Joe Park, CEO, Horizons Stewardship:"Vision and a Strategic Ministry Plan are Key" - Part 1
As many of you know, I have been a consultant with Horizons Stewardship for the past three years. Not to brag, but in its history, Horizons has raised more than ten billion (you read that right) to assist churches and faith-based nonprofits to “grow disciples and fund ministry.”
I thought it was about time to interview our CEO, Joe Park. I was thrilled when he said he’d take time out of his busy schedule to answer some of my questions.
Cesie: You’re a lay person who had a career in banking. How did you find yourself doing generosity work?
Joe: To my surprise, I clearly heard in prayer, “Will you serve me in full-time ministry?” Believing it was God, I left the bank, where I was serving as CEO. I was already on Horizons' advisory board, so Clif [Christopher, founder of Horizons Stewardship] invited me to join him in his work with churches while I explored seminaries.
Along the way, God made it clear to me that seminary was not the path I was to take, so I leaned into the door that was open at Horizons, where I have found joy and fulfilling ministry for 25 years.
What trends are you seeing in thriving churches?
Vision & Strategic Ministry Plan: 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.
In years past, churches spent six months tweaking and refining their mission statement and values, and found they had little energy left to align on measurable outcomes, processes, timelines, and accountability. The most effective planning I am seeing reverses the time investment by focusing on the preferred future and the plans to achieve it, then seeing and addressing misalignment with the mission. A helpful resource to learn more can be found in my post, Strategic Ministry Planning.
Small Groups and Serving: There is a very strong correlation between increased generosity and people involved in small groups who engage in community building, care, spiritual formation, and/or serving.
A study at Church of the Resurrection found that households in small groups that are actively serving gave 3.5X more than those who attend worship one-two times per month but are not in small groups. Most churches underfund spiritual formation and serving ministries, but the evidence is clear: this is the space God is using to grow disciples.
Percentage Giving: Churches that define what they believe the Bible says about generosity and create a giving pathway of growth – using the percentage of household income as the only measure of giving – far outgive churches with unclear theologies of generosity and unclear calls to action. These unclear calls include: “give a little more” and “Increase your giving by 5 percent of this year’s giving to cover the increase in our budget.” This asks those not giving much to continue not giving much.
To illustrate: If we ask a schoolteacher making $60,000 and giving $500 a year to grow 5 percent of their current giving, we have asked this person to give $50 more. A schoolteacher with the same salary who gives $5,000 was asked for $500.
Better to ask both of them to prayerfully increase their giving by one or more percent of their income this year as part of a plan to grow to a 10 percent tithe. Both are asked to prayerfully consider increasing their giving by 1 percent or more of their income or $600 on a plan to grow to $6,000 per year. Proportional giving. Donor-centric versus church-centric.
Successful congregations also clearly define and consistently use terms such as give, tithe, offering, and generosity.
What negative trend have you seen across churches of all sizes?
Active Christians are shifting their giving from their local church to other nonprofits. Sixty-seven percent of all giving is spiritually motivated, but only 23% is going to the church, down from almost 60% 50 years ago.
Our best givers increasingly view the church as just one of many options for their giving. Too many churches are failing to make the case that giving to God’s work through the local church is good stewardship. Every church should be able to create a Case for Support based on its mission, vision, and the effective accomplishment of its signature ministries.
What positive trend has surprised you?
Millennials: Millennials now out give Generation X in terms of total charitable giving and giving to the church. Millennial households that are regular givers are the most engaged generation in the church for worship and small groups.
###
Friends – that wraps up Part 1 of this conversation with Joe Park. Tune in next week when we’ll be talking about:
increasing generosity in small churches
should a pastor know who gives what?
capital campaigns.
See you then.
###Cesie Delve Scheuermann (pronounced “CC Delv Sherman,” yes, really) is a Stewardship Consultant for the OR-ID Annual Conference. She is also a Senior Ministry Strategist with Horizons Stewardship – helping with capital campaigns and encouraging more generosity. For 25 years, while working as a volunteer and part-time consultant, she has helped raise millions of dollars for numerous churches and non-profit organizations. Need a little inspiration? Take a listen to Audra Day singing “Rise Up.”
You can reach Cesie at inspiringgenerosity@gmail.com, at CesieScheuermann.com, or at cesieds@horizons.net. Want to schedule a meeting? She’s got you covered!
Schedule a meeting now.
If someone has forwarded this to you and you would like to subscribe to "Inspiring Generosity," click here. Miss an issue? Click here.