Everything Rises or Falls With the Offering

My former boss John Maxwell is famous for saying, “Everything rises or falls with leadership.” When it comes to fully funding your mission,

Everything Rises or Falls With the Offering

I can tell everything about how the leadership of a church views stewardship/generosity by watching them take up the weekly offering. That is if they even take up an offering.

What don’t you like about church? How many churches started by asking the question of what turns you off about church? The answer most given, “All the church talks about is money.” That answer and the perception behind it caused many prominent churches to stop having an offering time altogether. At the same time, there is seldom if ever any preaching and teaching on biblical stewardship. In our quest to attract non-believing “guests,” we have de-valued the offering.

Here are five leading indicators that you don’t value the offering.

1. You rarely if ever put thought time or planning into taking up an offering. We give time to what we deem important.
2. Your announcements are longer and more thoroughly planned out than the set up of the offering. By the way, where are announcements in the Bible?
3. You spend more time explaining how the offering is for members than you do casting a vision for the offering. I call this the apology. Why not instead create a desire to want to give?
4. You view the offering as an interruption of worship rather than an integral part of worship. I have had staff tell me the offering interrupted worship!
5. You never call your attendees to biblical stewardship because you fear any talk of money might dampen your attendance. Are you more concerned with attracting a crowd or making disciples?

I contend that when we asked people what turned them off about church misinterpreted the answer.

My view is that it is not that we talk about money that turns people off but how we talk about it.

Americans are some of the most generous people on the face of the planet. Charitable giving, including to the Church, is at an all time high. If people were tuned off by appeals the Red Cross would no longer exist! People give when their hearts are moved.

If you will spend 2 minutes or less before every offering time helping people see the value of their gift you will easily improve your giving. Why? Everything rises or falls with the offering!

Get this FREE tool, “Elevator Pitch Your Offerings,” to learn how to make your offering time worshipful and effective! https://acts17generosity.com/shop/elevator-pitch-your-offerings/

Take time this week to plan out your offering time and you will find your giving increase!

Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach

Get a weekly offering talk written for you by subscribing to my newsletter, “The Stewardship Coach.” https://acts17generosity.com/memberships/