people in biblical stewardship . And third , providing a small , free gift reinforces a spirit of generosity .
The Barna Research Group released an interesting study addressing the low levels of giving among self-professed Christians . As part of their research , they identified five issues that keep people tightfisted :
Some people lack the motivation to give away their hard-earned money because the church has failed to provide a compelling vision for how the money will make a difference in the world . These are donors who can find other uses for their money and are not excited about simply handing money over to the church . The second group is those who see their giving as leverage on the future . They withhold money from the church because they do not see a significant return on their investment . The third segment is comprised of people who do not realize the church needs their money to be effective . Their church has done an inadequate job of asking for money , so people remain oblivious to the church ’ s expectations and potential . The fourth group is composed of those who are ignorant of what the Bible teaches about our responsibility to apply God ’ s resources in ways that affect lives . The final category contains those who are just selfish . They figure they worked hard for their money and it ’ s theirs to use as they please . Their priorities revolve around their personal needs and desires .
Effective follow-up — especially when combined with education from the pulpit and a thoughtful offering procedure — has the potential to counter every one of these five issues . Followup solidifies your efforts to teach your people about biblical stewardship and to encourage them to give . Plus , it gives you the opportunity to continue discipling your people as you move them along the giving continuum .
Think of follow-up as the great connector .
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