Wednesday, January 4, 2017

"Leading Ideas: Why Some Ministries Need to Die | Stewardship Resolutions for the New Year" from Lewis Center for Church Leadership from The Wesley Theological Seminary of Washington, D.C., United States for Wednesday, January 4, 2016

"Leading Ideas: Why Some Ministries Need to Die | Stewardship Resolutions for the New Year" from Lewis Center for Church Leadership from The Wesley Theological Seminary of Washington, D.C., United States for Wednesday, January 4, 2016 
Why Some Ministries Need to Die by Graham Standish
Every ministry has a lifespan, according to pastor and author Graham Standish. When a church forces dying ministries to stay alive, it prevents new ministries from being resurrected from the death of the old.
A major problem of any struggling church is that it consistently does what it’s always done before, and avoids doing what it’s never done before. Whenever a church has maintained a long-term ministry or mission — one that started with such passion, and that sustained energy for a long time — the ministry will eventually go into decline. It’s the problem of entropy. Every church, every ministry, every pastor, and every leader eventually declines.
Decline isn’t the issue. Allowing things to die is. If there’s no death, there’s no resurrection. And without resurrection, there’s no new life. There’s a life cycle for everything: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2).
Learn to let ministries and mission die when they need to, so that new ministries and mission can be born in their place.
Ecclesiastes speaks an eternal truth, but we try to prevent it by never letting anything die, nor plucking up what is planted. We often just keep doing the same old ministries that were done in the 1980s. We often just keep playing the same music that was played in the 1960s. We often just keep reading the same books, doing the same fundraisers, preaching the same sermons, reading the same materials, and engaging in the same mission programs that have been done before, year after year — especially after people have stopped responding to them. Keeping things alive that need to die can keep us from being creative.
It can be really hard to let certain ministries and missions go, but good leadership knows when to give people permission to let go. For example, when I first came to Calvin Presbyterian Church, I got to see the wonderful Easter Sunrise Service that the church had been doing for years. The youth group led it, and it had a wonderful combination of depth and humor. Each year the worshippers included members of the youth group, their families, and a few other church members.
The following year, the youth director, who also happened to be our music director, asked me if they had to keep doing the sunrise service. I asked him what the problem was. He said, “It’s mostly just the youth and their families that come, but it also makes it really hard for me to prepare for the regular Easter service. I spend so much time corralling the teens, making sure they’re organized, that I don’t really get to do much that’s creative in the regular Easter Service.”
I immediately said to him, “Yeah, go ahead. Don’t do it. We’ll make sure the Worship Committee knows.” He replied, “What are you going to do with people who complain?” I said, “I’ll invite them to organize it next year.” And that’s what happened. We had an older member complain that we weren’t doing the sunrise service, which was her favorite service. I invited her to organize it. She said, “Well, I don’t like it that much.”
We needed to let the service die for something else to come alive. The following year we added an earlier service to our normal Sunday morning routine because of the church’s growth, which made organizing for those two services harder. To still have had a sunrise service would have made Easter Sunday really stressful for the worship staff. We had to let the sunrise service die so that we could become more creative for our regular Easter services.
Letting ministries and missions die at the appropriate time allows new ministries and missions to be born and thrive. A way of thinking about this is by looking at the number of original Christian churches that still exist. Do you know the answer? The answer is none. Even those original churches died so that new ones could be born. And Christianity has been experiencing the cycle of birth, death, resurrection, new birth, life, death, resurrection ever since.
This article is excerpted from Ministry Proverbs: Lessons Learned for Leading Congregations (Morehouse Publishing, 2016) by N. Graham Standish. Used by permission. The book is available through Cokesbury and Amazon.
Read more.
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Stewardship Resolutions for the New Year by 
Stewardship consultant Cesie Delve Scheuermann suggests planning your calendar of stewardship activities for the year. But before you do any asking, she stresses that you need to be deliberate about thanking contributors and telling the story of how their giving is changing lives and making the world a better place.
Now that Christmas is over, you have (maybe) a moment to catch your breath. It’s a good time to reflect on what you want to do to increase the generosity of your congregation in the coming year and plan a calendar of stewardship activities. If you’re nervous about this, make it simple. Take a calendar, pick some dates, and map out when you will:
1. Thank your congregation in worship
Every week or every other week, pick one ministry that your church supports (either directly or indirectly, for example through the use of your building), and say “thank you” to the people in the pews who make it possible for those ministries to happen. People will begin to actually believe that they are the generous people that they already are.
Before you do any “asking,” you need to be “thanking.” Make that your New Year’s resolution.
2. Thank people through personal notes
The phrase “have an attitude of gratitude” is so very helpful. What will be your “gratitude day”? Once a week, take a moment and write five thank you cards to people in your congregation. Even if they don’t give much, thank them for their faithfulness. Let people know that you realize that their tithe matters.
3. Thank people through impact reports in quarterly giving statements
This can come directly from you or from someone else in the congregation. It can paint an overall picture of what’s happening because of people’s generosity, or it can be an individual’s testimony of what the church and faith mean to him or her. Have a child, youth, or someone who you wouldn’t expect write a letter to the congregation. And make sure you say, “Thank you” a lot.
4. Plan a stewardship campaign
A recent email from Lovett Weems caught my attention: “Research suggests that church members who make pledges usually give at least 30 percent more than those who do not, and congregations that seek annual financial commitments have significantly higher levels of overall giving.” So get your stewardship campaign on the calendar now.
5. Determine which holidays and denominational priorities to highlight for special appeals
Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are three traditional times that might warrant an “ask” letter or a special mention in worship. Individual denominations also have occasions where they want congregations to participate in a special focus above and beyond regular giving. You probably can’t do them all. So concentrate on a few and really promote them.
Do you see a pattern here? Before you do any “asking,” you need to be “thanking.” You should be thanking way more than you ask. And by thanking people, you do double duty: you can tell them how your church — through its faith in Jesus — is changing lives and making the world a better place. Thanking and telling good news: that’s definitely worth putting on a calendar. Make that your New Year’s resolution.
This article is adapted from Cesie Delve Scheuermann’s blog “Inspiring Generosity” and used with permission.You can connect with Cesie at inspiringgenerosity@gmail.com.
Related Resources
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The Right Question
Leaders do not need answers. Leaders must have the right questions. Have you noticed when walking through a house, you can often tell when it was built or last updated? So it is with churches. Carey Nieuwhof says that "every church has a date on it" and then provides a right question your church may want to ask:
What is the date on your church? Want more Right Questions? Read Right Questions for Church Leaders.
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Learn to Optimize Your Annual Financial Campaigns
Church members who pledge give 30 percent more than those who do not, and congregations that seek annual financial commitments have significantly higher levels of overall giving. With the Optimizing Annual Financial Campaigns Video Tool Kit you will learn to reap the harvest of generosity through best practices to make your annual financial campaign more effective.
Learn more now.
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Quotable Leadership:
Congregations that are alive are congregations that can embrace change, help people in the midst of changes of their lives, and offer experiences of transformation.[James Lemler]
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Apply Today for Doctor of Ministry Tracks at Wesley Theological Seminary
Earn your Doctor of Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. We are accepting applications for these tracks now:
Church Leadership Excellence: Begins May 2017. Apply by February 15, 2017.
Arts and Theology: Begins January 2018. Apply by October 15, 2017.
Soul Care for Pastors, Chaplains and Clinicians: Begins January 2018. Apply by October 15, 2017.
D. Min in Cambridge: Holiness, Effective Ministry, and Engagement with the World: Begins January 2018. Apply by October 15, 2017.
Learn more and apply today.
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50 Ways to Encourage Faithful Giving
Helping people experience the joy of giving is more than a way of funding the church's ministry. These 50 ways of encouraging faithful giving will help your church members grow in discipleship through devotion to stewardship and extravagant generosity.
50 Ways to Encourage Faithful Giving by Lewis Center
Helping people experience the joy of giving is more than a way of funding the church’s ministry. These 50 Ways of encouraging faithful giving will help your church members grow in discipleship through faithful stewardship and extravagant generosity.
Stress the spiritual dimension of stewardship
  1. Teach stewardship as a holistic model of our relationship with God, as the tangible expression of our trust in God. Giving is a spiritual matter as central to faithful living as prayer, Bible study, and worship.
  2. Reinforce giving as an act of worship. Use the offering time to lift up the spiritual significance of giving. Take an offering at every service.
  3. Set a good example. The pastor should tithe and encourage other ministers, staff, and leaders to do the same. All leaders must take their giving seriously and model generosity.
  4. Talk openly about money and faithfulness to God. If leaders are uncomfortable about money then members will be also. Know your story of giving and be willing to testify about it.
  5. Model the giving spirit you seek from members in your church budget by giving generously to ministries beyond the congregation.
  6. Teach the theology of stewardship through a variety of means — church school classes, other study venues, sermons, and correspondence. Use stewardship scripture, quotations, and stories in bulletins, newsletters, other printed materials, and the website.                                                Know what motivates giving
  7. Know that people give to many things for a variety of reasons. Few have a well-planned or consistent giving strategy. Some give on impulse. Others are more cautious. Different kinds of appeals are effective with different types of givers.
  8. Recognize that people want to make a difference. They will give to what they value.
  9. Appreciate that faithful giving is a fruit of spiritual maturity. It takes time and much nurture to develop.
  10. Do not engage in fund raising. People give to God, not to raise the preacher’s salary or pay the utilities. Don’t make church gifts “one more bill to pay” — a bill that can be skipped without late fees, penalties, or the need to catch-up. Emphasize giving as a joyful response to God’s generosity, not an obligation.
  11. Talk to members about stewardship and opportunities for giving. Most people never increase their giving because they were never asked, nor given compelling reasons to do so. Don’t be afraid to lift up the needs of the church, but always in a way that emphasizes mission.
  12. Nurture relationships. People give to persons and organizations where they feel a connection. Church leaders should listen carefully for clues about issues of importance to church members. Personal solicitation is critical, especially for larger gifts.                                               Link stewardship to mission and ministry
  13. Remember that people — especially younger generations — give to support mission, not institutions or budgets. Everything you communicate about giving should stress ministry, not maintenance.
  14. Congregational vitality is key to giving. Whatever increases member involvement and participation will help giving. Involve as many as possible in the church’s ministries.
  15. Share information freely about the wonderful things giving makes possible. Use announcements to remind people of the impact they are having. Bulletin boards featuring how the church is in mission are good reminders to a congregation. Websites offer ways to tell the church’s story and to interpret stewardship and giving.                                     Know your givers and congregational giving patterns
  16. Do not make assumptions about what people give — most of the time you will be wrong.
  17. Give your pastor access to members’ giving records as a matter of pastoral care, not power or privilege.
  18. Keep alert for any changes in giving patterns — if giving stops without explanation, if an adult child starts writing checks for their parents, if there is confusion about giving, if designated gifts replace general giving, etc. Notify the pastor of any potential pastoral care concerns.
  19. Know your people and approach them where they are. Someone who has never given does not respond in the same manner as someone who gives faithfully, proportionately, and generously.
  20. Understand the financial profiles in your community. If few people carry cash, a spur of the moment offering will not succeed. Remember that more women than men carry a checkbook and younger generations are more inclined to pay by electronic or other non-cash means. A 25 year-old is unlikely to make a stock gift, while an older member on a fixed income may prefer an estate gift to one that reduces their monthly income.
  21. Monitor giving Indicators throughout the year. Compare pledge payments with those of previous years.
  22. Know how actual income compares to budgeted income for a given time of year. Avoid reporting what is “needed to date” by dividing the total budget into equal monthly or weekly segments. No congregation receives its income so evenly. Instead, determine how much income is “needed to date” based on a rolling three-year average of what percent of total giving is normally received during that period.                    Provide a variety of ways to give
  23. Give people multiple opportunities to give. Those new to the church may be unfamiliar with the concept of pledging and tithing. Other ways of giving can get them in the habit.
  24. Consider sending some appropriate communication a few times a year to those who do not pledge and to non-resident members.
  25. Remember that people can give from their income, from their assets (stock, 401Ks, bonds and real property), or through legacies or bequests. Create giving opportunities appropriate to each type of gift.
  26. Don’t wait decades between capital campaigns. More frequent capital drives create a culture of supporting the church’s capital needs and prevent neglect of property concerns.
  27. Create a foundation or permanent fund, even if you have not yet received any bequests. People cannot give to what does not exist. Formulate policies for wills, legacies, and bequests. A large estate gift can be divisive if proper procedures are not in place.                                                 Assist members in the stewardship of their personal resources
  28. Remember that personal finances and spending decisions are as much a part of Christian stewardship as giving to the church. Too often churches ask people to consider the church’s financial situation, but seldom offer to help with members’ financial situations.
  29. Teach members to think about their finances as an expression of faith. Use appropriate study resources to foster a theology of personal stewardship. Reinforce tithing and “first-fruits” giving as a faithful way of prioritizing one’s personal finances – not a way to pay church bills.
  30. Offer workshops on budgeting, financial management, and estate planning.
  31. Encourage sessions in which members can come together to discuss personal financial challenges. For example, parents of students preparing for college could discuss educational funding options. Those responsible for aging parents could come together to talk with other members who have learned of resources to help.
  32. Minister to the economic concerns of parishioners. Provide pastoral assistance and support groups for the unemployed, those in career transition, and those facing financial difficulty.                                              Develop a year-round, comprehensive stewardship program
  33. Preach stewardship sermons throughout the year, not just in the weeks before asking for an estimate of annual giving.
  34. Know that developing a congregation of faithful givers does not happen during a three to four-week stewardship drive. People do not become faithful stewards in one moment or through one influence.
  35. Create an annual stewardship calendar, emphasizing different stewardship concerns at different times of year – such as annual commitment in the fall, second-mile giving at year-end, planned giving at All Saint’s Day, etc. Develop stewardship themes that fit with different church events and liturgical seasons.
  36. Encourage faithful giving over the summer by preaching on stewardship the last Sunday before school is out. Everyone knows the churches bills do not go on vacation, so quit reminding your members of that.
  37. Make giving and stewardship education a part of your ministry with children and youth.
  38. Take the time to do everything related to stewardship well. Poor planning results in poor giving. Inspire generosity through sound management
  39. Know that people give to healthy organizations where they know their money is used wisely.
  40. Exhibit honesty and openness in financial interactions.
  41. Seek a good working relationship based on trust between the pastor, treasurer, and financial secretary.
  42. Make sure at least two unrelated people count the offering each week.
  43. Make sure all funds are administered properly. Keep precise records of income and dispersements. Keep your giving records secure.
  44. Keep the congregation informed of financial matters in meaningful ways. Issue timely financial reports and make them available to any member who requests them. Report financial concerns in a consistent manner.
  45. Send out pledge reports/giving statements in a timely fashion, always with a thank you and a reminder about any update that may be needed.
  46. Arrange for an independent audit or review of funds annually. Put a brief announcement in the Sunday bulletin a few times stating the completed audit has been reviewed by the finance committee and is available to members wishing to review it.  Say thanks often
  47. Find multiple occasions and ways to say “thank you” to those who make the church’s ministry possible — from the pulpit, in person, in the newsletter, and on their giving statements.
  48. Conduct an annual “thank-a-thon” not associated with a fund drive.
  49. Tell stories of how lives are changed because of their giving. People need to know their giving makes a difference.
  50. As a sign of appreciation, make sure all your procedures for giving are as convenient as possible. Avoid procedures and policies that are for the convenience of those who handle the funds rather than those who give the funds.
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Editors: Dr. Ann A. Michel and Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr.
Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary
Connect with the Lewis Center:

Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Wesley Theological Seminary
4500 Massachusetts Avenue NorthWest
Washington, D.C. 20016, United States
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