Insights on Giving and Stewardship in European Churches by Redina Kolaneci
Facts and Observations about Giving and
Christian Stewardship in Europe
Redina Kolaneci
Christian Fundraising Consultant, Trainer & Coach
Why do people give money to their church?
•
Shared values & beliefs:
More than half of participants in
a recent research project for a denominational charity said that
they gave to their church because the church stands for the
same things as they do.
•
Effective use of money
:
Increasing numbers of church
donors are beginning to ask questions about church finances
and are expecting the church to use its money wisely.
Why do people give money to their church?
•
To influence:
to make a lasting mark on their local
community and the wider world that reflects their Christian
values and to invest in causes they believe in.
•
To respond to an urgent need
:
the majority of church
givers I have interviewed in the last two years admitted that
they are more likely to give or give more in response to an
urgent need.
Why do people give money to their church?
•
Gratitude:
for what the church has done in their lives or the
lives of the people they care about. Two key words: Gratitude
and responsibility.
•
Relationships and belonging
:
church donors are likely to
give when they are directly involved in, the donor has strong
ties with other church donors, friends of the donors have
benefited from the church’s work.
Institutional survival vs. transforming lives
Today’s donors need to be both inspired
and
persuaded
to keep giving generously
Prague ICF: The story of the church on the boat.
They focused on ministry impact and
the congregation gave $800,000 in 3 years!
Inspiring people to be good stewards is helping them
to see themselves as ministers of God’s love
Serbia: Building relationships in the church and
learning the art of giving together
Giving like Jesus did
is the ultimate outcome
of Christian generosity.
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How can we help donors to
have a heart connection
with their church?
•
How can we
persuade donors
that the church is an effective steward?
•
How can a church show it is
worthy of support
by
the mark it leaves on
the community
and the wider world?
•
What can a church do to describe the many ongoing needs for
resources in terms of
the urgency of those needs
?
•
In what ways can a church encourage its members to show their
gratitude to God by serving others
?
•
What can church communities do to
forge good relationships
that
inspire people to belong and to give generously?
Discover why people give money to their church, including shared values, effective use of funds, influence, responding to urgent needs, gratitude, and relationships. Explore the importance of inspiring and persuading donors for continued generosity, as showcased by success stories like Prague ICF. Learn how churches balance institutional survival with transforming lives.
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Presentation Transcript
Facts and Observations about Giving and Christian Stewardship in Europe Redina Kolaneci Christian Fundraising Consultant, Trainer & Coach
Why do people give money to their church? Shared values & beliefs: More than half of participants in a recent research project for a denominational charity said that they gave to their church because the church stands for the same things as they do. Effective use of money: Increasing numbers of church donors are beginning to ask questions about church finances and are expecting the church to use its money wisely.
Why do people give money to their church? To influence: to make a lasting mark on their local community and the wider world that reflects their Christian values and to invest in causes they believe in. To respond to an urgent need: the majority of church givers I have interviewed in the last two years admitted that they are more likely to give or give more in response to an urgent need.
Why do people give money to their church? Gratitude: for what the church has done in their lives or the lives of the people they care about. Two key words: Gratitude and responsibility. Relationships and belonging: church donors are likely to give when they are directly involved in, the donor has strong ties with other church donors, friends of the donors have benefited from the church s work.
Todays donors need to be both inspired and persuaded to keep giving generously
Prague ICF: The story of the church on the boat. They focused on ministry impact and the congregation gave $800,000 in 3 years!
Inspiring people to be good stewards is helping them to see themselves as ministers of God s love
Serbia: Building relationships in the church and learning the art of giving together
Giving like Jesus did is the ultimate outcome of Christian generosity.
Challenges for todays church Challenges for today s church How can we help donors to have a heart connection with their church? How can we persuade donors that the church is an effective steward? How can a church show it is worthy of support by the mark it leaves on the community and the wider world? What can a church do to describe the many ongoing needs for resources in terms of the urgency of those needs? In what ways can a church encourage its members to show their gratitude to God by serving others? What can church communities do to forge good relationships that inspire people to belong and to give generously?
