10 Ways to Turn Off Your Donors
Stewardship expert Ken Sloane says the relationship between a church, or any charitable organization, and its donors is delicate. He names ten common mistakes churches…
Browsing: Funding
Articles
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…
Church Finances Don’t Have to be So Hard
Many churches struggle with finances due to a lack of financial understanding rather than insufficient funds. Effective financial tools and knowledge are crucial. Thomas James…
Is It Time to Right-Size Your Staff?
This might be the time to have a conversation about right-sizing your staff, says Jim Kitchens. He outlines different ways to approach the task depending…
Can Your Approach to Church Finances be both Spiritual and Practical?
Some in the church operate on the assumption that a spiritual perspective on money requires the abandonment of practical thinking. But stewardship expert Ann Michel…
YES in God’s Back Yard!
Richard Reinhard shares how some congregations are using their property to develop affordable housing and meet other community needs, as well as local initiatives to…
10 Practical Strategies for Effective Stewardship Campaigns
Could your church benefit from a more systematic and effective approach to your annual stewardship drive? Ann A. Michel from the Lewis Center staff lays…
5 Ways to Overcome Barriers to Affordable Housing Development on Church Property
Richard Reinhard says pairing the surplus of faith properties with the deficit of affordable housing appears to be a match made in heaven. Yet common…
Working through the Stages of Grief when Cutting Your Budget
Dan Pezet says a major alignment in a church’s budget can be accompanied by all the classic stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, and depression. By…
9 Lessons from Nehemiah for Faith-based Property Development
David Bowers draws key lessons from the biblical story of Nehemiah to guide churches that are redeveloping their buildings or property to serve community needs.…
Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transitions: An In-depth Interview with Mark Elsdon
Is your church facing the difficult decision to sell or repurpose property? This interview with Mark Elsdon, editor of Gone for Good?, focuses on how…
“Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transitions” featuring Mark Elsdon
Podcast Episode 142 Is your church facing the difficult decision to sell or repurpose property? We speak with Mark Elsdon, editor of Gone for Good?,…
10 Policies Your Church Should Consider
Ken Sloane, a stewardship expert at Discipleship Ministries, outlines ten policies for institutional trust and financial integrity that reduce confusion and conflict while at the…
5 Things You Need to Know about Donors who are Retired
What do church financial leaders need to know when discussing generosity with retirees? Stewardship expert Ken Sloane shares five considerations that might shape a recent…
5 Key Principles for Fostering Generosity in Children
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says the church needs to renew efforts to foster generosity in our children. She shares five principles that…
A Simple Step-by-Step Process for Creating a Narrative Budget
Church finance expert Bonnie Ives Marden says presenting your budget in narrative form provides a powerful tool for stewardship, evangelism, and marketing. She outlines a…
Funding Forward: Developing New Revenue Sources for Your Congregation — An In-Depth Interview with Grace Pomroy
Grace Pomroy from Luther Seminary shares research findings on how congregations are developing new and creative funding sources. In this in-depth interview with Ann Michel…
“Funding Forward: How Congregations Can Develop New Revenue Sources” featuring Grace Pomroy
Podcast Episode 133 Is your congregation too dependent on Sunday morning offerings? Grace Pomroy from Luther Seminary shares research findings on congregations that are developing…
Before You Rent Church Space, Calculate the Costs
Churches often struggle to determine a fair price when they rent space to community groups. Partners for Sacred Places, an organization helping congregations develop creative…
Where Churches Spend Too Much and Where They Spend Too Little
In working with more than 500 churches, The Unstuck Group identified certain expenditure areas where churches commonly invest too little and those where churches tend…
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…
7 Policies Every Church Needs for Trust and Transparency
Trust is fragile, says Bonnie Ives Marden. And finances, if not handled correctly, can be a source of worry rather than security. She outlines seven…
Don’t Forget to Say Thanks
Stewardship expert Charles Lane says that thanking your church’s donors isn’t difficult but remembering to do it often is. He outlines key elements in developing…
Leading Voices: “Leaders Motivate the Contributions of Resources”
“Leaders Motivate the Contributions of Resources” is presented by Bishop Tom Berlin of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. In celebration of the…
The Coming Revolution in Church Economics: An In-Depth Interview with Mark DeYmaz
What if tithes and offerings no longer support your church’s operations? How can you create multiple streams of income by leveraging the value of your…
5 Trends Impacting Church Leadership for 2023
Doug Powe, Ann Michel, and Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff identify five trends church leaders should keep in mind as they develop creative…
Getting Comfortable Preaching about Money and Generosity
Preaching on the topic of money is spiritually challenging. And it can also be personally challenging to leaders plagued by their own economic insecurity or…
Is Your Church Spending Too Much or Too Little on Personnel?
How does your church spending on personnel compare to other churches? Lovett Weems reports averages of the percentage of total expenditures that congregations spend on…
