Tag: church life

As I talk with pastors and ministry leaders about transforming the way giving is discussed in their congregations, one of the high points I hit most frequently is the importance of using stories when discussing generosity. I’ll say things like “names over numbers” and “stories instead of statistics,” and we’ll talk at length about the deep-seated human desire for narrative.

As wonderful as alliterative couplets might be, they don’t tell the whole story. (Forgive the pun.) Which is why I want to dive a bit deeper today. And I want to do so with the help of a friend who spends a considerable percentage of his days thinking and talking about giving to churches.

Erik Ely is a Generosity Strategist for Generis, and he brings over 20 years of experience to this conversation. Erik and I had a conversation recently about where, how, and why churches need to deploy stories for the sake of stewardship. (Last alliteration. Promise.) Below are the highlights of that discussion. Enjoy! (more…)

By: Rachel Cross

Volunteers are the lifeblood of most churches. In fact, given their limited budgets and resources, many churches would find it impossible to accomplish their missions without this volunteer work force. That’s why it’s vitally important to establish and maintain a healthy volunteer program.

Here are 5 tips to do just that:

1. Boldly share your vision.

Regularly share how your church intends to make a difference in your community, so that people know who you are and what you stand for (besides Jesus, of course). They’ll be more likely to get on board to help if they are given insight into the impact your church is making to transform lives and make disciples.

2. Make the ask.

After casting vision, be direct. People need to be asked to help with specific volunteer positions and tasks if you want them to dedicate time out of their busy schedules. Write descriptions for each role and create volunteer flyers with the details that you can pass out on Sundays. (more…)