{"id":30528,"date":"2021-02-02T10:23:02","date_gmt":"2021-02-02T15:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sharefaithblog.wpengine.com\/?p=30528"},"modified":"2021-03-22T15:21:24","modified_gmt":"2021-03-22T19:21:24","slug":"4-things-to-avoid-when-talking-to-your-church-about-giving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sharefaith.com\/blog\/2021\/02\/4-things-to-avoid-when-talking-to-your-church-about-giving\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Things to Avoid When Talking to Your Church about Giving"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s be honest. Pastors can\u2019t make everyone happy, and this is never more obvious than when it comes to the topic of tithing<\/a>. There really is no way to address this topic without stirring up some strong feelings, but isn\u2019t that kind of the point?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus spent a lot of time challenging people\u2019s relationship with their money, going as far as saying that you can\u2019t serve both God and mammon<\/a>. The idea that our possessions compete for our allegiance ensures that people will struggle with the topic. That\u2019s why they <\/span>need<\/span><\/i> to hear solid biblical teaching about giving.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are four mistakes to watch out for when handling this sensitive topic.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. Apologizing for talking about money<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It makes sense that you might feel a little anxious when it comes to addressing money. So it\u2019s natural to dispel the tension you feel by making comments like, \u201cWell, the board says I have to talk about giving again.\u201d Some pastors recognize that it\u2019s an important topic, but communicate that they don\u2019t like talking about it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When you joke or apologize about addressing this topic, you inform the congregation how to feel about it. You\u2019re telling them that maybe they <\/span>should<\/span><\/i> be irritated by the topic. It\u2019s OK to be uncomfortable about addressing the issue, but that might be a sign that you don\u2019t tackle it enough. Simply address it with the seriousness that Jesus demonstrated about the topic.<\/span><\/p>\n

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2. Preaching obligation over inspiration<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Another way that we deal with the subject matter\u2019s touchiness is to shift the blame on God. It\u2019s a lot easier to motivate behavior by appealing to a sense of duty. And part of this discussion <\/span>is<\/span><\/i> about being obedient to what God expects. But giving so much more than an obligation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spirit-filled benevolence aims to move beyond the rote expectation of giving and discover the joy of cheerful generosity. When we approach it from a sense of obligation, people will approach giving like a job, working just enough not to get fired.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Use stories and congregational testimonies to ensure that people understand the joy that can be theirs when developing a different kind of relationship with their stuff. It\u2019s also essential that these discussions aren\u2019t reserved for adults. Children need to be present when we talk about generosity. Kids need to be exposed early to the joy of giving<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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3. Waiting until the church needs money<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In cultures built on consumerism, money is a legitimate stronghold that needs to be addressed consistently. Maybe you choose a couple of times a year when you talk about giving. If you do a lot of expository preaching in the Gospels and New Testament, it will come up on its own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You want to avoid waiting to address it until you\u2019re fundraising or the church has a budgetary need. It\u2019s totally OK to ask for benevolence offerings because of specific needs, but you don\u2019t want to link that to giving messages. This changes the discussion\u2019s thrust from being about worship<\/a> and encourages people to associate it with the church needing money.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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4. Not demonstrating your preferred method of giving<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When it comes to equipping people to give, the church has two jobs. The first is to teach people about the importance of generosity. The second is to remove all the barriers someone might have to giving. That might mean establishing more trust in the church. It might mean ensuring that technology isn\u2019t a barrier to giving.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You might be surprised how often the problem isn\u2019t a philosophical resistance to giving but a technological one. If you\u2019re prioritizing a <\/span>digital giving solution<\/span><\/a> (and you really should be), consider how different people learn. Some folks can figure it out for themselves, and others need to see it done or have someone walk through it with them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Taking generosity seriously<\/span><\/h2>\n

If everyone responded to God\u2019s invitation to live generously, the church could respond to so much need. But people need to hear this invitation, and sometimes it\u2019s going to irritate them before they\u2019re willing to receive it. And yes, maybe they\u2019ll take it out on the messenger. But they need to hear it anyway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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And the more often we share it with them, the more open they\u2019ll be\u2014and the more effective we become.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Churches in the Wilderness<\/span><\/h2>\n

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\"Navigating<\/a><\/p>\n

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Churches in the Wilderness\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Navigating COVID-19 and the New Normal<\/span><\/h3>\n

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The questions you ask yourself today will determine whether your church merely survives in this period of transition\u2014or thrives. This ebook will help you position your church for the new normal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t