesus talked more about money and finances than any other topic. If our Lord saw the importance of discussing this topic, why would we not follow Him and do the same?...
What is your goal in stewardship? 83% of pastors in one poll agreed with the statement, “In most congregations, the goal of stewardship is defined as meeting the budget.”1. If this statistic is true, and I don’t doubt it, then no wonder we are having difficulty reversing the decline in...
“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” Matthew 22:21 Those were Jesus’ words in answer to a trick question presented to him by the Pharisees. The question was, “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Paying taxes was a huge issue for...
Welcome back to another edition of the Stewardship Journal. We took last week off for Labor Day, the traditional end of summer. Fall is right around the corner, bringing cooler weather and football! It also means full activities for our churches across Missouri and a crucial time for giving. The...
