There is a wide gap between how pastors are trained and what churches expect of them. Pastors are trained to preach, while congregations expect them to manage a complex, non-profit organization, measuring their success by the people in the pews and the dollars in the plate. On top of that, the ever-increasing complexity of local church ministry is demanding more money while the rules of funding ministry are changing, leaving many pastors feeling uncomfortable, unprepared, and overwhelmed. Ben Stroup understands this dilemma well. While serving as pastor of a small, rural congregation that grappled with a changing community and the need to build a more sustainable funding model, he sought in vain for a resource to help manage the tension between balancing money and ministry. Building on his church staff and business experience, Ben has effectually translated non-profit development strategies and techniques into the language and practice of the local church. With practical tools and effective leadership principles that can be immediately implemented, he assists churches in changing the conversation from What do we have to cut to survive? to What does God want us to do next? If you desire to gain a better understanding of how to lead your church through tough and prosperous economic times, and if you believe God will provide all you need to accomplish the ministry he has placed on your heart, this book will be an invaluable resource to help you fund your God-inspired vision. Praise for Church Giving Matters We owe Ben a debt of gratitude for his courageous and helpful approach to a topic that has virtually been a four letter word to the church--"cash." We often pretend that we can effectively advance the kingdom through a great commission strategy without talking about money. Ben strips away all the pretense and tells us that more money translates into more ministry. You will love the emphasis on sustainability. Dr. Ken Hemphill, National Strategist for Empowering Kingdom Growth and author of Making Change: A Transformational Guide to Christian Money Management In a day when budgets are tight and giving is incredibly challenging, this book is worth its weight in gold...if not diamonds. For every pastor, staff member, and committed lay leader, this volume is invaluable. Dr. Jerry Sutton, former President of the Southern Baptist Convention's Pastor's Conference and Professor at the Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Every decade a stewardship resource comes along that influences positive change in giving. Masterfully crafted advice lies within the pages of this book which if followed, will positively impact what you ll have for what you want to do. Give one to every deacon and elder in your church. I did! Dr. Scott Preissler, Eklund Professor of Steward Leadership, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary This book hits at the heart of what pastors and lay leaders need to know about giving. Ben has thoughtfully and carefully provided practical applications that will help church leaders increase the base of res

Money Matters in Church helps leaders to discover a one-stop, comprehensive model for managing finances and fundraising. It guides leaders of any size church or ministry to create a culture of giving that supports savvy, faithful, and legal financing. The authors present a biblical theology of stewardship that supports ways to develop donors and maximize contributions, enact a strategic budget and effective audit process, project income and expenses, work with banks, compensate staff, and address debt. The book's practical step-by-step approach makes finance issues understandable for leaders without a business background.

Presenting the findings of the largest and most incisive study of factors influencing church giving in America ever done, this book details information from 625 churches and their members and offers surprising conclusions about member contributions. Also provided is an in-depth exploration, with relevant case studies, of 12 successfully funded churches.

Ten things you can do today to increase giving at your church.

Everybody wants to be spiritual. But nobody wants to be religious. Everybody is looking for a rich spiritual life. But nobody is looking to church.As a pastor, Todd Hunter found himself disillusioned, burned out and needing to drop out of traditional forms of church. He experimented with house churches and other options but was still dissatisfie...

Hearing a young attorney speak of the faith-based reasons for which he had just made a substantial monetary gift to a community youth center, Clif Christopher asked the speaker if he would consider making a similar contribution to the congregation of which he was an active member. "Lord no, they wouldn't know what to do with it" was the answer. That, in a nutshell, describes the problem churches are facing in their stewardship efforts, says Christopher. Unlike leading nonprofit agencies and institutions, we too often fail to convince potential givers that their gifts will have impact and significance. In this book, Christopher lays out the main reasons for this failure to capture the imagination of potential givers, including our frequent failure simply to ask. Written with the needs of pastors and stewardship teams in mind, Not Your Parents’ Offering Plate provides immediate, practical guidance to all who seek to help God’s people be better stewards of their resources.