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Bill McMillan & Kem Meyer > 10 things people want before they start giving (part 11)
Bonus Section
Okay. This really comes after they give, so it doesn’t fit perfectly within the conversation about talking about money. But you will “speak” loudly if you skip this step. We want to express one final thought, one big idea that will change the culture of generosity in your church. Do you want to know what it is?
The one big secret is this: Always say thanks.
“Thank you!” is the most powerful phrase you can use to encourage giving in your church. We are good at presenting the idea, getting stronger at asking people to give, but communication after the gift is made is almost nonexistent in church work. We should take a lesson from secular nonprofit organizations. They are usually excellent at thanking people for their gifts. They send personal notes, make phone calls, and
recognize donors in printed resources.
Giving is not as much of a financial transaction as it is a relational transaction. When you show appreciation and gratitude for all gifts, people are much more likely to give again. Thanking people is something that almost everyone can do. What are you doing to say thanks to your givers?
Conclusion
Money doesn’t have to be a topic you avoid in conversation. Instead, it can be a subject that allows you to talk about life change, personal transformation, and how every person who participates in your weekend experience can make a significant difference—for eternity.
People are ready to give of their time, talent, and treasure when we engage and inspire them through simple, clear, and compelling stories. When church leaders talk about money in healthy ways that provide a process for growth, we invite people to be part of funding the Kingdom and God’s plan to transform the world.
Because people are at different places on their spiritual growth journey, we must be willing to work with them so they become mature, invested givers. Unless we learn to cultivate new givers, the financial future of the church will be limited. We must begin—right now— developing givers by talking about generosity in healthy ways. If we don’t, we will remain static and the gifts God intended to fund His church will find their way elsewhere. There is no better investment than God’s church. Let’s just say we both think it’s something worth talking about.
Download the complete ten part series at RSIstewardship.com
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Books by Bill McMillan and Kem Meyer
About Bill McMillan
Bill McMillan brings thirty years of ministry experience to the RSI team. As Executive Vice President for RSI, Bill serves his team through the management of business development with every client as well as custom services. As an RSI consultant, Bill has served many of America’s great churches to help them grow their stewardship culture and resource their visions. Some churches that Bill has served include Granger Community Church, Eagle Brook Church, Mariners Church, Bayside Church, and Gateway Church in Austin, TX. Bill earned his BA from Wayland Baptist University, his MRE from Southwestern Seminary and his MA in counseling from Texas Tech University.
About Kem Meyer
Kem Meyer is the Communications Director at Granger Community Church. She leads creative, technology and digital media teams to champion clarity and flow across departments and campuses. Her marketplace career spanned 15 years and involved roles in the advertising, business consulting, technology and global financial services fields before joining the staff team at Granger Community Church in 2002. She is a blogger, speaker and author. Find about about joining one of her communication coaching networks at wiredchurches.com/coaching
Connect with Kem Meyer on Twitter, Amazon and her blog.
