I've said (and written) it many times; "If you're not measuring it, you're probably not managing it." Words to live by, don't you think? I first posted on the topic of Donor Development a long time ago with ... Learning So Much About Church Donor Behavior! I was introducing a new tool I had found that makes "measurement" easy. The tool is a giving Capacity Assessor, and the company is MortarStone. We're still … [Read more...]
Should Churches Require Their Staffs To Tithe?
Never Make A Rule You're Not Prepared To Enforce
Not too long ago, the network of church leaders with whom I routinely communicate was discussing the issue of staff member tithing. I was surprised by the number of churches that communicate it as an expectation of staff but don’t check to see if it’s happening. I have an old saying, “never make a ‘rule’ you’re not prepared to enforce.” I don’t know how you can tell your staff that they are expected to tithe, and … [Read more...]
Special Offerings
A Key Part Of The Church's Overall Donor Development Strategy
Does your church do "fund raisers?" You know, a table in the lobby raising money for this project or that? Or, maybe a car wash to help pay for a student conference or something? We do not. In a church our size (I can't imagine how it is in a very large church) we get many, many requests to raise funds for this cause or that. Our answer is always the same, "We don't do fund raisers." We do, however, do "special … [Read more...]
Preparing For The Upcoming Ministry Season
Reflecting On What's Making The "Front Burner" As The Summer Winds Down And The Fall Season Approaches
Being an executive pastor now for more than 12 years, I've definitely grown accustom to changing ministry seasons and shifting priorities accordingly. This time of year is all about getting ready for the fall/winter season. People will be coming back to church ... vacations over and kids back in school, etc. Here's a listing of topics making the list as "high priorities" at this time of year: Growth … [Read more...]