I’m trying something I’ve never done before.

Every Thursday during the month of December, I’m going to pick three links I’ve cataloged in my Del.icio.us account during the previous week. (This site houses 100′s of links related to stewardship, generosity, and giving – and the list grows almost daily – that can be easily searched and used for sermon preparation, committee prep, funding strategy, etc.)

Here are my top picks for the week:

1. Top 10 Ways to Screw up Your Year-End Fundraising Campaign

Thoughts: Churches are in the best position to secure funding from the people in the pew. Sadly, churches are often the WORST at doing it. While each of the 10 items listed doesn’t have direct application to the life and practice of the church, pay special attention to numbers 2-5.

2. 5 Trends Affecting Your Ministry in 2010

Thoughts: Funding is directly tied to the people in our pews. We need to ensure those of us who are called to the pulpits of churches are also in touch with the shifts of the people in the pew. I teach that giving begins with the worldview of the giver. This article highlights important shifts that church leaders must be mindful of as they develop a ministry strategy.

3. Giving to Receive: What Legacy Will You Leave?

Thoughts: Don’t be confused by the title. This article isn’t about planned giving. What it’s asking the reader to consider is what point is it to collect and not share. The writer argues that we need to think about how we can invest what we do have in others today. How we practice this in our own lives will determine the legacy we leave behind.

I hope this link collection is helpful to you in your ministry. Be sure to visit my Del.icio.us account regularly for updates or subscribe via RSS.

And always feel free to send links to anything you think is missing.

Also on The Content Matrix: