For practical guidance on building a culture of generosity, see our church giving culture guide.
For a complete step-by-step process, see our pastor search committee guide for small churches.
For a practical guide to writing one that gets read, see our church annual report guide.
For practical help choosing songs that fit your congregation, see our worship song selection guide for small churches.
If your church is planning to honor your pastor, our pastor’s anniversary planning guide has practical ideas for doing it well.
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By Brent Lacy
Most small churches approach the giving problem the same way. They preach a stewardship sermon in October. They present the budget at the annual meeting. They hope it is enough.
It rarely is. And the reason is not that the congregation is stingy. The reason is that the church has a formation problem, not a fundraising problem.
Generous giving is the fruit of a generous heart. And generous hearts are formed over time, through teaching, modeling, and a culture that treats money as a spiritual issue rather than a practical one.
Why People Give (and Why They Do Not)
Understanding the psychology of giving helps you address the real barriers.
People give when they:
- Trust that the money will be used wisely
- Believe in the mission the money is funding
- Have been taught a biblical theology of stewardship
- Have been asked specifically and personally
- See the impact of their giving
People do not give when they:
- Do not trust the church’s financial management
- Do not see a compelling vision for what the money will accomplish
- Have never been taught what the Bible says about money
- Have only been asked through general pulpit announcements
- Never hear what their giving has accomplished
The Biblical Foundation
Before you talk strategy, get the theology right. Giving is not primarily about the church’s financial needs. It is about the giver’s spiritual formation.
Jesus talked about money more than almost any other topic. Not because the temple needed funding, but because our relationship with money reveals the condition of our hearts. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
A church that only talks about money when the budget is tight is treating giving as a transaction. A church that teaches biblical stewardship year-round is treating giving as discipleship.
Practical Steps to Increase Giving
1. Preach about money regularly.
Not just during stewardship season. Throughout the year. What does Scripture say about wealth, poverty, generosity, and contentment? These are not peripheral topics. They are central to discipleship.
2. Be transparent about finances.
Share a simple monthly financial report with the congregation. Tell them where the money goes. People give more when they trust that their gifts are being used wisely. Transparency builds trust. Trust produces generosity.
3. Cast a clear vision.
People give to a vision, not a budget. “We need $85,000 to cover our expenses” does not inspire generosity. “We are trying to reach every unchurched family in this county, and here is what that looks like” does.
4. Make giving easy.
Online giving is expected by most donors under 50. If you do not have it, you are making it harder for people to give. Tithe.ly, Pushpay, and Subsplash all offer affordable online giving for small churches.
5. Tell stories of impact.
Close the loop. Tell the congregation what their giving has accomplished. Not just the budget numbers, the stories. The family that was helped. The missionary that was supported. The community that was served. Stories produce generosity more effectively than statistics.
6. Conduct an annual stewardship campaign.
A focused three to four week campaign each fall, built around biblical teaching and personal commitment, consistently produces significant increases in giving. See the stewardship campaign guide for a complete framework.
What Not to Do
- Do not guilt people into giving. Guilt produces short-term compliance and long-term resentment.
- Do not make every service feel like a fundraiser. Giving should be one element of worship, not the dominant theme.
- Do not share specific giving amounts publicly. Honor the privacy of individual donors.
- Do not spend money you do not have in anticipation of giving that has not materialized.
Free Resource: Church Financial Management Tools
MinistryPlace offers free church budget templates, stewardship guides, and financial policy resources for small churches.
MinistryPlace has a full library of free resources for small and rural churches. No email required, no subscription, no catch.
Ready for more? Read the next article.
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