Six Rights for Offering Talks

You’re taking advantage of the moment of maximum attention.

You’re scheduling offering talks weekly. You’re doing good. Let’s make your offering talks even better.

As a reminder, an offering talk is a simple, intentional statement of less than 60 seconds that immediately proceeds the offertory prayer and receiving the offering.

Consider six things to get right with each offering talk.

• The right words. “As we prepare to receive the tithes and offerings,” sounds so much better than “collecting the offering.” As you intentionally prepare your offering talks—week in and week out—don’t just plan the topics, but offer insight how to present those topics. Coach your folks on words to use and avoid.

• The right type. Our previous post described six types of offering talks. How varied are you in your type selection? Have you planned the right type for that worship service given the pastor’s sermon topic, the scriptures referenced, and the songs selected? Choose wisely to complement the service as a whole.

• The right motive. Regardless the type of offering talk you use, remind your givers of their motives to give. Our financial stewardship is an act of worship. When we give to our church, we experience those gifts used for God’s glory. Our offering talks point our givers to both. Remind folks of God’s glory and our use.

• The right presenter. Though we love to have a variety of individuals present offering talks—especially if speaking about their personal ministry—we must be mindful that not every good and godly person is the best public prayer and presenter. Consider personality and stage presence as well as genuine and gracious character.

• The right timing. Similar to the previous point with a larger consideration. We know the offering talk is best when presented by a well-chosen lay person at the moment of maximum attention. We also need to remember not to rush the transition to or from the talk and prayer or to rush the offering talk itself. We never hurry in worship.

• The right heart. Offering talks are intentional. Practiced consistently and well, offering talks will increase your giving per person. Offering talks are not, however, manipulation. They are simply an intentional explanation of what your people want to know—your why. Week in, week out we connect our giving to our doing. A humble heart of worship makes all the difference.

Have you started planning and presenting offering talks? If not, what’s holding you back? How can I help you overcome? Contact me and let’s talk.

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Seven posts on Generous Giving start here.

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Three posts on Welcoming Guests start here.

Six Types of Offering Talks

An offering talk is a simple, intentional statement of less than 60 seconds that immediately proceeds the offertory prayer and receiving the offering.

Wise pastors plan their preaching weeks in advance. Wise worship leaders plan their worship services in advance. Wise church leaders plan offering talks in advance. Offering talk advance planning makes maximum advantage of the moment of maximum attention.

Consider six types of offering talks.

• Be Thankful. Regularly say thank you to your congregation for their willingness to support your church and its mission through giving. Example: “You work hard to earn the income to support your family. Thank you for sharing a portion of that income to support God’s work through our church family as well. Our church works hard to be a good steward of all you give.”

• Be Informational. You can supplement your announcements and new initiatives the pastor might include in his sermon with offering talks. Example: “Isn’t it exciting to know that our church is currently preparing to send our first international mission team in over a decade? It’s wonderful to know that a portion of your tithes support missions through our church—locally, nationally, and internationally—every week.”

• Be Missional. At least once a month use an offering talk to highlight your guiding principles—mission, vision, or values. Example: “At our church we are growing Christ followers. Everything we do is focused on winning and growing followers of Jesus. We are disciples who seek to make disciples. When you give, you enable us to make Christ followers.”

• Be Personal. People give to causes that are meaningful to them. Occasionally tell stories that convey the impact of your church ministries. Example: “Your giving makes a difference. Last week our teenagers served in a local ministry project. Listen to what one of them wrote afterwards…”

• Be Testimonial. If you want to take stories of personal meaning to the next level, have the person sharing the offering talk tell their own story of life impact. Example: “I’m Joe. As you prepare to give today and I want to take a minute to tell you what God has done for me as result of your giving. Our ministry of…”

• Be Visual. Don’t just tell people, when you can—with any of the above—show them photos or videos of people, projects, and progress you are making. Example: “Last week our church held its annual VBS. As we consider giving today, let’s take a minute to watch a video of all that your ministry service and generous giving made possible.”

An offering talk maximizes that moment of maximum attention for maximum impact. If you want to increase generosity in your church, plan an intentional offering talk every time you take up an offering.

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Six posts on Generous Giving start here.

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The Moment of Maximum Attention

You know that moment in a worship service where time stands still—the pause in which the person delivering the offertory prayer walks to the stage? If you like flow, that person may be on stage already, but there is still that moment—no music playing, pause, silence, ready at the mic.

“Oh, someone is about to speak,” thinks your congregation.

It’s heightened further if that someone is not a pastor or worship leader. “Oh, it’s one of us. A lay person!,” thinks your congregation.

That’s the moment of maximum attention in your worship service.

And most weeks…

You waste it.

You waste the moment of maximum attention in your worship service.

The generic but not too necessary, “Would our ushers prepare to wait on us.”

Followed by the sincere but expected, “Let us pray,” and an offertory prayer.

Good, yes. Needed, yes. But, you can do so much better with one, simple, weekly tweak.

If you want to increase generosity in your church, you should include an offering talk with every offering.

An offering talk is a simple statement of less than 60 seconds that immediately proceeds the offertory prayer and collecting the offering. An offering talk maximizes that moment of maximum attention.

What do you say in an offering talk? What do you not say in an offering talk? Some of that is included in our Generous Giving series. You can seek to increase the confidence of your congregation. You can challenge them to or celebrate greater engagement in a variety of ways. And, if you run out of other ideas, you can always return to your why in one form or another.

An offering talk can go something like this…

“We are a church that believes in (state your value/mission/vision). And because we believe in that, we have (state your single ministry focus for that offering talk). When you give to our church you support (that week’s ministry focus). Recently, (give a brief example of that value in that ministry). Thank you for being a generous church! Let’s pray.”

No need to invite the ushers forward. You told them to walk up as the person delivering the offering talk begins speaking.

Bonus points if the person delivering the offering talk is a layperson. Double bonus if the person serves in that ministry. High score if they share a brief, personal anecdote from their ministry. All within 60 seconds.

Don’t waste the moment of maximum attention in your worship service. With a little planning you can maximize that moment with an offering talk and easily increase the generosity of your congregation at the same time.

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The following posts will provide more clarity on offering talks, but you’ve got the idea. Add some intentionality and include an offering talk this week.

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Increased Giving Through Increased Confidence

Start gossiping. Stop giving. Stop attending.

That’s what happens when a church member loses confidence in your church—when they are unhappy, they’ve been let down, or the church has sinned against them.

So far in our Generous Giving series we’ve considered Your Why and we’ve considered Greater Engagement. Now let’s consider the opposite of the above.

Seven Reasons Churches Increase Giving by Increasing the Confidence of Their People

You live biblical purposes. Your members should know your specific, biblical purposes and experience those realities through your church life. It’s one thing to have your guiding principles on your website, it is quite another to intentionally live them.

You demonstrate financial integrity. Your members should have no doubt how their tithes and offerings are spent. Though they may not determine the budget, your members will have great confidence through regular meetings, financial reports, and transparency.

You prioritize next generation ministries. Your members should see evidence in budget and activities of your emphasis on ministry to children and youth. Offering talks, announcements, and social media posts help keep these priorities in the forefront.

You give beyond yourselves. Your members know your church should make an impact beyond your walls. Since your why will include “go and make disciples,” your partnerships through giving and going should be celebrated, promoted, and encouraged.

You tell stories of changed lives. Your members have confidence in an active, impactful church. When lives are being changed and you tell those stories, people are inspired. Christ followers and those still seeking are encouraged by genuine life change.

You call people to live on mission. Your members want to be part of something beyond themselves, and your church on mission can be just that. You are equipping and encouraging them to live beyond themselves, to spend themselves, to love life Jesus.

You have wise, loving leaders. Your members should have confidence in the wisdom and care of your leaders. More so, your people must know you genuinely love them. More than simply telling them, you’ve got to live your love through presence and actions.

The first six reasons don’t really matter if the final reason—loving leaders—isn’t a reality.

Your people will not give generously if they do not trust your love. The less confident they are, the less they trust, the less they engage, the less they give. Everything balances on the Christlike character of your church leaders loving your members.

Be biblical in purpose, have financial integrity, prioritize next gen, and all the things, but most of all, love your people well. You are their undershepherds, pastors, deacons, and leaders called by God, and they want to know you love them like Jesus.

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. ”

— Jesus in John 13:35

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This is the third Generous Giving post. The series starts here.

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Greater Engagement, Greater Giving

Where your heart is, there your treasure will be.

I aways get that backwards. Matthew 6:21 actually states, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

There is a relationship between our interests and our giving, our affections and our energies, our passion and our sacrifice.

Jesus spoke Matthew 6:21 to summarize verses 19-20. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” With contrasting domains and arresting images, Jesus draws a clear distinction.

Jesus’ words remain true.

The greater the engagement, the greater the giving.

The American Bible Society’s 2023 State of the Bible report reveals two types of engagement that lead to greater giving. To measure the impact of Bible engagement, they sought to understand its effect on the lives of Bible readers. Respondents were grouped into three main categories: Scripture Engaged, Moveable Middle, and Bible Disengaged.

Their research demonstrated the following in relation to giving.

Biblical Engagement

92% of Scripture Engaged individuals give to their church. That compares to 76% of the Moveable Middle and 54% of the Bible Disengaged. More so, the Scripture Engaged gave a third more than the Moveable Middle and double the Bible Disengaged. Scripture Engaged individuals give more money and more often.

Church Engagement

Church engagement is measured by church attendance and ministry service. 91% of Church Engaged individuals are likely to give to a charity (church or nonprofit). Only 52% of unchurched people give to a charity. Similarly, comparing those who give $1800+/year, those who serve in their church (64%) give more than those who serve in the community (44%). Church Engaged individuals give more and more often.

Greater Engagement Equals Greater Giving

If you want to encourage generous giving in your church, always tell your why and strengthen engagement in the Bible and church participation. Bible engagement—reading or hearing God’s Word—can be encouraged to be more regular by the pastor’s example and mention within sermons and by being a stated, practiced value of church leaders. Church engagement follows clear invitations to attend and to serve where equipped and encouraged; church engagement is strengthened as the Spirit moves and stories are celebrated in your congregation.

Increased Bible engagement and increased church engagement will increase generous giving.

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This is the second post on Generous Giving that starts here.

For four posts on The Great Dechurching, start here.

For three posts on Welcoming Guests, start here.