Are you making the most out of your offering moment?
Many pastors shy away from talking about money and generosity. Which is understandable. Not only can it be an uncomfortable conversation but you’re likely to get some people in your church who disagree with you or voice different opinions. But it’s an important conversation to have.
Jesus talked more about money more than He did about anything else in the Bible. Teaching biblical generosity was clearly something important to Him and so it should be just as important to us.
So, here are 6 simple things you can incorporate into your offering moment to teach biblical generosity and build discipleship.
1. Teach the Why Behind Giving Each Sunday
Many pastors assume their congregations know why they should give. But this can be a costly error.
If you were to survey every church goer, you’d find that only a few of them understand true biblical generosity. The majority give because they watched their parents give growing up, felt led to give during a specific moment, or just feel like it’s something they’re supposed to do without knowing why.
But you can change this. Carve out some time every Sunday to teach why we give. You don’t have to dedicate an entire sermon to it (although we do recommend doing this 1-2 times a year), you just need to set aside a few minutes. Share a Bible verse, like John 3:16 or Proverbs 3:9-10, that defines biblical generosity and briefly explain how it should influence our lives.
2. Regularly Share Stories of Life Change
As a church leader, you’ve seen first-hand God doing incredible things in people’s lives. When we cheerfully follow His commandments, He blesses us abundantly (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).
Perhaps you’ve taught the story of the Widow’s Mite, Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath, or Jesus Feeding the Five Thousand. These are stories of God seeing, acknowledging, multiplying, and blessing sacrificial generosity.
But stories like this are still happening today. Tell your congregation about them!
3. Make Giving Convenient For Everyone
Your congregation is made up of a diverse group of people who will prefer to give in different ways.
You’ll have some that want to set up recurring giving so their tithes automatically come out at the first of each month. You’ll have another group that likes to give by text during the offering moment. You’ll have others who like to donate at a giving kiosk after service. And you’ll have a handful who like to stick with dropping money in the offering plate.
This is why it’s so important to offer a comprehensive giving system to your church. In doing so, you make giving fast, easy, convenient, and secure for everyone.
4. It’s Okay to “Over Communicate”
Our general rule of thumb is: if you feel like you’re overcommunicating, you’re probably communicating just enough.
It’s important to regularly share why to give but it’s also just as important to regularly share how your congregation can give. You may know that your church offers different giving options but not everyone in your sanctuary does. Long-time members may have forgotten all the giving platforms your church has and new members probably don’t know how they can give.
So, take time each Sunday to remind people they can give at the giving kiosk, through text to give, on the mobile app, or through recurring online giving.
5. Walk Through the Giving Process Together
Don’t rush. Give yourself enough time to explain why we give and how to give.
Digital giving can be a fast and easy process. If you have Text to Give and your member already has an account, giving a donation can take as little as a few seconds. But if someone is new and needs to create an account this could take up to a minute or two based on their comfort level with technology.
Give your attendees enough time to download your giving app or go to your church website, create an account (if they haven’t already), and make a donation. This doesn’t have to take up too much time- maybe a minute or two.
By walking your congregation through the quick process of creating a digital giving account, you make it even easier and faster for them to give in the future. And when it’s fast and easy, they’re more likely to do it.
6. Take Advantage of the Features Your Giving Software Offers
Has your church staff taken the time to get to know your digital giving platform?
Realistically this doesn’t need to be every member of your team, but you should have at least a handful who know the ins and outs of your software. Why? To ensure you’re making the best use out of it as you can.
This could be something like utilizing multiple donation categories. A great time to highlight this feature would be before a special Easter offering, when you’re supporting missionaries overseas, or raising funds for building repairs. Multiple donation categories allow your donors to give their regular tithes and offerings while participating in special initiatives. And they can do this all with ease in a single transaction.
Other features that could come in handy would be fee-offset, church management integrations, purchases, multicampus options, and the ability to give in Spanish. SecureGive has all of these and more. Whether you’re a current or prospective client and you want to find out more, we’d love to talk with you to help you uncover features that might benefit your ministry.
Offering moments don’t have to be lengthy and talking about money doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. Utilize these 6 ideas in your weekly offering moment to continue to teach biblical generosity and build lasting discipleship.
