It might be September, but it’s time to start thinking about your end-of-year giving plans! Don’t worry. The Stewardship Journal has started the thinking, planning, and praying process for you with this edition of the Journal. Here is what you can learn in this issue: As always, Mark Brooks, The Stewardship...
It’s September, which means it is time to start thinking, planning, and praying about your end-of-year giving strategy. Every September, I know it is time to focus on end-of-year giving as I am already getting end-of-year appeals from non-profit charities. So, I want to help you start your planning process...
If you have ever paid attention to football head coaches during a game, you will see they have a sheet of paper with various plays listed for each situation the team might face, including the last few minutes of the game. The following is my list of plays for an...
Americans gave $557 billion to charity in 2023. That’s the good news. The bad news is even though the total dollars given to charity is up, the number of donors giving is down. Even more troubling, Americans now give only 1.7% of their disposable incomes to charities, the lowest level...
Should churches borrow money to build? That is the question we tackle with this edition of the Stewardship Journal. Welcome back as we launch our fall issues after our Labor Day break. Here is what is in this week’s Journal. Mark Brooks, The Stewardship Coach, kicks off this week’s Journal with...
I believe that sometimes, it is in the best interest of a church to acquire a short-term debt to facilitate growth. That comment could get you disbarred from some churches in America, including the church I currently attend! I might be exaggerating a bit, but if I suggested we borrow...
Toss a stone in the middle of a body of calm water, and you can watch the ripples spread outward from the point of impact, changing the water's dynamic. It’s cause and effect. The calm of the water is interrupted by the impact of the rock. It’s a ripple effect...
“It ain’t over until it’s over!” Remember those famous words? That phrase comes in handy when it comes to raising capital dollars, as we will explain with this edition of the Stewardship Journal as we continue our series on capital campaigns, Giving Away the Farm. Our goal is to help...
Cards Are Cool, But Cash Builds Buildings is the title of this Coach, and it's a truth you can't afford to overlook. Having a stack of pledge cards the day after your campaign commitment is a good start, but what really matters is turning those pledges into tangible donations to...
One important thing for churches to understand is that when the commitments are in, the campaign is not over. One phase is completed, and now you are in another. I believe the first 30 to 60 days after the Commitment Weekend are crucial. So, let me outline what I recommend...
