Ben Stroup

As we begin the fourth quarter of the calendar year, it’s a good time to begin thinking about (if you haven’t already) your strategy for preaching on giving. I want to offer you three do’s and don’ts when it comes to preaching on giving:

DO…

1. Include your personal testimony of giving. Allow people to see and hear the “how” and “why” behind your discipline of giving.

2. Provide a plan for people to start where they are and incrementally move toward (and beyond) the tithe. Everything in life is a process. Just as we have to learn to walk, talk, eat, etc., we must also learn to give and grow in our habit of giving.

3. Craft a call to action. Why spend the time and effort to tee it up and then not ask people to make some measurable commitment or respond in some specific way. People want to be asked. Some are waiting to give until you ask.

DON’T…

1. Apologize for talking about money. It’s in the Bible. You can’t just ignore it.

2. Believe that people will just give. It’s a lie. People rise to the level of expectation set for them.

3. Forget to connect money to impact and life change. Remember that the person in the pew doesn’t live as close to the ministry details as you do. It’s never a good idea to let them connect the dots because they usually won’t.