Transcript Document

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Introducing Giving in Grace
Stewardship resources for
the local church
www.givingingrace.org
www.cocreatedesign.com/clientarea/diocesegig/admin
What is Giving in Grace?
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A biblically based and practical programme
which teaches generosity as the heartbeat of
Christian stewardship and challenges
congregations to “excel in the grace of giving”
as:
– the primary means for securing and sustaining
the ministry and mission of the local church
– a formative aspect of personal discipleship
– an act of worship and thanksgiving
Does differentiation matter?
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Tax efficient giving
40
30
20
10
0
Givers
£8 - £10 - £15 £5 £3 £2 Under £1 £20 +
£1 £1.99 £2.99 £4.99 £7.99 £9.99 £14.9 £19.9
5
36
9
18
17
3
6
1
7
Skewed giving
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Key principle: leadership
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 1 Chronicles 29:1-9
– David’s treasury gift
– David’s personal gift
– Leader gifts
 The people rejoiced at
the willing response of
their leaders, for they
had given freely and
wholeheartedly to the
LORD.” (v9)
16/07/2015
Key principle: leadership
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 Story tellers
 Deuteronomy 26:1-11
 Model a generous
response
Key principle: leadership
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 Architects of grace
 Institutionalise stewardship
– Giving Insight: 26.5%
proportional giving (21% CW)
– Most people don’t think
theologically about their
giving –
– Extent to which giving is
institutionalised in church
practice
Key principle: theology
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 Not fundraising from other
people but stewardship by
God’s people
 Not short term budget fix
but helping build a culture
of generosity in the church
 Not just resourcing
ministry and mission but
an aspect of discipleship
a study of four denominations
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Reason
RC
Presbyterian
AOG
Mennonite
To pay the church
bills
53
44
0
5
Membership
responsibility
93
89
44
60
Giving to God or
love of God
0
6
39
15
Obedience to bible
or God
13
11
100
45
Out of gratitude
27
6
11
50
To meet needs
20
28
22
50
All I have is from
God
7
6
28
40
God will bless/
meet my needs
13
0
67
10
Why the biblical approach?
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 Budget or needs
driven appeals:
– Lower levels of giving
– Recreate yesterday
– Success undermines
culture change
– Decouple money from
bible; the offering
becomes a whip round
– Creates a theological
vacuum and gags the
church, save for meeting
needs
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Practical: a blended approach
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 Tools for understanding &
planning church finances
 Clear cash targets and
giving guidance
 Different motivations:?
– To make our church secure
for the future
– To resource the ministry and
mission of the church
– As an expression of personal
faith and obedience to the
teaching of the bible
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Key principle: differentiation
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 meeting people where they are:
–
–
–
–
–
personal faith
relationship with church
awareness of financial matters
understanding of bible and faith
economic situations
 encouraging them to take a step
along their journey of
generosity
 clarity of communication – don’t
ask everyone for everything
 Differentiate only on what we
know:
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Case studies
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 A growing rural village in
Cheshire: £192 p/w; 20%
increase in planned giving
 Rural Lancs town: £400
pledged increase per week
 Small, deprived new town
estate in Lancashire: £59
p/w ; 50% giving increase
 Winchester: addressed a
£20,000 per year shortfall
in income
 Small town in Midlands:
£500+ weekly increase
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Giving in Grace: programme
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Prayer
groups
children
socials
Preaching
visiting
Communic
ation
Exodus
Matthew
Luke
2 Corinthians
Letters
brochure
response
forms
Leadership:
Planning group and PCC
Case statement
The case statement
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• Foundational document of
the programme
• Structure for preparation
• Tests leadership
commitment
• Makes the case for giving
– mission and vision
– disciplined interpreting finance
– framework for planning group
Preaching as the keystone
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 Letters, socials appeal to
needs and outline benefits
but the sermon talks about
God’s action in Jesus
 Creates a culture in which
other stewardship tasks
can flourish
 It cannot stand alone and
it cannot bear the full
weight of money
expectations
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Preaching
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• Three – four week
preaching series
• Choose the preaching
track:
–
–
–
–
Matthew
2 Corinthians
Luke
Exodus: all age and
adult resources
• Optional Harvest
resources
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Communication
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• Differentiated letters to the leaders,
planned, plate (and friends?)
• A single brochure setting out financial
facts and ministry goals
• Response forms to be returned
• Follow up:
• Thank you letters
• Reminder letters
• Follow up information requests
Small groups
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• Providing opportunities for people to talk together, ask
questions, change the culture in which money is discussed
in the church.
• Small group resources:
– Exodus
– Seasons of Giving: Luke’s gospel
– 2 Corinthians 8 and 9
– Links to other small group
resources
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Social events
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 Informal setting for
presenting financial needs
 Ideal for engaging
associational members
 Complements preaching
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Children and young people
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 Cry Freedom!
all age resources
from Exodus
 Seasons of Giving
for children (Luke)
 Ideas:
comprehensive
youth and
children’s material
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Visiting
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• All churches should personally visit to follow up a response
that has been made
• Churches should consider Parish Visiting as a means to
delivering and discussing the literature to help and
encourage church members to make their response.
• It may be necessary to use the differentiated database to
visit a section of the congregation
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The priority of prayer
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 Liturgical materials for
each sermon theme
 Plug and play liturgies
– Eucharist
– Service of the word
 Encourage leaders to pray
 Help people to pray and
prayerfully respond
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If you build it he will come!
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 A flexible, modular
programme which leaves
space for local creativity
 A range of practical tools:
– Analyse and plan finances
– Preach and teach generosity
– Ask and thank church
members
 Like flat pack furniture:
– Raw materials
– Guidance
– Needs preparation,
perseverance and passion
16/07/2015