How to Start the Giving Year Out Right

First, for those new to the Stewardship Coach column/newsletter, my Bonus Section gives you practical advice on how to build out a culture of generosity. In this edition, I write about how to start your giving year out right.

January is next only to July as one of the more challenging months of your giving year. There are multiple reasons, from weather to a slow recovery from the Holidays. Whatever the reason, it is imperative that you head off the decline that January’s giving typically sees. Here are some ideas to start your thinking and planning.

First, how important is a good start? Amazingly, 3/4 of the NFL teams leading after the 1^st quarter go on to victory.

I realize that is football, and we are talking church, but in my experience, the churches that struggle in the first quarter almost always struggle throughout the year. There is nothing worse than running from behind. It takes more effort to catch up, and you are constantly at risk of falling further behind. Let’s work out a plan to stay caught up by setting the stage for the first six weeks.

Foundational Keys for Success – The following are foundational keys to starting toward giving success. First, determine your:

Goals – I have a two-pronged goal for pushing for six weeks of stewardship emphasis. First, it is important to see that you have the full amount of funds you need to do what God has called you to do. The second is to help you help your members be good stewards. Next, you need…

Focus – Your focus should not be on raising funds but on raising vision! The best way to raise dollars is with a compelling vision. I advise that you focus on at least three areas of ministry for the New Year. What missions and ministry initiatives do you have coming up in 2024 that you can highlight? Nothing raises dollars like a compelling vision. Don’t focus on money but on a vision of reaching people, and you’ll see a better start to your New Year of giving. Then you need to…

Plan – Without a plan of action to accomplish the above, you only have a dream. One major reason churches struggle financially is the lack of any plan. You can have the best goals in the world, but you will seldom see success without a plan.

One of my Brooks mantras is, get a story, work your story, tell people your story, and people will willingly give to support that story. Yet, how will they know your story unless you have a plan to tell them? So, let me rephrase my original mantra to this: get a plan, and work your plan!

Don’t worry; I have a detailed plan for you in my playbook, Six Weeks to Giving Success. For playbooks filled with plans, many for free, go to https://acts17generosity.com/store/.

So, start thinking about your first six weeks of the New Year and how you can set the stage for financial success. Let’s set the stage for your best first six weeks!