Few things are more intimidating for a pastor than preaching about giving.
Finances are an extremely challenging topic for most people. The Bible contains over 2,300 verses that address the topic of money (Wealth With Purpose). It has the potential to build or to destroy, depending on the priority the holder places on it and how they choose to use it.
While the majority of believers know that we are called to give generously, to bring into God’s storehouse the whole tithe, and to give back to the Father what is His, many still struggle to make that sacrifice year after year.
As a pastor, a significant part of your role is to guide your congregants in becoming healthy disciples who follow Jesus with their whole hearts. But how do you talk to them about money (because you should be talking to them about money) in a way that actually resonates rather than isolates?
With such a touchy subject, you must approach it in the right way.
Here are five steps to help your congregants become cheerful givers through healthy conversations about giving.
Step #1: Be Strategic About When You Discuss Money
Finances play a huge factor in the success of your ministry, whether you have 50 members or 5,000.
Realistically, your church needs financial resources to operate effectively. You need to be able to pay your staff, maintain your campus, purchase study materials, support missions and outreach, and dozens of other expenses.
But while money is essential for running your ministry, you can’t talk about it all the time.
There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re being lectured from the pulpit every Sunday. Therefore, you must be strategic about when you discuss money.
There are certain times of year when people are naturally more inclined toward generosity (specifically from Thanksgiving into the new year). And there are other times (like tax season), when your congregants are more likely to let your message about giving go in one ear and out the other.
There are ways to incorporate instruction on generosity into your sermons throughout the year without making your congregants feel burdened by the topic of money again. However, when you want to specifically address giving and finances, ensure you are being intentional about when and how you do it.
Step #2: Prioritize the Heart of the Giver Rather Than the Dollar Amount
While the Bible instructs believers to tithe, in Mark 12:41-44, Jesus observes a widow giving everything she had, whereas the wealthy only gave what was required.
He didn’t praise the woman because of the amount of money she gave, but rather the heart behind her gift.
We often hear the phrase “God loves a cheerful giver” when discussing money, but it is often secondary to emphasizing the amount someone gives.
For example, when pastors preach on giving, it’s easy to focus on reminding your members to give the whole tithe and tell them how much would be possible if every person gave what was asked of them.
And while that is an extremely important part of the money conversation, we need to focus more on the heart behind the gift rather than the gift itself. You have to ask if your members are giving because they long to be obedient or because they think that they have to.
It is especially intimidating for new believers to come into the Body of Christ and immediately be expected to give 10% toward something they’ve just become a part of.
As you work on having healthy conversations about giving, it’s okay to encourage your congregants to simply start somewhere.
Giving requires faith and sacrifice, and both of these take time to grow as one sees God’s faithfulness through the process. If you have a large percentage of your members who’ve never given before, encourage them to start by giving 1% or a small, set dollar amount each month.
Starting small will help them participate in the church’s larger mission without feeling burdened. They’ll be able to build toward full obedience in their giving rather than being overwhelmed by the sudden need to give.
Prioritizing the heart of the giver enables people to grow in their faith and observe how God works in and through them along the way.
Becoming a cheerful giver can take time, and healthy giving conversations must prioritize the heart of the giver.
Step #3: Set Clear Giving Expectations for Your Members
While it’s okay to encourage your congregants to start small in a way that allows them to give cheerfully, even if they aren’t giving the whole tithe, you must set clear expectations for your members so they know what your church is looking for.
One of the primary causes of frustration and discontent is a lack of clear expectations from either side.
If you expect every member of your congregation to give a full 10%, you must communicate this expectation clearly and regularly. It’s okay if this is the goal that your members are working toward rather than the current reality, but they need to know what you’re expecting so they know how to grow.
When new members join, you should have your giving expectations outlined in the new members’ class or membership documentation.
Without a clear goal to build toward, it will be easy for your members to continue giving the same or to opt not to give at all.
Part of healthy conversations about finances is ensuring that your members understand exactly what the Bible says about giving and what your ministry expects from each believer who calls your church home.
Step #4: Use Biblical Principles to Teach Believers How to Give
It is hard to be a cheerful giver if you don’t understand the joy behind why we’re called to give.
The Bible tells us that we give to the church because everything we have belongs to God, so we’re giving back to Him what is already His to further His Kingdom.
Healthy conversations about money have to be built on the foundation of biblical giving principles.
The Bible is very clear about the dangers of wealth and the proper role of money in the lives of believers.
If you want to see your congregants become cheerful givers who bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, you must provide them with a biblical foundation for handling their finances.
Step #5: Regularly Show Your Congregants How Their Giving Impacts the Kingdom
Many people who choose not to give do so because they don’t really know what they’re giving toward, or they don’t see the difference that their contributions can make.
Healthy giving conversations need to include regularly showing your congregants how their giving impacts your ministry and the Kingdom as a whole.
Give updates throughout the year on how member contributions have helped with different areas of your church and what their money has done in the community.
Being a cheerful giver can be a challenge if you don’t think your gift actually makes a difference, so you need to take the time to show your members exactly how each dollar is used to further your ministry.
These giving updates don’t have to accompany a sermon on tithing or a conversation about the budget. You can use mission reports, outreach updates, and ministry impact testimonies to share the fruit produced through giving.
As a pastor, your job is to help your congregation become disciples who are equipped to make disciples. But they can’t do that if they don’t have generous hearts who trust the Father fully with everything He has given to them.
Healthy conversations about giving must be strategic, prioritize the heart of the giver, set clear expectations, utilize biblical principles, and demonstrate the impact of contributions.
You have everything you need to fill your pews with cheerful givers who support your ministry to do all that God has called you to do. With a bit of intentionality and a boldness to share God’s truth about money with the people in your congregation, you can remove the burden from giving and restore the joy that comes with generosity.
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