Misconceptions
About Raising Dollars

Do you have some serious misconceptions about raising dollars? Read the following issue of The Stewardship Coach written by Bruce Allen of The Charis Group.

Pastors wear many hats in the course of ministry. On any single day, they might be called upon to be a preacher, counselor, administrator, financial expert, youth speaker, or children’s pastor. No matter which hat is worn, it is almost certain the pastor will be asked to raise dollars at some point on the journey. Bill Hybels says that one of the characteristics that growing churches have in common is the need to raise dollars. “Every time someone comes to me with a new ministry plan, I have to ask, how are we going to pay for it?”.

Some people might say, “In order to raise more dollars, we simply need to…”

Teach stewardship - Do you really think that's the reason people don't give? Mark Twain said: "It's not the parts of the Bible I don't understand that bother me; it’s the parts I do understand."
Make them feel guilty - If guilt would do it, everyone in church would be tithing! Guilt doesn't make folks stop sinning, and it certainly won't make them start giving!
Instill fear - As a pastor, I always liked this approach. Preach on Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. God killed them over their offering, and if you don't tithe, He might kill you! There would be a lot of dead people in the church!
Be aware of the debt - Simply letting people know you have debt won't work. They will think you are a poor business manager. “Why did you let us get in debt in the first place, pastor?” I preached in a church that had a huge poster in the front lobby with these words written in red ink: “Help us pay off our Debt!” It felt like I was walking onto a sinking ship. Who would join that church?
Build more buildings - Buildings alone don't inspire members to give. People often respond, "We aren't using all the space we have right now! Why do we need a new building? We need to upgrade our ministries, not our buildings."
Preach tithing - Simply preaching on tithing does not make a lasting impact. Some people might say, "I don't agree with how the church is spending my money right now. Why should I give more?" And they might add, “Tithing is Old Testament!”

What percentage of American Evangelical Christians tithe to their local church? According to George Barna, in 2006, approximately 4% tithed. Are you shocked? Don't be. The numbers are about the same in Charles Stanley's church, Robert Schuler’s church, Joel Osteen’s church, and Bishop Eddie Long’s church…and, yes, even Creflo Dollar's church! None of these six ways is really effective for increasing giving in the long run.

You know why I know ALL these ways won’t motivate people to give more? Because I've tried them all, and they don't work! You might raise people's dander, but you won't raise any dollars. The most sensitive nerve in the body is the one that runs from the heart to the wallet. If you capture a man’s heart, the wallet will come with it. It is a heart issue! Let’s get to the heart of the matter.

I. Why don't people give more to the church?

According to George Barna:

The church has failed to provide a compelling vision for how the money will make a difference in the world. These people are donors who can find other uses for their money and are not excited about simply handing money over to a church.
Members do not see a sufficient return on their investment. This group feels no ownership and withholds money from the church because they see their giving as leverage on the future.
The church has done an inadequate job of asking for money. This segment is comprised of people who do not realize the church needs their money to be effective. People remain oblivious to the church’s expectations and potential because no one ASKS.
People are ignorant of what the Bible teaches. This group is composed of those who are unaware of their responsibility to apply God’s resources in ways that affect and change lives.
Some are just selfish. This final category contains people who figure they have worked hard for their money, and it’s theirs to use as they please. Their priorities revolve around their personal needs and desire

Information may help group 4, but only salvation will help group 5! However, groups 1 – 3 can be dramatically impacted by an effective Capital Stewardship Campaign. Communicating a clear and compelling Vision and making the ASK will make all the difference!

The #1 reason people do not give more to the local church is the absence of a clear & compelling vision. This is a leadership issue. The perception that donations do not produce significant outcomes is usually an efficiency issue, sometimes compounded by poor communications. Churches that struggle because they do not ask strategically have a process issue. When the problem is people’s ignorance of scriptural principles regarding stewardship, there is a theological or educational issue. And cases where people focus on themselves rather than other people reflect a heart issue.

“The reality is that Americans are willing to give more generously than they typically do, but it takes a purposeful laser focus and well-executed approach to facilitate that generosity.” George Barna

II. How can we increase our giving?

Clarify the Vision! Vision is everything. Vision is direction. If you don't know where you are going, then how will you get there? Vision must be clear, concise and compelling. Clear enough for everyone to SEE it, concise enough for everyone to SAY It, and compelling enough for everyone to SEIZE it.
Communicate the Vision with Passion! Passion is to vision what gasoline is to a car! Without it, you're going nowhere. Vision doesn't die but passion wanes. The main problem is, "We leak!” We must be stirred again, and again, and again...
Cultivate a Spiritual Atmosphere. God must be the one who gets hold of me. If someone talks me into something, another person can talk me out of it. But if God tells me to do something, no one can talk me out of it.” The heart strings are connected to the purse strings!
Challenge Leaders to LEAD! People do what people see. Everything rises and falls on leadership. Without strong leaders showing the way, the congregation will not follow. We are more like sheep than you can imagine. Leadership Examples: Abraham, Moses, David, Esther, Nehemiah, Jesus, Paul
Connect the congregation to the Dream! Members do not give dollars simply because they are members. They do not give because they are deacons or regular attendees. They give because of the dream! They are looking for that land “flowing with milk and honey.”

People must believe the vision is from God. They must know it in their hearts and be able to say confidently, "This is not just a good idea, but a God idea." In I Chronicles 29:1, David said “God put it in my heart to build a temple." Nobody ever sacrificed for something they did not feel was absolutely necessary. What drove Abraham to place his son Isaac on the altar? God is the only explanation!

Let me ask you some questions. "What has God put in your heart? Do you have a dream? What keeps you up at night? What drives you forward?

Leaders must know where they are going and be passionate about getting there. We may not know every little detail, but we must have a view of the big picture. If the leaders don’t know where they are going, how can they expect their people to follow?

III. How can a Capital Campaign help you raise more dollars?

A Capital Campaign will help you:

Articulate your vision.
Cultivate passion for the vision.
Motivate people to sacrifice for the vision.
Accelerate your regular budget giving. Vision is a magnet that attracts people and dollars. It raises the spiritual tide. When the tide comes in, ALL the ships in the harbor are raised simultaneously. Vision is like the tide coming in.
Activate your people and rally them to the vision. If people know where they are going and what the future looks like, chances are they will want to go there. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “I have a dream!” His vision rallied a nation.
Resonate with your leaders and challenge them to LEAD others toward the vision! I Chronicles 29: 6 says, "Then the Leaders offered willingly.”

Why do you need a partner?

If you don't conduct a CSC what is your strategy? Hope? Hope is not a strategy! Prayer? Haven't you been praying already? Faith? Faith without works is dead! Then what should you do?

If you were in need of a heart transplant, where would you go? You would find the best doctors and hospital in your city for this important surgery. You would find someone who had completed this operation hundreds of times successfully.

When New York City decided to rebuild the towers following 9/11, they consulted the top architects and even had a national contest asking firms to submit their best designs. Focus groups, design teams and city planners spent thousands of dollars and hours just making sure they “got it right.” The building is underway!

Big dreams cost big dollars! In order for your church to achieve its big dream, you will most likely need to raise capital dollars beyond your current operating budget. The question is, “Who are you going to call for help?” It is a well-known fact that churches that conduct their own campaigns usually raise only 1 times their annual budget. On the other hand, churches that use a professional stewardship company typically raise 1.5 times to 3 times their budget.

Why not call someone who knows Capital Stewardship Campaigns inside and out? The Charis Group offers a team of well-trained, professional consultants who have personally conducted hundreds of successful Capital Stewardship Campaigns in a wide variety of settings. We know where the potholes are, and we can guide you. Most pastors are not fundraisers. They are shepherds. A pastor shouldn’t be asked to do something he is not trained to do. Bring in a professional partner who can show the way and save your church money.

Bruce Allen

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