What are some reasons that people give to your church? To be sure, there are the obvious reasons. Many of your givers probably feel compelled to give out of obedience to commands in Scripture to tithe; "it is the right thing to do," they will say. Some may give from the perspective that they are, in a sense, purchasing certain rights - rights to vote, to use the fellowship hall, to exert influence upon the church in some way. You may have some who give out of a cheerful heart, not out of compulsion, but simply out of appreciation for the work of the Lord in their lives. These probably have been blessed through the ministry of your church, and they believe in your mission. They want to see others blessed in that very same way. So what's the trend, and why is it dangerous?
Have you ever seen someone stop giving abruptly over a disagreement or something similar? You only visited them eight out of the nine days they were in the hospital, or you hired a candidate that they voted against. It could be something far less significant. I smile as I write this, because if you are in church leadership, I don't have to ask. I know you have run into this. Some people will level the accusation that you only visit them or care about them, because you want their money. The trend here would be giving for the wrong reasons. And the reason it is dangerous is that we develop elaborate budgets on a projected contribution number. If that contribution number is susceptible to inaccurate impressions, your church can be in for a rocky road. All it takes is one mouth in your church to go visit everyone and convince them to withhold their tithe or that the church only cares about them insofar as they can fund the church's work. You may wonder what can be done about this? Here are a few suggestions.
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AuthorPastor Billy Shaw is a full-time pastor, husband, and father with a passion for helping other pastors. Archives
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