Author - Mark Brooks

Two Common Donation Downfalls

In my twenty-five years as a stewardship coach, I have found that there are two common downfalls that churches run into when it comes to donations: taking their donors for granted and failing to thank them. I am often amazed at how poor the average church is at simply expressing...


Overcoming Your Summer Slump in Giving

It’s time to build out your come-from-behind strategy! I wrote the following post for my sponsor, OnlineGiving.org. It can be found at https://www.onlinegiving.org/blog. I don’t know where you live, but here in Oklahoma, it is HOT! I’m ready for summer to be over and for cooler weather. Do you know who...


What Should a Capital Campaign Consultant Do?

What Does a Capital Campaign Consultant Actually Do? That was the subject line of an email I recently received from a non-profit fundraising consultant. The email began by saying, “Have you ever wondered what all these capital campaign consultants actually do? Is what they do all "smoke and mirrors," or do...


No Church Is Too Small

The following post appears at https://www.onlinegiving.org/support/no-church-is-too-small “I don’t think there is any viable reason in 2023 for a church to not offer digital giving. I say that as a millennial financial professional who hasn’t given a physical cash/check tithe in who knows how long. It’s not expensive, and more importantly, it...


Thoughts on Raising Capital

What is the future for raising the capital funding you need? The list below is some of the key issues churches will face as they attempt to fund future capital expenses. In the 21st century, capital campaigns are not dead, but they are different. Key thought: make sure your approach to...


Planning for the Future

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 I attended a Leadership Summit at the church my wife and I attend. Our Executive Pastor announced plans...


Church Facility Stewardship: An Interview With Tim Cool

We are broadening our list of contributors to bring you the best thought leaders in stewardship. Did you know that stewardship is more than giving money? In fact, our goal is to help you increase generosity based on biblical stewardship. Biblical stewardship can be defined by an understanding that the...


How Pastors Can Become Stewardship Connected

The Disconnected Pastor is the number one reason churches struggle financially. The question is, how can you become connected? Here are some thoughts on how pastors should be engaged in the stewardship process. One of the major reasons that pastors are disconnected from stewardship is time. The tyranny of the urgent...


Revisiting the Top Ten Stewardship Mistakes Churches Make

What are some of the top mistakes that churches make when it comes to stewardship? Are you guilty of any of them? I asked those questions at the start of my 2012 book, The Top Ten Stewardship Mistakes Churches Make. Recently I was reviewing my files when I came across my...


Why Do Pastors So Often Neglect Stewardship?

“That is the first sermon on giving I have heard in twelve years!” Those were the words of a deacon at a church where I was asked to preach. After twelve years of ministry, their pastor had just left to start a mission. Apparently, the last pastor, although greatly loved,...