Does Your Church Have a 2 Minute Drill?
How many games are won and lost in the last two minutes? You remember the ones that you favorite team won and try to forget the ones that your team lost! Yet if you follow football you know that often winning or losing comes down to who executes the best in the fourth quarter and often who does the best in the last two minutes. NFL teams called it the two minute drill and they practice and practice how to run a winning drive in under two minutes. Are you ready for your two minute drill?
We are in the fourth quarter of the year. Why is this significant? Consider that 1/3 of charities giving comes in the last quarter of the year. 24% of non-profits giving comes in from Thanksgiving to the end of the year! With dollars that large and so much riding on the fourth quarter do you not think charities are well into planning for their fourth quarter strategy? Most pastors are consumed by next Sunday’s sermon! So, pastor, my goal is to get you thinking and planning NOW for your end of year giving plan!
It begins with the “ask.” “Hey, we are behind budget so give us more money so we can make the numbers add up.” That appeal will fail. Yet that is in essence what many churches will be saying in these last few weeks of the year. Your appeal or “ask” must as always be clear, concise and most of all compelling.
Remember, while you are asking your members to give to your budget charities are also inviting them to help change the world! So stop and think about your message. What will motivate your people to give you that extra gift instead of it going to some secular charity? If your message does not touch their heart you will not get their dollar!
Early October is the time I advise clients to finalize and begin crafting the message of the “ask.” I can help you develop a plan of action to communicate your “ask.” You have to decide what you are going to ask for. I always counsel clients that when it comes to end of year giving, need drives ask. For instance if your giving is strong but you need funds for some mission cause or you are in a capital campaign make that the “ask.” If your regular giving has fallen behind then make the ask about closing the gap. However whatever the “ask” it must be compelling!
Tell the story of what giving will do and people will step up to give you more money! The reason people push back against churches asking for money is we typically don’t tell our story of how we are changing the world. So, what is your story? If you have not already determined that do so THIS WEEK!
After you craft your message you then need to put together your winning game plan. I have one ready for you and it’s called, The 2 Minute Drill: A Winning Plan of Action for End-Of-Year Giving. Get the 2023 version here, https://acts17generosity.com/shop/the-2-minute-drill/
Churches that have used this strategy HAVE raised significant funds to fuel their missions and ministry and you can do the same! Yet there is the thing, you can’t just read this, nod your head in agreement and then do nothing. You must ACT on your game plan. Let’s get started on your Two Minute Drill! Get your copy NOW at https://acts17generosity.com/shop/the-2-minute-drill/
Let’s end your year well and set up the New Year for a positive start!
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach
