ECCU Blog

Your Church blog has posted more information that is sure to provoke discussion about the way your ministry receives donations. 

In the post Report: More Older Americans Prefer Giving Online, ministries are encouraged to consider this new-found information. As the blog title suggests, online giving is no longer a trend only among younger donors; it’s now preferred by older Americans as well. 

How likely is it that this information will change the way your ministry accepts donations?

Have you noticed a decrease in giving to your ministry? I’m sure you have given a lot of thought to possible reasons for the decline, but have you considered that the rise in gas prices could be a contributing factor?

According to a CNN Money article, the average household pays $368 per month on gas – probably the most noticeable increase to a household budget. Your Church blog New Report: Households Spent $368 on Gas Last Month talks about the effects that gas prices could have on giving. It offers direction for how leaders can respond to their congregations and maintain their budget during the summer months as gas prices may continue to rise.

How do you communicate with members or donors about the economy’s impact on their ability to give and on your ministry’s ability to pursue your mission?

Let’s face it; most of us are either controllers or avoiders. We either want to be in charge of the things that scare us, or ignore them altogether. And nothing can strike fear in the heart like finances. So, when it comes to your church’s finances, are you taking too much control? Or not enough? 

According to a Church Central blog post, most ministry leaders either over-function or under-function in this role. How do you know if you’re taking appropriate responsibility? Read What Is Your Responsibility for Church Finances? and let us know where you fall.  

Whether pastors should know what their members give is a touchy subject. In a past post, Doug Roller of Grace Church of Orange, Brian Kluth, former senior pastor of First Evangelical Free Church of Colorado Springs, CO, and Joe Ward of Walnut Ridge Baptist Church in Mansfield, TX weighed in.

To recap, Roller believed that the contributions made by a member is between them and God. Kluth believes a pastor shouldn’t be completely in the dark about giving patterns and suggests that a more appropriate question is, “What should a pastor know about people’s giving?” And Ward suggests periodically evaluating giving practices and notifying senior leadership when appropriate.

Recently, in a Your Church blog by North Coast Church Senior Pastor Larry Osborne, A Pastor’s Thoughts on Knowing What People Give, Osborne took a pretty strong position in favor of knowing what people give. He says it’s better to know instead of making assumptions about a person’s giving.

What are your thoughts about Osborne’s views?

What does it mean to “hurt” another believer? I’m not talking about hurting someone’s feelings, or even causing physical pain. 

If you look at Romans 14, specifically verse 15 (“For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love.”), you see a definition for “hurt” that means causing people to be spiritually weakened by your example. Tempting them to violate their conscience. Causing them to stumble. 

Even among Bible-believing Jesus-followers, there are distinctions in personal convictions. And, clearly, not all convictions are absolute. Some seemingly important issues are “non-essential.” In fact, it is possible that we might actually be wrong on some things that seem really important to us. This passage is not talking about vital non-negotiables of the faith (such as the virgin birth, salvation by grace through faith, or clear commands of Scripture). 

While Romans 14 speaks of close personal relationships, especially in the family and in the church, the passage also applies in a Christian workplace. So, how can we protect the convictions of fellow believers in our work environment? 

• Recognize that sincere, faithful Christians will differ on some important issues. No matter how strongly you may feel, be careful not to judge. Be as fully convinced as you can based on clear scriptural principles and wise counsel. Don’t let your emotions run away, and allow room for differing opinions. (Again, this is in regard to non-essential issues.)
• Seek to be sensitive to the convictions and feelings of one another. Even be willing to give up your right to engage in some activities that you are fully convinced are acceptable before the Lord for the sake of fellow believers. Do not let Satan use such an issue as a wedge.
• Be especially careful to set aside your Christian liberty when there is a possibility that others may choose to engage in the behavior you model, and in the process violate their own conscience. In the Bible, this applied to eating meat offered to idols. Today, we could liken this to abstaining from alcohol around those whose convictions keep them from drinking.
• Avoid asking anyone to violate his conscience. Do not ask any employee to engage in a business activity that violates a sincerely held, biblically based conviction. If a faithful volunteer believes Christian rock isn’t, well, Christian, maybe you don’t ask him to help out with your next concert. 
• Finally, recognize that there is a limit to this responsibility. We cannot modify our behavior for every conceivable situation, nor can we please everyone or avoid every potential offense.  

Have you ever laid aside your Christian liberties to protect the conscience and convictions of a fellow believer? We’d love to hear about it.