Giving Tuesday is next week. Don’t miss the opportunity to talk about it this weekend…
Money can be a difficult topic
As a pastor, you see people struggling and are sensitive to the financial hardships within your congregation. The last thing you want to do is add to their burden. But as the leader of your ministry you also have to be faithful to the mission and vision that God has given you for your congregation. Part of that will always be raising funds. There’s no way around it—you have to ask for money. Here are 3 ways you can prepare your own heart and 4 steps to crafting an effective ask…
Be Trustworthy
There is nothing more helpful when asking for money than integrity. When you believe in the mission and are careful to manage finances accordingly it is easier to ask and easier to receive financial support. Take an hour or two to review the church books from the year and connect the spending to the mission and vision God has given you. It will remind you why you do what you do and how the tithes and offerings are making that happen.
Be Honest
A big part of being trustworthy is honesty. Everyone makes mistakes and that includes in how they spend money—pastors are not exempt from this common aspect of humanity. Reflection reveals these mistakes. As you review the books, there will always be events and expenditures where money could have been spent more wisely. Bravely admit where mistakes were made.
Be Proactive
But don’t stop there. Reflection also gives you the opportunity to right the ship and make more confident financial decisions for the future. Be proactive by turning your new understanding into principles that help you guide future spending.
4 Steps to an Effective Year-End Giving Ask
Now that you’ve spent some time preparing personally for the money talk, its important to start thinking about it from the perspective of your congregation. These steps will help you prepare a presentation that will connect people—and the money they give—to the mission.
1. Reflect on progress
Highlight the ways God has moved in this past year–specifically as a result of your ministry.
- What have been the most successful events this year? What made them successful?
- What has happened that would not have otherwise happened?
- How do those things connect to your mission and vision?
2. Reengage with the mission
People don’t want to just support the same old thing; they want to see it change and grow. It’s important to clarify the next set of goals.
- What still needs to be accomplished this year?
- In what ways will next year be different?
- How will your ministry grow?
- What will be new?
3. Connect giving to something specific
Show people their money at work. Transparently open the books and use visuals to help people understand how their giving makes a difference. Demonstrate your faithfulness in stewardship in the past and how you will be using the money in the future.
- How can you best communicate to your community how their money makes a difference?
- If they are faithful in giving, what will they see that they don’t see now?
- What concrete goals will the ministry be accomplishing?
4. Ask with confidence
God is the one at work; God is the one who is faithful. It’s not about you. God has been faithful in the past and he will continue to be faithful in the future. Encourage your clients to stand on his confidence rather than their own. They may feel worried, stressed, or uncertain… but God has something bigger than they can imagine. This is actually something to be excited about!
- What is God asking you to accomplish?
- How can you be sure?
- What words will be helpful to use in communicating with confidence?
- What visuals will be helpful in communicating with confidence?
Resources
Effective Communication Resources– This group of downloadable coaching resources are designed to help you identify communication effectiveness and help individuals develop good communication skills.
An Undivided Heart- Cultivation of the heart flows into transformative action. Written to refresh and inspire your walk with God, An Undivided Heart: Living and Loving like Jesus, isn’t an instruction manual with step-by-step procedures. It is a journey, unique to you, that begins with your unique relationship with Jesus. Living with an undivided heart will naturally lead to living an undivided life.
Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash