Church Executive CHURCH EXECUTIVE NOV-DEC 2017 DIGITAL | Page 23

things you must do
to cultivate generous
givers in your church
Jim Sheppard, Principal of Generis — a consulting firm that
helps churches to inspire and cultivate generosity through giving
development coaching and strategy — talks about the best way to
create an environment of giving.
What role does a pastor need to play to encourage giving?
Sheppard: The pastor must lead the way. Generous churches are
led by generous pastors, and your voice matters more than you realize.
You have to have your own giving journey; this journey isn’t finished,
and you don’t even have to be the furthest along. Often, this starts in
seminary and continues after the leave, as a tithe from everything you
have earned thus far.
How does having my own giving journey influence/affect the
people of my church?
Sheppard: If giving is a struggle for you, it will be a struggle for your
people. I’ve seen this many times while coaching pastors and churches.
It comes across as a disconnect. A pastor will sometimes say things like,
“We’ve had a lot of financial struggles in our family recently. I have a
mother-in-law who had cancer and had a lot of medical expenses that
weren’t reimbursed. I’ve got two kids.” I advise them by saying, “It sounds
like you’re being held captive by your debt. Let’s get you free and then
maybe you can help get your people free.”
When you don’t have a journey, you don’t have the moral spiritual
authority to speak to your people about giving. It’s very important that
you lead the way.
What could hinder personal giving?
Jim Sheppard
Principal
Generis
Sheppard: You can’t just assume that somebody knows what you
mean when you are talking about giving. Articulate what it means for
someone to be a steward. Articulate your church’s beliefs and views on
giving. These messages might vary according to church and pastor. The
important thing is that you make what you believe known — and again,
don’t assume that people know what it means to give and be a steward.
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