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Developing a Financially Strong Congregation

A New Life Ministries Report
by Steve Clapp and Kristen Leverton Helbert

Does Money Relate to Evangelism?

Regular readers of the New Life Ministries Report are aware that report topics usually relate to some aspect of evangelism and church growth. New Life Ministries, however, has an interest in overall church vitality and also recognizes that the healthiest congregations do the most effective evangelism. In New Life Ministries’ efforts to help churches with evangelism and church growth concerns, there are clearly times when financial barriers prevent a church from meeting its potential. For example:

	Some congregations which are on a plateau as far as growth in membership and attendance are concerned need additional staffing – which requires additional funding.
	Some churches, because of financial pressures, have not been able to keep the church property looking as positive and inviting as would be ideal. Sunday school rooms and restrooms may need refurbishing.
	While New Life Ministries’ comprehensive evangelism program, LIFE, is an excellent investment for churches, some small congregations find the cost of its accompanying resources a challenge. [NOTE: The LIFE process is no longer available as a package. However, the individual modules are still available for purchase separately.]

Thus this report seeks to provide concepts and strategies on stewardship which will be helpful to your congregation.

Financial Giving and the Spiritual Life

Christian Community, a partner in New Life Ministries, conducted a study on giving that involved 1,157 congregations from thirty different denominations. That study revealed that the single most important step needed to increase church giving is to directly connect individual giving to the spiritual life of each person. Those who are generous givers do not do so primarily out of guilt or obligation.

Among the persons in the Christian Community study who tithed, over 80% said that commitment to Christ and a response to God’s blessings were the main reasons for doing so. These are people with strong feelings of thankfulness to God for the blessings of life. People who feel good about life, good about the blessings they’ve received, and good about their relationships with Christ want to give generously when given appropriate opportunities. Many people in our churches, however, have not been helped to think through a proper response to God’s blessings and do not see the relationship between the spiritual life and their giving. Stewardship education needs to become a priority in many of our churches – for the sake of the spiritual lives of people rather than the finances of the church.

Some Things You Can Do

Link giving to the spiritual life rather than to guilt or obligation.
Provide opportunities for people to talk about money, the church, and the spiritual life. The reverse side of this report is a bulletin insert which can help people think more about giving relative to the spiritual life. You have our permission to make photocopies of it. Use Sunday school classes, cottage meetings, Bible studies, and other settings to encourage people to talk about money and the faith.
Make stewardship education a year-round process, not just during an annual campaign. People may learn and grow more through sermons and classes related to finances when those are offered at times other than the annual campaign.
But do have an annual giving campaign! Almost all churches need to conduct an annual campaign. If your church has not been doing so, you could see a significant increase the first time you do. Pressure and manipulation, however, have no place in such campaigns. Contact denominational staff or New Life Ministries if you need guidance on resources.
Encourage tithing or proportionate giving. This is a core concept because it links giving to the blessings which God has given us and makes giving a more clearly spiritual matter.
Send more frequent financial statements to members and constituents who support the church. Churches which move to monthly statements almost always see an increase in giving.
Encourage the pastor to be actively involved in stewardship education. The pastor is the person with the best knowledge of the relationship between giving and the spiritual life.
Encourage people to think about planned giving, which includes gifts through wills and trusts. This fall New Life Ministries will have a booklet available called The Generosity Option which can help in this area.

Money, Spirituality, and the Church Quiz

Many of us have a tendency to become uncomfortable when the pastor or someone else in the church begins to talk about money. While we recognize the necessity of funding the church’s programs, we would prefer not having to talk about it – or listen to sermons about it. Most pastors feel the same way – the majority would prefer not to preach about money!

But the topic of money has to do with much more than the financial needs of the congregation. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are filled with teachings about the use of material resources. There is a very direct connection between our use of money and the development of the spiritual life. Take a few moments for this short quiz on money and spirituality. Answers and further thoughts appear after the quiz.

Hypertext Checklist Reproducible Microsoft Word Copy of the Quiz

Resources

This report has hopefully increased your interest in exploring the issues of money and spirituality. Feel free to copy this report for use in your church, along with the accompanying quiz.

For more guidance in the area of stewardship, we especially recommend the following resources from New Life Ministries:

	The Desires of Your Heart–Financial Giving and the Spiritual Life by Holly Carcione, Steve Clapp, Kristen Leverton, and Angela Zimmerman shares further results of Christian Community's research on stewardship and the spiritual life. The chapters build on the ten ways to increase giving that were identified in the study, providing specific ways to implement change in the congregation.
	Dessert First–Devotional Book by Steve Clapp is designed for group or individual study and offered with quantity pricing for use widely in the congregation.
	Dessert First–Complete Financial Commitment Program offers a comprehensive approach to stewardship education for your church.

To purchase any of these produces, go to our online order form or call us toll-free at 1-800-774-3360.

For online resources, see Where to Find What: Stewardship

Other excellent stewardship materials may be available through your denominational offices.

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This report is published by New Life Ministries, a nonprofit corporation, and is mailed without charge to clients and friends Our partner organization, Christian Community, provides much of the content for this publication. Persons receiving this publication may reproduce the contents in local church and regional judicatory bulletins and newsletters. Please request permission for other reproduction from:

New Life Ministries, 6404 S Calhoun St, Fort Wayne, IN 46807
Phone: 1-800-774-3360 • E-mail: NLMServiceCenter@aol.com
Internet: www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org