There is no single act a church can take that will bring about more giving and volunteers than having people engage in small groups that are teaching the Bible and caring for others.

There is a clear connection to churches that show year-over-year growth, have a vision (a picture of their preferred future described in measurable, time-bound terms), and, more importantly, have a flexible 3-5-year strategic ministry plan to implement this vision. 

Which experience are you giving people who visit your congregation? Are you upbeat and happy to meet a new person? Or do you ignore the visitor, project a Debbie Downer façade, and hope someone else will tell them hello?

But how about in the hallowed halls of your church? Do you have guardrails in place to ensure that your congregation isn’t getting ripped off from within?

Many of you have dreams of ministries your church could be doing. But…it’s not in the budget. Fair enough. Not every dream and aspiration is meant to see the light of day.
 
However, what about the idea that you have fleshed out – the one that has real possibilities? Your dream is big….
 
What to do?
 
Make your case to the most generous members of your congregation.

Over the next two decades, an eye-popping $124 trillion will transfer from Baby Boomers to younger generations.

Here’s another jaw dropping stat:

Only 6-9% of all bequest dollars go to charitable organizations.
 
Do you know why? No one bothered to ask for that legacy gift.

The new family who has been attending your church for the past month or two has written their first check to your church or has given for the first time online.
 
How are you going to respond?
 
For most congregations, it’s with...silence. 

Younger generations are primed to give to congregations and organizations they feel are authentic, have purpose, and are a place where they belong.

If you reframe how you view stewardship, generosity, and money, your ability to talk about those three things will become one of joy, not burden. It will be fun. Trust me, I’ve seen it with my own eyes.

Researching potential grants for your projects can be time-consuming, but it’s time well spent. Take half a day and dedicate yourself to finding the right foundation.