Church Stewardship: The Challenge of 3

As we've mentioned before, there is so much that churches can do to encourage and support giving. There are three main reasons people give to organizations: Belief in an organization's mission, leadership commitment to the organization, and the organization's potential sustainability.

With these three important factors in mind, I’d like to challenge every council of every CRC congregation to consider The Challenge of 3s. There are three things you can start doing today and in the coming months that I believe will change your congregation's outlook on supporting the church. I challenge you to give them a try and watch how it changes your church.

1. Have three testimonies a quarter at your church. Yes, really, let people from your church give their testimony at church during the service. Let them share how the church is impacting their life for Christ. People give when they know they are making a difference. You have to show people they are making a difference.

Now I know I just had a whole lot of pastors and worship planners gasp or shake their heads. You might even have said "no way" out loud. I understand when people are asked to share their story in church, many share way too much and often go on for longer than they should. We had one in my church, and the testimony went for 20 minutes. The guest pastor had to cut 15 minutes out of his message. After the service, I was talking to him and thanking him for his abbreviated message. His comment to me was, "Maybe you should only pay me half." What's interesting, however,  is that, months later, I remember the speaker’s testimony and the impact she told us the church made on her life. I could not tell you what the sermon was last week. 

If you need to control the time, videotape it and share the video during the service. It's too easy today to videotape a testimony. Then your tech people can edit it down to three or four minutes, and the pastor still has time for a complete paycheck. Three testimonies a quarter, do it!

2. Make your church one of the top three places you give. As council or leaders in the church, model your commitment to your congregation by making your church one of the top three places you give. Notice I am not telling you how much to give or what percentage to give. I am simply telling you to put your church in the top three. Not everyone who is elected into leadership will be able to give of their treasure. But, if treasure is limited, these leaders could be giving of their  time and talents to support your church. Are each of you putting your church in the top three places to invest your time? Are you putting your church in the top three places you are using your talents? 

People are inspired by leaders and what leaders do. When people see others giving of their time to usher, sing, play an instrument, or greet people at the door, they get inspired to put their time into the same things. People will give when they see their leadership giving. You don't have to tell people what you give, but make sure people know you believe giving is important, and be ready to explain that this is because you know that everything belongs to God and we are merely stewards of what God gives us. 

3. Write three thank-you cards per month. As council members or leadership, write three thank-you notes (each) per month to people in the church. Do not make this a conversation in the back of the church on a Sunday morning (although that is also good to do). Do not make this an email. Instead, pick up a pen and write an old-fashioned thank-you note that can be put in the mail. People are inspired when they know they are making a difference, and a note in the mail shows them that someone not only noticed their contributions, but took time to acknowledge them. "Thanks, John, for giving of your time ushering on Sunday. We could not get all the people in their seats without you." "Mary, thank you for teaching Sunday school to our kids; sharing your talent of teaching is helping to form our kids' faith." "Beth and Ken, your financial generosity every week is a blessing to the work of our church. Your gifts are impacting lives." These notes do not need to be anything big  or complicated. They don’t need to be flashy or expensive. A  simple "I noticed, and I appreciate you" goes a long way.

There it is, my challenge of 3s!

 I can tell you I have started doing this in my own work and my own life. Some of it has been harder than other parts. But, after doing it for a while, it becomes easier, and I have become more aware of how people's use of time, talent, and treasure impacts me and others. Get to it and try it. I challenge you to do this and see how God uses this to change you and your church. But especially how you start living with an attitude of abundance rather than scarcity.