If you are trying to encourage faithful giving in your congregation, perhaps you should consider what is holding them back from doing so. Here are 4 ways to encourage your members to give faithfully.
Provide your congregation with easy ways to give.
Some people might not give as often or regularly if the current methods available aren’t convenient to them. So try thinking of ways to make generosity quick and easy. Allow members to give via your church app, website, or even a program like text-to-give, and be sure to regularly remind your congregation of the giving options.
Use a variety of platforms, so that every member feels comfortable giving.
One of the biggest mistakes churches make in this area is having only one giving platform. Most healthy churches have a good mix of young and elderly people in their congregations, and each generation has a preferred giving method. While Nana might appreciate the offering plate or the ability to drop a check off at the front desk, a college student is more likely to give via online or auto-giving options. Take these generational differences into account and plan on offering 2 or more different giving methods.
Don’t guilt or pressure, but do invite members to give.
It’s probably fair to say most pastors and church leaders don’t intentionally guilt their members into giving. But sometimes they accidentally do so, and this is not an effective strategy to encourage giving in your church, nor is it profitable for the Kingdom. In fact, guilt-tripping can have the exact opposite effect and actually discourage members from giving!
If you want to teach your church body what Biblical giving looks like, dive into what it looks like in Scripture, invite members to give via the signage at your church, or ask them to pray about giving if there’s a specific project your church is trying to raise money for. These methods challenge members to give while still leaving room for the Holy Spirit to do the convicting and prompting. Remember, God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Shift your perspective on giving.
When someone mentions giving to the church, it’s easy to assume they’re referring to financial giving. Certainly tithes and offerings are a vital component of stewardship, but money isn’t the only thing we are called to give faithfully! There are plenty of non-monetary ways to give including time, spiritual gifts, and practical items. Generosity isn’t just about money, it’s about offering all that we have to be used for the Kingdom.