Author - Mark Brooks

A Special Announcement

The last Stewardship Journal will be published on December 2nd! It will contain key information about how to close our current giving year strong and help you lay the groundwork for a positive first quarter in the New Year. With a good plan of action, your church can increase its...


From The Stewardship Journal Team

Do you know how to use gratitude to increase generosity? With this edition of the Stewardship Journal, you will! As we approach Thanksgiving, it’s a great time to look at the value of saying thank you to your donors. Here is a preview of the posts: Mark Brooks, The Stewardship Coach,...


Using Gratitude to Sow Seeds for Future Generosity

“If you had it (being a pastor) to do all over again, what would you do?” I was in my second year of the stewardship ministry when a couple of staff members asked me that over a cup of coffee. As I write these last few editions of my stewardship...


Key Pointers for Expressing Gratitude

“I never, in a million years, would have ever expected a hand-written, personalized thank you note from the pastor.” Have you ever had anyone thank you for thanking them for giving? If not, it's probably because you have never thought about, nor implemented, a process of thanking donors. For years,...


Because of Your Generosity

I wrote the following post for my sponsor, OnlineGiving.org, in 2019. We find that 80% of our receipt emails after a donation are opened and read. As a result, we encourage our partners to utilize receipts as a thank you, pointing out the value of the donor's gift. The...


From The Stewardship Journal Team

Are you ready for the 2030s? This edition of the Stewardship Journal is focused on future planning around building a stewardship base for your church that will sustain you into and through the 2030s, should Jesus tarry! Let’s break down our posts, all by Mark Brooks, The Stewardship Coach. Visioneering the...


Visioneering the 2030s

The church that survives into the future is the church that prepares today for the future. That’s been one of my Brooks Mantras on stewardship that I have been repeating to you since around 2018. Pastor Shane, Bishop of Christ Church outside of Saint Louis, took that advice to heart...


Planning for the Future

As I wind down my newsletters, I plan on bringing back some of what I consider my key articles. Build, renovate, or repurpose the facilities you need and pay off any debt quickly. That has been my advice for the last few years. I thought about that last Sunday night as...


Being Prepared for Future Surprises

As we near the end of the year and the start of the New Year, I will be sharing with you posts about how to end well and start well. Here is a post I wrote last year that contains four timeless stewardship plans. “Almost all on Wall Street and in...