Isn't There an Easier Way to Fund Ministry?
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Introduction Many of today’s church leaders face significant challenges when it comes to funding ministry. Attitudes around giving have changed. Tithing is no longer the norm. There are other nonprofit organizations and ministries competing for the attention and resources of our church members. We wrestle with the fact that there is always more ministry to be done, but are handicapped by our lack of ability to fund it. Many of these challenges have forced church leaders to ask… “How often should we talk about money if we want to increase giving?” “What can I do to encourage the next generation to embrace the idea of habitual giving?” “How can we leverage the information and tools available to find new ways to solve these challenges? In essence, all of these questions boil down to… “Isn’t there an easier way to fund ministry?” The short answer is: Yes. Technology provides church leaders with the ability to overcome every single one of these challenges. You have access to more information and insights into your church members to help inspire generosity than ever before. All you need is to know how to use it. We call this intelligent church giving. In this resource, we want to unpack some of the most critical questions when it comes to leveraging the data and technology to overcome today’s financial challenges and set your church on a path toward creating a culture of generosity for funding future ministry.
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What information and tools are available to help us overcome the challenges we face when it comes to church giving? Here are three terms every church leader should know: »» Business Intelligence — In essence, business intelligence is about leveraging actionable data to drive your strategy for funding ministry, measure effectiveness, and improve your efforts for accelerating generosity. It’s more than collecting data and reporting information; it’s turning data into something you can use. »» Marketing Automation — Technology provides a scalable way for you to create a systematic process for cultivating generosity. Technology tools like email marketing automation, recurring gifts through online giving, financial leader productivity tools, and real-time data are also an important part of cultivating generosity. »» Productivity Tools — Technology-enabled productivity tools provide you with the ability to organize information and automate reports so you can see what’s happening on a macro-level and microlevel in various areas of ministry, including giving.
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Why is business intelligence important for ministry? While business intelligence sounds like a big scary word, it’s very simple. More than likely, you’re already gathering data about your church members (previous giving history, attendance/involvement, interests, etc.). However, data alone isn’t meaningful unless you can do something with it. For example — there’s typically a correlation between a person’s involvement in your church and how likely they are to give. When you take the time to notice a church member who is extremely engaged in ministry, it allows you to approach them and discuss ways for them to support it financially as well. At the same time, if you’ve noticed that a church member who tithes consistently suddenly stops giving, it might be an indication of a deeper issue or personal challenge.
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How can our leadership team leverage data to make smarter, more informed giving decisions? Intelligent church giving makes data actionable and helps you make data-driven strategies rather than simply relying on your gut. For example, your church might be considering a capital campaign for a new facility. By taking the time to analyze your data, you might find that you can overcome the challenges you’re facing by adding another service, rather than going into debt to build a new facility.
4
What are some ways marketing automation can make a tangible impact in cultivating generosity? Integrating data and technology into your strategy enables you to create a systematic process for cultivating generosity that isn’t dependent on manual processes or human interactions. It can help church members grow in the area of generosity through personalized communication and contextualized “asks.” In essence, this is true discipleship. This allows you to spend less time in spreadsheets and manual communication tools and more time doing ministry. It also allows you to promote ministry growth through strategic communication and guide each individual church member towards deeper levels of commitment.
5
Doesn’t leveraging data and technology to cultivate generosity take away from some of the discipleship aspect? Most church leaders agree generosity is a sign of spiritual maturity and is a unique and personal process for each individual in your church. However, many times there’s a disconnect between the way discipleship works and our strategy for growing members in their giving. Rather than engaging church members on an individual level, we rely exclusively on a blanketed approach. Technology allows you to engage church members through personalized communication with contextualized “asks.” It also gives you the ability to reach the different segments within your congregation to help them grow in the area of generosity. This represents the true process of growing disciples. 4
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What are some of the most important elements when it comes to leveraging data and technology to increase generosity? There are three key elements church leaders need to consider: »» Optimization — You have access to so much information and data on your church members. But are you using it to make data-driven decisions that validate or challenge your assumptions? Taking the time to optimize your data is the key to working smarter, rather than harder, when it comes to solving the challenges you face in ministry. »» Integration — Many churches collect and organize information in silos. Taking the time to connect the dots between giving data and observational insights that track the interests and involvement of your church members is key for overcoming your financial challenges. On a macro-level, it gives you the ability to see patterns and trends happening within your ministry. On a micro-level, it allows you to create a systematic process for cultivating generosity in the individuals in your church. »» Activation — Data and technology are useless unless you can use them to move people to action. Marketing automation and productivity tools allow you to develop a systematic process for implementing the things you learn from data to make a tangible impact.
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How can we effectively guide church members towards living more generously with limited time and resources? Church leaders are already stretched thin when it comes to the responsibilities of ministry. The idea of taking time to engage every church member in a conversation about giving and then guiding them individually in the grace of giving is almost impossible in a church of more than 100 people. This is where technology can provide a tremendous amount of support. Tools like marketing automation and recurring gifts through online giving provide a scalable way for you to engage church members around conversations about generosity and provide accountability. Segmentation allows you to strategically communicate with church members based on their specific interests and involvement-level in your ministry. Personalization allows you engage each church member with contextualized “asks” to help them grow individually in the area of generosity.
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8
How do we know who to talk to about giving and how to talk to them without the conversations feeling impersonal or cold? This comes down to knowing your church members. Giving data (annual giving history, total contributions, etc.) is a common way church leaders identify who to talk to about giving, but there are other valuable sources you can use as well. Going beyond giving capacity to analyze a church member’s interest and involvement is often the most valuable source of data. Taking the time to identify the areas of ministry a church member cares most about helps you contextualize the conversation and provides an opportunity for them to invest in that particular effort.
9
How do we integrate all the information we have to lead people to give sacrificially? Taking the time to connect the dots between giving data and observational insights that track the interests and involvement of your church members is key for overcoming your financial challenges. Iit gives you the ability to see patterns and trends happening within your ministry at a high level, and also allows you to create a systematic process for cultivating generosity in the individuals in your church. What business intelligence and marketing automation do is systematize that process so that you don’t have to figure it out as you go.
10
Is it possible to leverage church giving data to measure and improve our discipleship strategy? Yes. That’s where intuition and information come together. If generosity and involvement are indicators of the heart, then in some ways it is possible for church leaders to measure discipleship. For example — making a gift for the first time is a serious sign of commitment for many church members. This is a great measure your church’s strategy for encouraging church members who aren’t giving to take the first step in generosity.
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11
What are some other unique benefits of business intelligence, marketing automation, and productivity tools for ministry? Giving is part of the holistic church experience. Our ability to systemize and personalize giving is part of moving people through the discipleship process. These tools can support that entire process. For example — if you notice someone hasn’t given and hasn’t been involved in a while, it might be an indicator they’re facing a financial challenge or deeper issue. As a church leader, you want to know that so that you can actively minister to them.
12
What can we do today to begin implementing the idea of intelligent church giving to improve our strategy for funding ministry? Embracing the idea of intelligent church giving starts when church leaders are willing to look within, see themselves as they really are, and make the necessary adjustments. Taking the time to integrate, optimize, and evaluate your data holistically is the only way to get a clear picture to solve your ministry’s financial challenges. One way to do this is through a Stewardship Discovery Assessment. At the same time, knowing how to inspire church members to give is just half of the equation. You must help them follow through. RSI’s technology-enabled solutions allow you leverage tools like email marketing automation, recurring gifts through online giving, financial leader productivity tools, and real-time giving reports provide a scalable way for church leaders to create a systematic process for cultivating generosity.
7
Once you have perspective, the next step is to leverage the tools available to effectively engage church members and help them each grow individually in the grace of giving. RSI has worked with hundreds of churches to implement technology tools like automated email marketing in order to develop a systematic process for increasing generosity. While every church faces unique challenges, church leaders who are willing to take those steps will position themselves and their churches for even more ministry capacity and growth than they have experienced before.
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Next Steps 1. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. 2. Subscribe to our blog on rsistewardship.com. 3. Sign up for our e-newsletter. 4. Call us at 1.800.527.6824. 5. Contact us to discuss your church’s needs.
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Recommended Resources
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Recommended Resources
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Recommended Resources
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Introduction Many of today’s church leaders face significant challenges when it comes to funding ministry. Attitudes around giving have changed. Tithing is no longer the norm. There are other nonprofit organizations and ministries competing for the attention and resources of our church members. We wrestle with the fact that there is always more ministry to be done, but are handicapped by our lack of ability to fund it. Many of these challenges have forced church leaders to ask… “How often should we talk about money if we want to increase giving?” “What can I do to encourage the next generation to embrace the idea of habitual giving?” “How can we leverage the information and tools available to find new ways to solve these challenges? In essence, all of these questions boil down to… “Isn’t there an easier way to fund ministry?” The short answer is: Yes. Technology provides church leaders with the ability to overcome every single one of these challenges. You have access to more information and insights into your church members to help inspire generosity than ever before. All you need is to know how to use it. We call this intelligent church giving. In this resource, we want to unpack some of the most critical questions when it comes to leveraging the data and technology to overcome today’s financial challenges and set your church on a path toward creating a culture of generosity for funding future ministry.
2
1
What information and tools are available to help us overcome the challenges we face when it comes to church giving? Here are three terms every church leader should know: »» Business Intelligence — In essence, business intelligence is about leveraging actionable data to drive your strategy for funding ministry, measure effectiveness, and improve your efforts for accelerating generosity. It’s more than collecting data and reporting information; it’s turning data into something you can use. »» Marketing Automation — Technology provides a scalable way for you to create a systematic process for cultivating generosity. Technology tools like email marketing automation, recurring gifts through online giving, financial leader productivity tools, and real-time data are also an important part of cultivating generosity. »» Productivity Tools — Technology-enabled productivity tools provide you with the ability to organize information and automate reports so you can see what’s happening on a macro-level and microlevel in various areas of ministry, including giving.
2
Why is business intelligence important for ministry? While business intelligence sounds like a big scary word, it’s very simple. More than likely, you’re already gathering data about your church members (previous giving history, attendance/involvement, interests, etc.). However, data alone isn’t meaningful unless you can do something with it. For example — there’s typically a correlation between a person’s involvement in your church and how likely they are to give. When you take the time to notice a church member who is extremely engaged in ministry, it allows you to approach them and discuss ways for them to support it financially as well. At the same time, if you’ve noticed that a church member who tithes consistently suddenly stops giving, it might be an indication of a deeper issue or personal challenge.
3
3
How can our leadership team leverage data to make smarter, more informed giving decisions? Intelligent church giving makes data actionable and helps you make data-driven strategies rather than simply relying on your gut. For example, your church might be considering a capital campaign for a new facility. By taking the time to analyze your data, you might find that you can overcome the challenges you’re facing by adding another service, rather than going into debt to build a new facility.
4
What are some ways marketing automation can make a tangible impact in cultivating generosity? Integrating data and technology into your strategy enables you to create a systematic process for cultivating generosity that isn’t dependent on manual processes or human interactions. It can help church members grow in the area of generosity through personalized communication and contextualized “asks.” In essence, this is true discipleship. This allows you to spend less time in spreadsheets and manual communication tools and more time doing ministry. It also allows you to promote ministry growth through strategic communication and guide each individual church member towards deeper levels of commitment.
5
Doesn’t leveraging data and technology to cultivate generosity take away from some of the discipleship aspect? Most church leaders agree generosity is a sign of spiritual maturity and is a unique and personal process for each individual in your church. However, many times there’s a disconnect between the way discipleship works and our strategy for growing members in their giving. Rather than engaging church members on an individual level, we rely exclusively on a blanketed approach. Technology allows you to engage church members through personalized communication with contextualized “asks.” It also gives you the ability to reach the different segments within your congregation to help them grow in the area of generosity. This represents the true process of growing disciples. 4
6
What are some of the most important elements when it comes to leveraging data and technology to increase generosity? There are three key elements church leaders need to consider: »» Optimization — You have access to so much information and data on your church members. But are you using it to make data-driven decisions that validate or challenge your assumptions? Taking the time to optimize your data is the key to working smarter, rather than harder, when it comes to solving the challenges you face in ministry. »» Integration — Many churches collect and organize information in silos. Taking the time to connect the dots between giving data and observational insights that track the interests and involvement of your church members is key for overcoming your financial challenges. On a macro-level, it gives you the ability to see patterns and trends happening within your ministry. On a micro-level, it allows you to create a systematic process for cultivating generosity in the individuals in your church. »» Activation — Data and technology are useless unless you can use them to move people to action. Marketing automation and productivity tools allow you to develop a systematic process for implementing the things you learn from data to make a tangible impact.
7
How can we effectively guide church members towards living more generously with limited time and resources? Church leaders are already stretched thin when it comes to the responsibilities of ministry. The idea of taking time to engage every church member in a conversation about giving and then guiding them individually in the grace of giving is almost impossible in a church of more than 100 people. This is where technology can provide a tremendous amount of support. Tools like marketing automation and recurring gifts through online giving provide a scalable way for you to engage church members around conversations about generosity and provide accountability. Segmentation allows you to strategically communicate with church members based on their specific interests and involvement-level in your ministry. Personalization allows you engage each church member with contextualized “asks” to help them grow individually in the area of generosity.
5
8
How do we know who to talk to about giving and how to talk to them without the conversations feeling impersonal or cold? This comes down to knowing your church members. Giving data (annual giving history, total contributions, etc.) is a common way church leaders identify who to talk to about giving, but there are other valuable sources you can use as well. Going beyond giving capacity to analyze a church member’s interest and involvement is often the most valuable source of data. Taking the time to identify the areas of ministry a church member cares most about helps you contextualize the conversation and provides an opportunity for them to invest in that particular effort.
9
How do we integrate all the information we have to lead people to give sacrificially? Taking the time to connect the dots between giving data and observational insights that track the interests and involvement of your church members is key for overcoming your financial challenges. Iit gives you the ability to see patterns and trends happening within your ministry at a high level, and also allows you to create a systematic process for cultivating generosity in the individuals in your church. What business intelligence and marketing automation do is systematize that process so that you don’t have to figure it out as you go.
10
Is it possible to leverage church giving data to measure and improve our discipleship strategy? Yes. That’s where intuition and information come together. If generosity and involvement are indicators of the heart, then in some ways it is possible for church leaders to measure discipleship. For example — making a gift for the first time is a serious sign of commitment for many church members. This is a great measure your church’s strategy for encouraging church members who aren’t giving to take the first step in generosity.
6
11
What are some other unique benefits of business intelligence, marketing automation, and productivity tools for ministry? Giving is part of the holistic church experience. Our ability to systemize and personalize giving is part of moving people through the discipleship process. These tools can support that entire process. For example — if you notice someone hasn’t given and hasn’t been involved in a while, it might be an indicator they’re facing a financial challenge or deeper issue. As a church leader, you want to know that so that you can actively minister to them.
12
What can we do today to begin implementing the idea of intelligent church giving to improve our strategy for funding ministry? Embracing the idea of intelligent church giving starts when church leaders are willing to look within, see themselves as they really are, and make the necessary adjustments. Taking the time to integrate, optimize, and evaluate your data holistically is the only way to get a clear picture to solve your ministry’s financial challenges. One way to do this is through a Stewardship Discovery Assessment. At the same time, knowing how to inspire church members to give is just half of the equation. You must help them follow through. RSI’s technology-enabled solutions allow you leverage tools like email marketing automation, recurring gifts through online giving, financial leader productivity tools, and real-time giving reports provide a scalable way for church leaders to create a systematic process for cultivating generosity.
7
Once you have perspective, the next step is to leverage the tools available to effectively engage church members and help them each grow individually in the grace of giving. RSI has worked with hundreds of churches to implement technology tools like automated email marketing in order to develop a systematic process for increasing generosity. While every church faces unique challenges, church leaders who are willing to take those steps will position themselves and their churches for even more ministry capacity and growth than they have experienced before.
8
Next Steps 1. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. 2. Subscribe to our blog on rsistewardship.com. 3. Sign up for our e-newsletter. 4. Call us at 1.800.527.6824. 5. Contact us to discuss your church’s needs.
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Recommended Resources
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Recommended Resources
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Recommended Resources
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