George Barna, How to Increase Giving in Your Church: A Practical Guide to the Sensitive Task of Raising Money For Your Church or Ministry. Regal Books, 1997.
Referenced in: Giving and Financial Stewardship
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
George Barna usually gives very insightful analysis and helpful prescriptions based on the best practices revealed by his research. His strategy for stewardship development is not the strength of the book, and is a bit more “budget-based” than many of the other resources on this subject. He helps church leaders understand their donor-base demographics (personal background), psychographics (attitudes and values), and theolographics (spiritual perspectives and practices). He also probes the motives for giving, garnering insights from research on why people give charitably. One of the most helpful chapters, “Segmenting the Donor Base,” describes five categories of donors, and suggests how to move people from one category to the next to raise the level of commitment. He also discusses practical strategies for churches to “market” their ministries internally to create a better informed membership. The book closes with a helpful summary of 14 principles for improving stewardship. This may not be the first place to go for help on this subject, but it makes some helpful contributions.
From the Publisher
One of the most difficult tasks facing any church leader is the issue of raising funds. It’s not that we don’t realize that tithing and giving are biblical issues: God’s Word is full of strong statements about the stewardship of money. But how does a pastor convey God’s heart for stewardship? Literally, what’s the best way to raise the money your church needs to survive? Obviously, God is the one who builds the church – He is the ultimate provider. But what’s the best process of shepherding the funds He has for your church? This step-by-step guide will give you tools you need to raise funds in your church – scripturally and successfully—without compromising biblical integrity. After all, it’s God’s church and His money—but our responsibility to manage it.
About the Author
George Barna is the Directing Leader of the Barna Research Group, Ltd., a full-service marketing research company in Ventura, California that specializes in research for Christian ministries. George is the best-selling author of books such as The Power of Vision, The Frog in the Kettle, and Boiling Point. He is also the publisher of The Barna Update, a free biweekly research report published online at www.barna.org. He and his family live in Southern California.
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