5 Tips for Rightsizing Stewardship in Your Church
In the face of declining membership and shifting demographic patterns, many local churches are rightsizing stewardship for long-term sustainability and vibrant ministry. Ken Sloane outlines…
Browsing: Online Giving
Articles
Digital Ministry Trends and Perspectives: An In-depth Interview with Jim Keat
How can your congregation more effectively engage people in the digital sphere? Jim Keat, Digital Minister at The Riverside Church in New York City, shares…
“Digital Ministry Trends and Perspectives” featuring Jim Keat
Podcast Episode 158 How can your congregation more effectively engage people in the digital sphere? Jim Keat, Digital Minister at Riverside Church in New York…
How Do Your Church’s Post-Pandemic Finances Compare with Other Churches?
Lovett H. Weems, Jr. shares information on how the pandemic affected congregations financially, drawing on data from a recent Hartford Institute report. Overall, the report…
9 Questions to Ask if Your Church Giving is in Decline
Stewardship expert Joe Park says churches can promote more generous giving by better communicating the impact of their ministry, encouraging recurring electronic gifts, and challenging…
5 Ways Your Church Can Use Text Messaging to Reach More People
How can churches use texting as an outreach and communication tool? Brandon Cox outlines five ways churches can use texting to reach more people and…
Money and a Heart for God: An In-depth Interview with Callie Picardo
How does our faith influence our relationship with money? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff speaks with Callie Picardo, a teacher and the coauthor…
“Money and a Heart for God” featuring Callie Picardo
Podcast Episode 118 How does our faith influence our relationship with money? We speak with author and teacher Callie Picardo about stewardship, gratitude, and how…
5 Hospitality and Stewardship Lessons from a Homecoming
How are visitors to your congregation greeted and welcomed? Ken Sloane outlines five lessons for extending hospitality and engaging new givers. While traveling earlier this…
7 Strategies to Engage New Givers
How can congregations invite new givers to begin their journey of generosity? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff outlines seven strategies more likely to…
The Promise of Digital Giving
Ann Michel says that as the church increasingly moves online, so too must the church’s ministry of generosity. But this future requires the capacity to…
Top Leading Ideas Articles of 2020
Each December we take a look at the most popular Leading Ideas articles of the year and give our readers a second chance to glean…
Are Your Pandemic Giving Systems as Effective as the Offering Plate?
Due to COVID-19 restrictions most churches have adopted new ways of taking up the collection. Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says it’s important…
COVID-19 Reminds Us of Crucial Church Finance Safeguards
Lovett Weems says the pandemic reveals the importance of certain essential financial practices for churches. Maintaining a reserve fund, expanding giving options, and setting realistic…
Now is the Time to Ask Contributors to Set up Recurring Online Gifts
Recurring online gifts are the ideal way for pledgers or those who give regularly in Sunday worship to stay current with their giving during this…
7 Ways to Keep Revenue and Donations Flowing During the COVID-19 Crisis
Stewardship expert Rob Blezard outlines steps your church can take to address the financial challenges created by the COVID-19 crisis. Key strategies include staying in…
10 Ideas for Church Financial Leaders Amid the COVID-19 Crisis
Ken Sloane of Discipleship Ministries shares ten ideas for church financial leaders to help sustain the church and its ministries in the face of interruptions…
Asking Millennials to Give
John Wimberly dispels the myth that millennials aren’t willing to contribute to church. The problem is the church has not adapted to the 21st-century ways…
4 Ways to Involve Younger People in Stewardship
Churches too often overlook younger adults when it comes to stewardship and giving. Ian Urriola outlines four ways churches can foster a culture of generosity…
Lead, Learn, Launch: Getting Started with Digital Giving
Need a roadmap for getting started with electronic giving in your church? Alex Benson of Luther Seminary outlines a three-step process for implementing the methods…
4 Church Tech New Year’s Resolutions
Will Rice, who blogs on issues related to technology and churches, says that the beginning of the year is a good time to take stock…
What Church Leaders Need to Know About Grants and Crowdfunding
Many churches need to think more creatively about funding their ministries in today’s environment. Church planter and consultant Rosario Picardo provides tips and resources for…
Embracing Electronic Giving
Adam Copeland of Luther Seminary says electronic giving is the preferred method of giving for most churchgoers, including your most faithful givers. Reducing the barriers…
Doing a Christmas Eve Offering Well
In our culture, Christmas is a season of giving when church-goers and non-church-goers alike are inclined toward generosity. I witnessed a Christmas Eve service in which…
Online Giving Connects Ministry and Mission
Nearly three years ago our church began offering online giving through our website. We added a PayPal button and were curious to see how church…
Electronic Giving: A Matter of Vision, Not Just Convenience
In 2011, Pleasant Hope Baptist Church was experiencing a financial crunch. In addition to the turbulence associated with the national economic recession, our discomfort was…
Paperless Giving
More than ten years ago, I was introduced to “paperless giving” as a way to receive the offering in worship. A specified amount of money…