Does your church worry about seasonal fluctuations in contributions? Do you struggle to maintain a consistent stream of monthly revenue from tithes? If so, you’re not alone. Many churches are affected by lulls in giving and are constantly looking for ways to better forecast their budget. In fact, 86 percent of churches still don’t meet their annual budget goals. When you boil it down, that means 43 out of 50 churches aren’t raising enough funds during the year to support all the activities, missions, and events they need to propel their ministries forward. So, what could the other 14 percent be doing differently to reach their goals? It’s simple. They’re offering monthly recurring giving.

  It’s the start of a new year at your church. That means new programs, new ministries, new events, new sermons, and new people to meet and serve in your congregation. All that’s good news, right? But in order for all those exciting things to happen at your church, it requires you to also do one more new thing at your church this year: create a new budget. Now, the thought of that may have you feeling a little like this….

  We’re fast approaching the end of the year, people! It’s amazing how fast a year goes by! The new year is peering around the corner, but first we have to make sure we handle the busy, year-end season at our respective churches. There are a lot of things that permeate the air during the year-end season, but one of the most prominent sentiments is generosity.

  We’ve got two words for you… Capital campaign. You know what we’re talking about, right? That clearly defined season at your church that’s designated to raise money for a specific ministry. Those two words probably evoke one of two reactions from you as a church leader… You’re excited about the possibility. You’re overwhelmed with dread. Honestly, we understand both! No matter how you feel about capital campaigns, here’s the truth: they’re probably a necessary part of life at your church. Creating a calendar for raising money at your church is huge! Think about it… For starters, without a designated and organized effort, it’s hard to gain momentum. Next, people understand campaigns. They recognize that campaigns have both a start and end date. In other words, they know that your church is asking for money specifically for this season. Campaigns allow your church to increase its focus and energy around your church budget for a short period of time. So whether you’re raising money for a specific fund, vision, building expansion, staff hire, or new ministry, we want to help make your capital campaigns both simple and successful. To do that, walk with us through the three phases of a great capital campaign…

Finances represent one of the biggest struggles people in your congregation are dealing with… People don’t have enough money. People don’t know what to do with the money they do have. We all can relate, right? We all  want to manage our money wisely and be good stewards of what we’ve been given. But how? That’s just one of the millions questions people have when it comes to money.

As a church leader, one of the trickiest things to navigate is the conversation about giving at your church. Why? Well, for starters, it’s awkward… Too many churches have a reputation of constantly asking for money. And although we all know that isn’t true of every church, we also feel that tension every single time we stand up in front of our congregation and ask them to support our ministry by giving.

Question: who actually calls people on the phone anymore? Answer: Nobody! I mean, think about it! When was the last time you actually chose to make a call instead of sending a text? If you’re anything like me, your face looks a little like this when your phone actually rings:

Summer is here, you guys! But if you’re a church leader, you know that summertime isn’t all sunglasses and swimming pools! In fact, you know that summer actually presents one of the biggest challenges for your church every year… The challenge of giving.

Let me set the scene for you… It’s Sunday morning. It’s that part of your church service where you take up the offering. It’s that moment when someone stands in front of your congregation and hopefully inspires them to open their hearts and give to your church. And let’s say the person with that role today is you. You’re ready and prepared. You know exactly what you’re going to say. You’re prepared to connect generosity to both the vision of your church and the impact it’ll make on human beings. And then…. YOUR EYES LAND ON A COUPLE OF VISITORS SITTING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU ON THE FIRST ROW. Suddenly, you’re nervous. And just like that, what you hoped would be a powerful moment in your service now feels awkward.