Beyond the Ordinary

Finances and Faith

By Joelle Kopacz

"Money is the opposite of the weather. Nobody talks about it, but everybody does something about it." - Rebecca Johnson, novelist

Money is a touchy subject to talk about in daily life—and it’s also a difficult issue to discuss from the pulpit. Pastors may be afraid that if they preach about money they will offend others and attract criticism. (For more reasons pastors avoid preaching sermons about money, click here.)  And pastors’ fears aren’t completely unwarranted.  Although nearly three in four worshipers (72%) report that they worry about finances “a lot” or “sometimes,” half of worshipers think that money is an inappropriate topic of discussion in worship (22%) or are unsure about such discussions (31%).

The other half of worshipers think talking about money in worship is acceptable (48%).  Who are these worshipers who are most receptive to Sunday morning discussions about finances?

Worshipers who give generously to the congregation are more likely to think money is an appropriate topic of discussion.  Nearly three in five worshipers (57%) who give about 5% or more of their net income regularly to the congregation think it is okay to talk about money in worship. In contrast, one in three worshipers (37%) who regularly give less than 5% of their net income support discussions of money in church.

Conservative Protestants more often find it appropriate to discuss finances in church services.  Two in three conservative Protestant worshipers (64%) are comfortable with conversations about money in church, compared to 47% of mainline Protestant worshipers and 39% of Catholic worshipers.  Conservative Protestants are also more likely than Catholics and mainline Protestants to give 10% or more of their net income to the congregation (see an earlier blog post by Cynthia Woolever).  Perhaps conservative Protestant worshipers are more comfortable in general relating their faith to their finances.

Connected worshipers support the church’s discussion of financial issues.  Worshipers are more likely to think it’s appropriate to discuss financial issues in worship when they are involved in decision making within the congregation, feel a strong and growing sense of belonging to their congregation, and say that their congregation’s worship or activities greatly help them with everyday living.  Worshipers whose lives are invested in their congregation seem more willing to hear what the church has to say about finances.

 

Addressing the topic of money in worship may feel risky or daunting, but it can be done with grace and theological integrity. If you are a pastor, here are some tips for discussing money with your congregation.  To find out how churches are using programs, partnerships, and the pulpit to tackle the economic recession, read this article from Faith and Leadership.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

We’re stuffing today:

Here’s hoping your stuffing is much more delicious!

We’re thankful to every congregation that has taken the U.S. Congregational Life Survey. We couldn’t do what we do without the help of worshipers, pastors, and churches across the country. And thanks for reading!

Recommended Read—Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

By Deborah Bruce

Chip and Dan Heath have another best-seller—Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard. It’s a fascinating read, full of wonderful examples and real-life situations.

Why is change hard? The authors help us understand that the rational, logical side of our brain often competes with the brain’s emotional, instinctive side. They tag the brain’s emotional side as the headstrong Elephant, and the rational side, the Rider. Those images make it abundantly clear that no matter how fantastic the Rider’s vision of change is, the Elephant won’t turn in that direction without encouragement. The rational side wants to lose those extra pounds. The emotional side wants the ice cream. The rational side wants our congregation to begin a new ministry program. The emotional side is perfectly happy with things they way they are.

Riders and Elephants at their worst. But don’t assume that Riders are the good guys, and Elephants prevent change. At their worst, Riders become paralyzed by choice—they spin their wheels in the face of too many options. And they can seem dry and dull—all analysis and no feeling—or negative—always focusing on the problems. At their worst, Elephants are fearful, resistant, and spooked by the possibility of change. They go for short-term satisfaction and are easily demoralized by bigger quests. Yet feelings inspire and motivate Elephants. And Elephants possess incredible strength and drive.

Shaping change. Change can happen when the Rider and Elephant trust one another; when the Rider directs the Elephant toward an appealing destination and shapes the path to get there. The authors show that Shaping the Path is the third key element in change. What appears to be a people problem (they don’t want to change) may instead be a situation problem. Changing the situation—Shaping the Path—makes change more likely.

Find the bright spots. I particularly appreciate the authors’ suggestion to find the bright spots. Just as we encourage congregations to identify and build on their strengths, the book advocates finding bright spots. Learning what already works and doing more of it gives the Rider direction and helps motivate the Elephant.   

The book includes many rich illustrations of successful change in family life, communities, medicine, industry, education, and government. These examples help the reader learn how to Direct the Rider, Motivate the Elephant, and Shape the Path. I came away with a new language for discussing change and lots of practical ideas. I’ve already tried a couple with my husband—successfully I might add!

How might you use these practical tools to make changes in your congregation?

Read the first chapter here.  I know you’ll want to read the rest!

 

More Secrets to a Full Collection Plate: Does the Pastor Matter?

By Cynthia Woolever

In earlier posts, I covered some basic facts about church finances. Where does the money come from to support the local church’s work (salaries, building expenses, ministry programs, etc.)? Typically, congregations receive about 90% of their funds from individual donations. Other sources of congregational funding include trust funds or investments and charges for facility use.  

Faith tradition matters! There are big differences between Catholic parishes, mainline Protestant churches, and conservative Protestant churches in local fundraising. On average, the typical worshiper gives about $1,500 each year to their local church. Worshipers in Catholic parishes contribute the least on an annual basis—an average of $727. This low figure compares to an average of $1,627 for worshipers in mainline Protestant churches and $1,448 for conservative Protestant worshipers.

Church size matters! Average worship attendance is another important consideration in local church funding. In larger churches, more worshipers are “free riders”—people who participate but donate little or nothing. The impact of church size is independent of faith tradition. In other words, all large congregations, regardless of faith tradition, face the free rider challenge.     

Worshipers’ values matter! I previously described how worshipers’ values contribute to church giving levels. When many worshipers agree about what the congregation does best, the average giving in the congregation goes up as well. (Worshipers’ values make a difference in Catholic giving, conservative Protestant giving and mainline Protestant giving.) 

In an earlier post, I noted that the percentage of worshipers giving 10% of more of their income to the local church clearly distinguishes one church from another.  Read on to see which pastoral factors and what other factors contribute to high levels of giving.

The Accelerators in High-Percentage-Tithing Congregations

Does the pastor matter? I wondered if the pastor’s age or experience, theology, or time investments are associated with higher levels of giving in congregations—specifically, tithing, which is contributions of 10% or more of net income. I found that some characteristics of the pastor are relevant to predicting church giving at the 10% or more level. 

What the pastor does. The pastor’s weekly activities are important for predicting higher levels of tithing. All three are related to how pastors invest their time each week. In high-percentage-tithing congregations:

• Pastors spend proportionately more time each week on evangelism activities—visiting or calling on prospective members; working to convert others to the faith.
• Pastors spend proportionately more time each week on administrating the work of the church—including staff supervision and attending meetings.     
• Pastors spend proportionately more time each week in preaching and worship leadership, including sermon preparation.

What worshipers believe, do, and value. Four aspects of the worshipers’ profile are related to higher levels of church tithing. In high-percentage-tithing churches, more worshipers:

• Are theologically conservative.
• Value the wider community care and social justice advocacy of the church.
• Value reaching the unchurched. 
• Attend worship services weekly or more often.

The Decelerators of High-Percentage-Tithing

Not all pastor or worshiper characteristics contribute to high giving levels. In fact, three church characteristics deflate or suppress tithing levels. These features play an important role even when all the other factors are operating as well.

• Catholic parishes tend to have fewer worshipers who tithe.
• Larger congregations have fewer worshipers giving at the 10% level.
• Congregations that are more racially diverse have fewer worshipers giving at the 10% level.

The Bottom Line? Worshipers and pastors are partners in the big job of funding local church mission. When the worshipers and pastor value the church’s mission—and their time commitments reflect that—funding that mission is less difficult.

Previous posts on congregational giving:

Secrets to a Full Collection Plate, part 1

Secrets to a Full Collection Plate, part 2

Ten Reasons Why We Give

Worshipers’ Values Make a Difference in Mainline Protestant Giving

Worshipers’ Values Make a Difference in Conservative Protestant Giving

Worshipers’ Values Make a Difference in Catholic Giving

Congregational Involvement and Individual Giving Go Hand in Hand

 

The Lighter Side of Church Life

By Joelle Kopacz

In a recent blog post, the Rev. James Martin, S.J., describes God as playful, lighthearted, and delighting in us.  How refreshing to think of God as happy and joyful!  Two in three congregations (66%) report that their largest worship service typically includes laughter. These congregations tap into the joy and playfulness of God on a regular basis.

Congregations can reveal God’s lightheartedness to the larger community by using church signs and billboards.  These signs encourage passersby to consider deep matters of faith, while oftentimes evoking a chuckle.  Community members may be drawn to a congregation that they believe has a good sense of humor.

If your church has a sign, consider injecting it with humor.  This can help draw attention to your congregation and attract visitors.  If your congregation doesn’t have a billboard, consider hosting an outreach event that is focused on showing people a good time!  Host a wild-game dinner, a festival, or another activity that will allow the community to see your congregation as a vibrant, happy, and welcoming group of people.

For more funny, creative, or off-beat church signs, visit:

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/01/church-signs-bulletin-bloopers.html

http://ireport.cnn.com/topics/418341/shared/all

For creative church outreach ideas, visit:

http://www.outreachmagazine.com/ideas/index.1.html