{"id":32370,"date":"2022-09-10T16:06:55","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T21:06:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/a-simple-way-to-improve-giving-retention\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T16:06:55","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T21:06:55","slug":"a-simple-way-to-improve-giving-retention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/a-simple-way-to-improve-giving-retention\/","title":{"rendered":"A Simple Way to Improve Giving Retention"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Erik Reed<\/em><\/p>\n

I know they exist. They\u2019re like unicorns or the famed Yeti people claim to have seen.<\/p>\n

What am I talking about? Churches that have plenty of money and don\u2019t need to think about donor development.<\/p>\n

Most churches have more dreams than money. Our ideas for new ministries and initiatives are usually more numerous than the dollars we have to achieve them. And that\u2019s great!<\/p>\n

We should dream big. It\u2019s a good thing to have ambition inspired by the Great Commission.<\/p>\n

But if we\u2019re going to see those dreams become a reality, we need to increase the funds we have for achieving them.<\/p>\n

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As pastors, we\u2019re our churches\u2019 chief donor development strategists. We can\u2019t abdicate our responsibility to cultivate generosity in our congregations.<\/p>\n

One way to increase giving in the congregation is to retain new givers. We need first-time givers to become repeat givers.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve found a simple and effective way to help improve giving retention and genuinely express our gratitude for someone\u2019s gift:<\/p>\n

Write Notes<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Every Monday, I receive a list of names of first-time givers from our executive assistant. I write them a hand-written note on a thank you card that contains our church\u2019s logo.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what I write:<\/p>\n

John,<\/p>\n

I\u2019m writing to thank you for your recent financial contribution to TJC. From a human perspective, we could never run after our mission of showing Jesus as incomparably glorious without folks like you who give.<\/p>\n

We take the stewardship of every penny we receive very serious and seek to use it in a way that honors God and helps people.<\/p>\n

So thank you, and may God bless you as we go forward together.<\/p>\n

Pastor Erik<\/p>\n

This note says three things to the recipient:<\/p>\n

1. Your Gift is Appreciated<\/strong><\/h3>\n

First, it lets them know their gift was recognized and appreciated. When someone gives to your church, they\u2019re making a big decision. We shouldn\u2019t take it lightly.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a shame if someone gives for the first time but never hears anything back. It will feel to them as if it was unnoticed and unneeded.<\/p>\n

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See also  8 Ways to Persevere in Ministry<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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2. Your Gift Helps Our Mission<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Second, the note expresses how important their giving is to the church\u2019s mission. I want the people who receive these notes to understand that apart from people like them who give, we couldn\u2019t lead people to Christ and disciple them.<\/p>\n

Our ministries are fueled by generous giving. I want givers to feel immediately connected to that work.<\/p>\n

3. Your Gift is Used Wisely<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Finally, I want to assure first-time givers we\u2019re going to wisely steward the money they\u2019ve given. Many people are hesitant to give to a church because they\u2019re wondering if the money will be spent wisely.<\/p>\n

My note helps to answer what they may be inherently wondering. We take stewardship seriously.<\/p>\n

I have people approach me regularly to thank me for the hand-written note they received. It\u2019s personal.<\/p>\n

They didn\u2019t receive a form letter from the church office. The pastor took time and wrote to them. That means something. It helps people see their contributions matter!<\/p>\n

If you take the time to incorporate this simple method of follow-up to those who give for the first time, you\u2019ll likely gain a very important thing: a second-time giver.<\/p>\n

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Erik Reed<\/h2>\n

@ErikReed<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Erik Reed is the\u00a0Lead Pastor of The Journey Church in Lebanon, TN.\u00a0He also founded Knowing Jesus Ministries, a non-profit organization that exists to proclaim timeless truth for everyday life. He is\u00a0married to Katrina and has three children: Kaleb (who went to be with the Lord), Kaleigh Grace, and Kyra Piper.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n