![]() ![]() Giving is an expression of the relationship that a person has with Jesus Christ and how that relationship is expressed in and through the local church. People want to feel that their gifts support effective ministries. Additional programs or new gimmicks are usually not helpful. Not all congregational leaders understand the fundamental shift that has occurred in people's motivation for giving. They give not from their pocketbooks, but from their faith. They want to know that their money supports beneficial ministries. They give to support what they believe is meaningful and worthwhile. Increasingly people do not give to fund a budget. The appeal to United Methodist loyalty and obligation, both for the local congregation and the denomination, is no longer appropriate. Members will no longer give simply to support the institution for another year. Loyalty to the congregation or to the denomination is no longer a sufficient reason to give. When they project a budget and the design to underwrite it, the result is often a campaign focused on money and obligations, instead of a campaign focused on ministry and commitment. Committees on finance spend most of the year working on money issues. Often the discussion about finances is divorced from the discussion about the ministries of the congregation.įurther, finance campaigns are often run by the wrong committee. Finance committees often wait until very late in the planning and budgeting process to begin thinking about the annual finance campaign. People want to know which financial program to use to ensure increased income for the church. The old ways of reaching people about financial matters no longer work. As the years have gone by, these programs have proven less and less effective - primarily because church members' attitudes about financing the congregation have shifted. These too focused almost solely on the monetary aspects of underwriting the congregation's budget. ![]() Then came the "Circuit Rider" and "Pony Express" programs. For many years, congregations used the "Every Member" canvass with little or no modification year after year. The financial campaign in many congregations has focused on underwriting the budget, on meeting a financial goal. The annual finance campaign is becoming less and less effective. The following are the concerns most frequently raised. Pastors and lay leaders alike have raised a number of concerns about financial issues in the local congregation. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |