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.

You made it this far. Nice! If you haven’t already, please subscribe and share!

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.

Your Why

75% of people do this before they give to an organization.

As part of a survey of modern givers, Barna asked, “Before you financially support an organization/charity, do you research it first?”

75% said yes.

When asked where they primarily do their research, respondents answered:

• On the organization’s website (39%)

• Viewing their organization ratings (20%)

• Talking to close family or friends (14%)

• Social media (e.g., Facebook) (7%)

• Visit the organization/charity in person (7%)

• Talking to a pastor or religious leader (4%)

• None of these (8%)

Why—in restarting this Serving Churches blog with a series on giving—would I share this single 75% statistic with you? Because we have opportunities in every worship service—if we will use them—and in every church communication (mail, email, social media, text)—if we will use them.

We’ve got amazing advantages over every other organization—if we will use them.

To do one simple thing.

Our church members, regular attenders, and guests, should never have to research. They should never have to wonder. They should never have to guess. We should tell them.

One simple thing. Every single time.

Your why.

If you want to increase giving in your church, always tell your why.

Your why will be slightly different given the ministry or event. Examples include the following.

• Emailing about children’s ministry, add a phrase like, “This is one more way we seek to lead girls and boys to eternal life in Jesus.”

• Social media post about a special event, add a line like, “We host fun events like this so that you can bring friends to learn more about a personal relationship with Jesus.”

• Preaching a sermon, you can be specific about the purpose of your church that best illustrates that text. “What we learn in this scripture is the very reason we have the ministry of…”

• Sharing an offering talk, your why is exactly what you are doing. “Thank you for giving your tithes and offerings. Your giving makes _______ ministry possible by providing ________ resources. Thank you again.” (Subscribe to learn more about offering talks in subsequent posts.)

Before you know it, telling your why will have become habit. You’ll be constantly connecting the dots between faith and practice when you tell your why.

And when you tell your why regularly, your church members will be more confident in their giving. They won’t wonder, “Why do I give?” Or “Where does my giving go?” Or “What difference does my giving make?” They’ll know all your whys.

Always tell your why.

“If you want to increase giving in your church, always tell your why.”

— Aaron Householder

Thanks for joining us, Reader. Please subscribe and share! This is the first post in my Generous Giving series.

For four posts on The Great Dechurching, start here.

For three posts on Welcoming Guests, start here.

Ten Insights from Happy First Time Guests

They showed up once. You’d love to see them again.

You’ve considered the concerns of first time guests from our last post, How to Turn First Time Guests into Only Time Guests. Now you want to offer guests every reason to feel welcome and return for subsequent visits.

Here are ten insights from happy first time church guests:

Someone asked me to sit with them. It’s a simple thing. And it may be the best thing you can do. Even though you’ve just met, they feel welcomed like they belong. Because they do.

People introduced themselves to me. A church worship service isn’t about you and your preferences. We gather to worship God with one another. It’s a joy to make new friends too.

They had clear signage. Consider walking into any public building for the first time. Where is the restroom? The children’s area? Does it even look like they are expecting guests?

There was an inviting welcome center. Clearly marked, not cluttered, with a friendly volunteer. A welcome center—even a small table—with a well-designed brochure is always welcome.

Our kids loved their children’s area. You always want your kids to have a good experience no matter where they are, but especially church. Effort here is noticed. So is the lack thereof.

The children’s area was clean and secure. You can have a great worship experience, but fail here never to see that first time guest family again. Make it safe. Keep it clean.

Guest parking was clearly visible. Right next to the accessible parking, the best parking spots should be set aside for guests. Note: “Guest Parking” feels better than “Visitor Parking.”

They didn’t make me stand up and greet people. This really friendly-if-you-belong practice is terrifying if you don’t. As we learned, it is the #1 complaint first time guests. Stop it.

The members weren’t pushy. Friendly, yes. Kind, yes. Welcoming, yes. But not pushy and definitely not creepy. You’ve got members with the right interpersonal skills and discernment.

The guest card was easy to complete. Nicely printed on card stock or well designed and accessed through an easy to find QR code. Contact info says they want to know more. That’s great!

80% of first time church guests are unhappy with their visit, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You just read how to make guests happy. You can read what makes guests unhappy. This post in another response to The Great Dechurching. Thanks to Thom Rainer for these research-based insights from his concise book, Becoming a Welcoming Church.

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How to Turn First Time Guests into Only Time Guests

You read that right. Research tells us 80% of first time church guests are unhappy with their visit. Their first time visiting your church may be their only time visiting your church if you aren’t aware of their top ten concerns.

This topic is one more response to The Great Dechurching—40 million Americans previously active in church no longer attending. When we invite dechurched family and friends to join us, how they experience their first return visit is crucial. Thom Rainer’s brief book, Becoming a Welcoming Church, lists ten concerns of first time guests.

Bad Website. You’ve got two types of potential first time guests: those invited by members and those who start with an internet search. If your website has outdated style or content, is hard to navigate, and full of insider language, those potential guests will go elsewhere.

Unfriendly Members. Ask the average church member about their church and they’ll say they are friendly and welcoming. Ask the average guest, and they have a different experience. Your members don’t speak to guests or make them feel welcome as much as they think.

Poor Signage. You know where everything is and if you don’t, you know who to ask. Your guests do not. Your lack of clear, engaging signage from the parking lot to hallways to sanctuary tells guests they are not welcome or even expected.

No Information Available. Your guests would love to see an information area. Put it in a visible location, clearly directed by signage, staffed with friendly people, free of clutter, and containing well-written, visually appealing material.

Unsafe and Unclean Children’s Areas. You think your children’s ministry is great—you know the loving leaders and precious kids. Your guest looks with new eyes—they see lack of safety protocol and your dingy, dusty, cluttered, outdated spaces.

Stand and Greet Time. You love it—you know the people. Your guests do not love it—they feel awkward or left out. Greet your friends before and after service leaving the worship time for prayer, praise, and proclamation. This is the biggest bother to your first time guests.

Insider Language. Listen to your announcements. Listen to your sermons. Listen to your songs. All of it is full of words that aren’t spoken outside of church. Yes, we need that language, but be mindful to add explanatory words or phrases for the sake of guests.

Boring or Bad Worship Services. Sure enough your guests are judging you based on performance from the platform as well. We know worship is not a performance, but guests are evaluating your service as consumers. Do your best. Then get better. Our Lord deserves it.

You’re in My Pew. Seriously?! In 2024 this still makes the list. You want guarantee no return visit and a bad Google review, make sure you have self-serving, clueless, unkind members with the arrogance to ask people to move out of “their” spot.

Dirty facilities. My mother-in-law says, “It’s one thing to be poor; it’s another thing to be dirty.” No matter how small your congregation is or how old your building is, there is not reason your facilities can not be spotless clean and fresh smelling. Old church is a smell; one that guests don’t like.

Unhappy guests will be only time guests. You can criticize them as judgmental or shallow, but their commitment to Jesus is not your commitment to Jesus. Will you make the effort to lead your church to remedy each of these concerns? Will you glorify God by prioritizing the dechurched and unchurched above your own preferences and comfort?

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To read the first of The Great Dechurching posts, click here.

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Five Excuses Not To Speak

The Great Dechurching—the largest religious shift in US history—provides Christ followers reason for concern. It offers a call to action as well. We can invite the dechurched to join us again. Thom Rainer’s concise work, I Will: Nine Traits of an Outwardly Focused Christian offers numerous suggestions.

When it comes to the topics of evangelism, reaching out to the dechurched and unchurched, and anything related to being an outwardly focused Christ follower many of us have excuses. Let’s consider excuses not to share Jesus or invite others to church from Chapter Five of I Will.

Five Excuses Not To Speak

Not my gift. Our most common excuse is to spiritualize. That’s not my spiritual gift; I’m not an evangelist. Though true that not all posses the spiritual gift of evangelism, all Christ followers are commanded to go and tell the Good News.

Not my job. If we don’t spiritualize, we excuse ourselves as amateurs. We’ve hired professionals—our pastors and staff. We don’t need to do the work of ministry; that’s their job. But it is our job to be ambassadors for Christ no matter our gifts.

Not enough time. Time is always a concern. You don’t understand how busy I am. I just don’t have time to share the Gospel. If you are too busy to tell others about Jesus and invite them to church, then we must ask: What are your priorities? It’s simple—be friendly and talk to people.

Not offend. Overreactions to opposing opinions are epidemic. I don’t want to impose my beliefs on others; I wouldn’t want to offend. If the Gospel is indeed Good News, then what are we afraid of? If the local church is THE hope of the world, then why not include everyone?

Not outgoing. If giftedness or other excuses don’t fit, then a good number of people default to personality. You don’t understand. I’m an introvert. I can’t talk to people. Sure you can! You talk to plenty of people every day. Now share the hope of Jesus and his church.

May we be so full of the Holy Spirit and so enabled by his presence in our life that we speak to others like Peter and John in Acts 4:19-20, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

The lost and dying of this world need Jesus. The dechurched and unchurched need Jesus. We can share his love. We can share the Gospel. We can invite people to church. Speak.

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To read the first of The Great Dechurching posts, click here.

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