January is a good month to push recurring giving. While dated, the sample here gives you an idea of how to put recurring giving in the mind of your donors. This sample was in a yearly statement from North Point in Atlanta. How important is recurring giving for your stewardship platform?...
3/4 of NFL teams leading after the first quarter go on to victory. I find the same is true when it comes to churches. In my experience, if a church struggles financially in the first quarter of the year, it will struggle financially all year. Your first quarter is crucial...
I have learned a few things over twenty years of helping churches increase giving. I call these my Brooks mantras. One of my mantras says, Get a plan and work your plan to achieve the goal of being fully funded. I preach this all the time, and the lack of...
Can you believe that we are now into November? Where did this year go? Am I the only one who feels like it was just summer, and now here we are thinking turkey and Christmas shopping? Time really does fly. Can I ask you a personal question? How has your year...
Why are so many pastors reticent to preach or teach stewardship? Here is my list of reasons: Many pastors are uncomfortable with anything money related. Too many, I fear, misinterpret the Scriptures, and think that money is evil. The Bible says, "The love of money is evil." It does not say...
We have met the enemy, and he is us. That quote was first used in 1970 by cartoonist Walt Kelly for a cartoon he created for the first Earth Day celebration. His point was that man’s treatment of the earth is the real enemy of the planet.1. In my line...
Churches start something a certain way and then do it that way forever. It’s the old, we’ve always done it that way before syndrome. In this fast-paced society we live in, If you keep doing the same thing you have always done, you will not get what you always got. The above...
How many of you are ready for the election to be over? I was ready for it to be over before it started! By the time you reach my age, it seems like you have heard all the promises from politicians of every party. “I promise to…, fill in the...
In my main column, I wrote about the message behind your appeals needing to be about people and life change. The following is from my 2022 #GivingTuesday Playbook. While this appeal fits best with a #GivingTuesday strategy, it shows how to position your appeal as compelling. #GivingTuesday suggested email copy. Subject Line:...
Make it about reaching people. I remember when that popped into my mind as a young pastor. I was out in my driveway shooting hoops, thinking and praying about how to raise $1 million. Back in the day, that was serious change. I kept thinking, “How will I get people...
