The Pastor is the Key But The Key is Often Missing

A few posts back I wrote about why do it yourself campaigns typically fail.  From time to time I get some push back about what I write.  I try to answer each objection looking at what is written to see if they have a valid point and if I need to change a statement or point of view.  After my post about do it yourself campaigns I received a rather long email from a pastor that took exception to my remarks.  It appears he thought I was not giving pastors the credit they deserved.  My point was that pastors by and large do not receive adequate training in the area of stewardship and thus fail.  This particular pastor gave the example of how he led his own capital stewardship campaign and was successful.  His success led him to believe that all pastors have the ability to raise their own funds.  While I am glad for him but the facts are that few pastors feel confident in the area of stewardship.  Those that do claim to have a grasp of stewardship almost without exception get help from some place.  Either they buy a manual or they use some other type of program or material.  While there are always exceptions to the rule I do contend that most do fail and lack of training is often the reason.  I know this not only from practical experience but also from numerous studies.

The book, “Passing the Plate: Why American Christians Don’t Give Away More Money,” gives extensive documentation on the lack of training by clergy.  They say, “Clergy discomfort with talking about and training for handling money is a well established fact.  One national survey of clergy, for instance, showed 77 percent of U.S. clergy are extremely satisfied with their seminary training on theological and liturgical issues, but a mere 7 percent are similarly satisfied with their seminary training on financial duties.”  So on the one hand we have ignorant pastors poorly trained by their seminaries in dealing with one of the key aspects of church life.  To compound this problem is the lack of continuing education pastors commit to after their formal training.  Again the authors of “Passing the Plate,” quote a study of pastors that found, “when asked about their level or interest in taking continuing education courses on various subjects, courses on finances ranked the lowest in clergy interests among all continuing education possibilities.”

Perhaps the most troubling reason for why so many pastors fail to take leadership in the area of stewardship is they think it is an out of bounds subject for them.  Numerous studies have shown that clergy are uncomfortable talking about money.  Loren Mead in, “Financial Meltdown in the Mainline?” writes that…

“Most congregations live with an unspoken rule:  The clergy will not address personal spiritual issues about money.  The clergy are allowed to talk – a little – about church budgets and contributions to the church; but everything else concerning money and people’s personal dilemmas about it is off limits.  The laity will respond by trying to make sure there is enough money to run the show…Everyone knows there is nothing the pastor dislikes more than having to pay attention to finances.  Some pastors make a virtue of being “above” all that concern for filthy lucre…Under the rubric that money is “secular” and that the pastor’s work has to do with the “sacred,” clergy have written a brief that permits them to avoid leadership in the financial management and leadership of the congregation.  They have accepted a functioning job description that excludes any concern for what I contend is one of the dominant spiritual issues every parishioner has: how to deal with material resources.  This means that clergy not only give little leadership to the financial life of the congregation, but also set up a climate that sets little value on the functions of financial management carried out by others…It means that pastoral abdication of one of the most troubling dimensions of living in our society.”

It is my contention that the pastor is the key to raising funds in a church.  Sadly for either lack of education or that talking about money is unpopular or just not their “thing” too many pastors miss this all important key to success.  Bill Easum and Bil Cornelius in their book, “Go Big,” write the following, “Don’t delegate raising money to someone else.  Others can help but the lead pastor is the primary fund-raiser.”  They conclude their chapter on giving by saying, “Never shy away from asking for money because you are asking for the greatest mission in the world – God’s mission to save creation.  You should never be embarrassed.  The one who should be embarrassed is the one who refuses to give!  As a leader, if you allow finances to hold your church back from reaching your community, they you just allowed finances to become your God.”

Then note what they say about capital fund-raising.  They write…

“On a side note, if you are going into a major capital fund-raising campaign to buy land or build a new building or expansion, we recommend using a professional capital campaign company.  We recommend leaning on their expertise, because just like you look to a general contractor to use his or her expertise to build, so you should use those gifted in raising funds.  They don’t make “the ask” for you, but they better prepare you for using the right approach, timing, and strategy.  There is a significant difference between what a church raises on their own, versus those who bring in an expert.  Very few pastors have successfully navigated a giving campaign without using an outside expert.  Humility is big in fund-raising – being willing to admit that capital campaigns are not your expertise makes you teachable, and when you are teachable, God can do some amazing things through you.”

Harry Truman is famous for the saying that the buck stopped with him.  The same is true when it comes to raising funds.  The buck stops with the pastor.  Sadly too many pastors fail to realize they are the key to opening the door to raising funds in their church.  Don’t blame the economy for your lack of funds if you have not taken your God given position as the lead fund raiser at your church.  You are the key to success in funding.  Make sure your are not missing the key for your church.

Mark Brooks

Founder and President

The Charis Group