Raising the funds to meet your church’s mission and ministry needs is becoming increasingly difficult, but the best way to cultivate a deep-rooted spirit of stewardship in your congregation is to actually make a plan to accomplish it. Below are some factors to consider when building a stewardship plan.

Encourage generosity in your congregation with user-friendly giving tools. Try Aplos free for 15 days.

When it comes to stewardship, start by brainstorming with your team. Talk about what you can do throughout the year to communicate your vision, regularly give feedback on how it is being accomplished, and give people opportunities to participate further. Assign responsibilities and regularly revisit your list to adapt and layer in new ideas.

Here are some things to consider when developing or building your stewardship plan:

1. Have an ongoing conversation about generosity and giving. Stewardship should not be the focus for only two to three weeks in the fall.
2. Tell stories of impact and the many great things that are happening because of the generosity of the congregation, rather than showing charts with dollars and deficits. People enjoy giving out of a spirit of gratitude.
3. Invite congregants to tell stories of how the church is changing their lives. This helps them examine the impact of the church in their own life, and how it is likely shared with others in the congregation.
4. Help people see the real needs you have, not just a budget bottom line. This helps people connect their gift to the purpose and vision, rather than it simply being transactional.
5. Instead of focusing on the building and its needs, shift the thinking to the mission of the building(s) and all of the things that are happening because of the people who use the building(s).
6. Regularly show gratitude for those who support ministry, whether through their time or finances. Many pastors and church staff do not see what people give, but they still need to feel thanked and encouraged. Thank members and volunteers each time you give an update on a ministry, and ask leadership to help you write thank you notes. You don’t need to see the amount given to say thank you.
7. You can implement recurring online giving. This is a convenient way for many people who plan to tithe but sometimes don’t because they were out of town or forgot their checkbook. It also helps the church plan for its finances if giving is more predictable and doesn’t slow down as much in the summer months.

Webinar Details

In the webinar above, we look at the critical factors that make a church financially healthy, as well as tools you need to establish positive goals to aim for. We discuss what it means to be a good steward of your church’s resources, along with best practices for overseeing your church’s finances. This webinar will teach you:

• Principles of stewardship and how they impact your church
• How to implement a stewardship plan
• A demonstration of accountability for managing your funds
• How to view reports to make strong financial choices
• How to monitor giving trends within your congregation and membership

Good stewardship starts with good accounting. Want the best church accounting software for your church? Get a head start with Aplos Church Accounting.