“I read your newsletter this morning and I wanted to know what you believe is the number one reason giving is declining?” My friend, Pastor Jason Bunger, asked me that question hours after the normal Monday morning send of this newsletter. I had to stop and say, “Wait, what did...
Who is ready for summer? How many of you have a trip planned for this summer? OK, shout out to me where are you going? Give time for them to share. Can you fit me in your suitcase? Summer is our typical time of vacation and many of you have been...
Are you ready to head off the summer slump in giving? If I were a pastor heading into summer, here is what I would be asking myself, my staff, or my team. How is giving doing as we move into summer? Are we ahead or behind budget? How does current giving...
“I met with a few pastor friends of mine, and none of them are going back to passing an offering plate.” That was a comment a pastor made to me recently over lunch. My first question was, why? The answer most pastors would give would be because of Covid. Can...
Have you ever heard that grandmothers and mothers would always eat the chicken neck when they served their families chicken? I remember hearing that, and I found these statements from writers… “When I was little, my mom and her mom always said that a mom's favorite parts of the chicken were...
We recommend that churches encourage members to sign up for automated giving in January and May. Here is a sample that you might consider putting in your Sunday bulletin. How many checks a month do you write? Paper check usage has declined from 60% of all payments in 2000 to around 20%...
There are two sides to a coin. Look at a quarter, and you might be looking at an eagle. Yet another person looking at the same quarter would argue that they are looking at the image of George Washington. Which one is correct? They both are. The answer depends upon...
How many of you already have your vacation planned? How many of you wish you were on vacation right now? We all need a break from time to time. We are fast approaching summer which for many of you means your annual break from slaving away at the salt mine...
“You do know you are making a statement?” I commented to Sr. Pastor Jeremy Freeman as we discussed raising money to fund a $10 million sanctuary. When I asked him that question, the U.S. was on Covid variant; I can’t remember which. Building sanctuaries is not what the “experts” would...
Never announce a major new initiative from the platform that you have not first communicated to your leaders beforehand. That is one of my Brooks Mantras toward ministry success. Before launching any new initiatives for your church, especially if it involves money, you need to first get your leaders on...
