How to Grow Your Church Giving

Growing your church giving is one of the hardest things to do and one thing every church has in common. Let’s face it, most pastors did not go to school for marketing or sales because they were learning about Biblical principals, how to study the Bible, how to lead the congregation. But now there is this void between the vision of where you want your church to go and where your church currently is with it’s current resources and finances. Sometimes it’s not even about growing the church but just making sure the church can pay it’s bills. (Did you know 85% of churches break even with their budget or are in the red?)

Let’s face it there is no silver bullet to fundraising. You have a large vision to grow your giving to maybe have more missions or hire more staff, because when you grow the giving in your church you are growing your reach to unsaved people. In reality you need to be able to pay the bills to keep your church around to change lives, have full time missionaries, and have staff to accomplish the church’s mission. And here are what the experts are saying is the plan to get there:

There are really three natural seasons in giving. There are challenges with each season, but there is also opportunity with each season. It's important to work with the natural seasons and cultures to best fit the type of opportunity you should be taking advantage of.

The New Beginning:

In the beginning of the year there are a couple things happening: debt from Christmas spending, the letdown and depression from the holiday push, New Year's resolutions, etc. There are a few things that people are really looking at and it’s how to better their lives and turn a new leaf. Well take hold of that and start doing 2 minute giving talks right before the offering plate. Let people know it’s a clean slate to the year and how they can start fresh with giving. It’s also a time when a lot of people will get their tax refunds.

Summer Slow Down:

Once it starts to become warm and kids are getting out of school, taking vacations the summer, the slowdown hits. Two things happen: people are in church less because they may be on vacation or somewhere else, and people start to become more relational. The beginning of the summer is the time to encourage recurring donations that can be set with online giving softwares . Because, let’s face it, when you are not in church you typically are not giving. Keep giving consistent all year with automatic recurring tithing. Once summer hits it’s time to stop asking for giving it is a time to build relationships. People are outside have campfires, BBQing, playing sports, and getting involved. This is the time to have church get togethers that are relational. It’s a time to build friendships and build a vision of the church, the body of christ, and where everyone, including the pastor, wants the church to go. Typically people that are invested and have a relationship are dedicated givers, because it’s not only the pastor's vision to grow the church, but it’s each congregation’s vision now as well.

End of the Year and Holidays:

Towards the fall and seasonal time of the year, people are in the giving spirit. You have a few things going for you. People are coming back after the summer season and it’s a time to have giving sermons again. Take advantage of that giving spirit and remind them about giving to the church. This should be a time to reap the relationships you’ve invested in over the summer. It’s also a time to get in their last taxable gift before the start of the next year.

We know your church is meant to do big things! So keep giving your congregation the big vision of where, as the body of Christ, the church’s goals are. Share your hopes and dreams of all the church can be and let the congregation be a part of the goals and how to get there.