From the Stewardship Journal Team

We just made it past Easter, which means it is time to think about heading off the traditional summer decline in giving, and the Stewardship Journal has you covered! This week’s issue focuses on the importance of planning out a successful summer giving campaign. Here is a preview of our posts:

Mark Brooks, The Stewardship Coach, starts us off with his post, Navigating the Annual Great Decline. Mark states that after Easter, “The typical church will not see any better attendance and engagement until sometime next fall. I call this the Annual Great Decline.” This decline can significantly impact your church’s financial year. Mark shares the potential impact of this decline but, more importantly, how to navigate this decline financially.

“The 15 weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day will determine your financial year. So, start thinking, praying, and planning now for a great summer of giving!” Mark Brooks’ closing words in his lead post are supported by his Bonus Section, The 15 Offerings of Summer Playbook Plan. He gives you a printable chart that lists each of the 15 summer offerings and includes space for planning each offering moment. This is a great planning tool for your staff, Finance Team, or even the Senior Pastor. Start your planning now with this chart!

Why should you be concerned about a summer giving plan? A church leader said a few years ago, “It used to be that attendance dipped after Easter and returned when school started in late August. Now attendance doesn’t get back to pre-Easter numbers until October!” That is a quote from our final post, 7 Reasons to Make Summer Giving Plans, which gives you all the reasons you need to convince not only you but any staff or laity that might be hesitant about a focus on giving.

Get more help planning out your summer giving with The 15 Offerings of Summer: How to Reverse the Summer Slump in 60 Seconds. We’ve mentioned before that part of what we now offer MO Baptists is not only the weekly Stewardship Journal newsletter but also seasonal manuals, called playbooks, for every season of the year. Here is how to access that material:

• First, go to the Stewardship Journal site at https://stewardshipjournal.com/
• Look in the upper right corner of the site for the link that says ‘Resources’ and click on it.
• Fill out the ‘Create an Account’ information. Your Username can be your email or any other name you assign. Create your own password and be sure to write it down for the future.
• Where it asks for an invite code, use this code: SBCSJ2024!
• In the final box, select our state convention.

These tools will help you better navigate the annual decline in giving! By using this newsletter and the resources we make available to you, we believe you can have your best financial summer ever, fueling all your missions and ministry initiatives!

In Jesus’ name!