Generosity Strategies & Tactics

What does it take to develop generous givers in your church, and address people’s hearts more than their wallets? Churches need to shift the conversation from obligatory tithing and meeting budgets to giving and generosity being part of the full picture of spiritual development. While we’re at it, we can also make it easier for people to exercise this act of the heart by providing up-to-date options such as text and mobile giving. In the latest generosity podcast from Leadership Network, Chris Willard and generositylabs.org founder Kenny Jahng discuss how to make it ha

It could take years of conversations, lots of patience and hard work for married couples to move from financial “roommates” to soulmates who are pursuing biblical stewardship together—but it’s worth it. In the latest Leadership Network generosity podcast, Lead Pastor Ron Jones of Atlantic Shores Baptist Church in Virginia Beach shares some of the principles that have helped couples in his church move toward financial oneness.

We train disciples of Jesus to study their Bible, pray and share their faith. But where does teaching on stewardship and generosity fit in? That may be the most vital missing link in our discipleship efforts, as we explore in the latest generosity podcast from Leadership Network with Executive Director of Discipleship.org, Dr. Bobby Harrington.

Can you build a generosity culture in your church if your focus is solely on non-Christians? Is it possible to think you're acting in faith as you lead a church in the area of finances when you've  actually crossed the line to foolishness? Along with all the other demands of being a pastor of impact, do you need to be good with money, too? Shawn Lovejoy, a former megachurch pastor and author of Be Mean about the Vision, and Jim Sheppard, founder and CEO of the church generosity consulting company, Generis, tackle these and other questions in the latest Leadership Network generosity podcast.  

Campus pastors at multisite churches have plenty of plates to keep spinning. So many, in fact, that a vital one may get missed. In this latest Leadership Network generosity podcast, Chris Willard discusses with Mike Schirle, the East Campus Pastor for Discovery Church in Orlando and leader of stewardship ministry at Discovery's other campuses, some of the ways campus pastors can develop a heart and culture of generosity at their campus site.

In our efforts to lead people in our churches toward lives of generosity and to honor God with their finances, we might have unknowingly created an “imbalanced narrative”—an uneven story that is keeping us from living lives of radical generosity in all areas of life, not just money. In his latest Leadership Network generosity podcast, Chris Willard discusses three powerful reasons to lead our churches to focus on holistic generosity—a life that gives of our essence like Jesus and not just our excess.

You've realized that having a generosity and stewardship ministry is a major need at your church but where do you start? When you view the landscape and see all the great programs to help people master this vital area of discipleship, how do you start tackling this ministry giant? In this Leadership Network Article, Chris Goulard of Saddleback Church offers some great principles for getting started. To listen to this podcast (and previous ones), click here: http://leadnet.org/generosity-podcast/

Sharla Langston offers some great advice for church leaders who want to engage women in this fundamental discipleship issue, and bring them into the fold of generous givers in your church.

Mobilizing a church toward generosity is a challenge anywhere. But what about in a church where many people struggle financially? How do you move people toward generous giving when they are living in near-poverty themselves? In this podcast, Dr. Stacy Spencer of New Direction Christian Church in Memphis shares principles that move his people to be generous givers despite their financial circumstances.

How do you keep the life and energy in your church's capital campaign during the life of the campaign?  Mosaic Church Executive Pastor Phil Taylor explains strategies and ideas that have worked for their church in Orlando.

How's giving going in your church? You might be surprised what you find out if you are tracking three vital generosity metrics that most churches miss. Learn what they are and why they matter in the latest generosity podcast from the Director of Leadership Network’s Generosity initiatives, Chris Willard. His conversation with David Thoroughman, CEO of donor analytics firm Mortarstone, will give you needed insight into the metrics that tell the real story. To listen to this podcasts (and previous ones), just click here: http://leadnet.org/generosity-podcast/

The senior pastor has to lead the charge and take on some unique roles in developing Christ-followers with a generous heart. So we recently caught up with Ron Edmondson, senior pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, KY to talk about some practical ways senior pastors can foster a culture of generosity in their churches. Ron and Immanuel have a great story of seeing the heat turned up on the church’s generosity. As part of a four-year revitalization, the 107-year- old congregation has gone from $600,000 in debt to having $600,000 in reserves—a $1.2 million swing.