Mixed Messages about Money

A friend related the following story to me.

“Before I left for church on Sunday, I realized it was the week to make a contribution coinsto the church.  I hadn’t been there all month and it was time to pay my tithe. I wrote the check out ahead of time, showed up in church, and was ready to give my offering.

“When it was time for the offering, the lay person up front read a beautiful prayer about giving of our time and talent as a response to God’s graciousness.

“The ushers then dispersed to collect the offering. Somehow, they never made it over to me.  I was seated in a side aisle.  The usher, who had earlier greeted me, now walked right past me.

“While I sat waiting for her to realize her oversight–which didn’t happen–I had plenty of time to think about the mixed messages that were being given in the service that Sunday.

MIXED MESSAGE #1

“As I sat there, I realized was there was never a clear ask.  A beautiful prayer, yes.  But no actual invitation to give.  Mixed message #1.

MIXED MESSAGE #2

“Secondly, the offering plate never came by.  Even if I wanted to give, I couldn’t.  Never mind about online giving options.  That wasn’t a possibility either.  So, I settled in for the duration.

MIXED MESSAGE #3

“While I was waiting for the offering to conclude, I got to study the PowerPoint slide that was being used to communicate the giving message. It was a handsome slide with an eye catching photo and a large, well-lettered caption. But what a mixed message it contained!

“The graphic was a close-up side view of coins. The caption said “Give freely of your time, talents and treasure!”

Let me interrupt my friend’s story for a minute here.  Anyone who knows the biblical story might guess that those coins represent the widow’s mite.  Yes, she gave two coins…but it was all she had!  Literally.  They would also know that time, talent and treasure is code language for tithing: give 10% off the top back to God.

Insiders know this.  But what about those who don’t know these stories or allusions?

They would pay more attention to the picture.  Because even in this age of a slow growing economy, a picture is still worth a thousand words.  I this picture was saying, “Look, no matter what we say, all we really want is your loose change. Forget about sacrificial giving, bills or checks.  Just give us what’s jingling in your pocket.”

MIXED MESSAGE #4

I’ve visited my friend’s church.  I know that it’s a large church, but also that it’s been operating in the red for months.  Even though they support creative ministries that reach out to people on the margins, the leadership has now begun to ask people to give in order to fund the budget. They’re now printing the monthly shortfalls in the bulletin each week.  That’s a sure sign that the vision of the church is no longer front and center.  If it is, the people in the pews don’t know it.  That too is a problem.

Could this church be strapped because of mixed messages?

MIXED MESSAGE #5

Let’s get back to my friend’s story.  A graphic arts editor, she noticed what many other probably hadn’t:  another mixed message coded into the slide of the coins.  “Lightly embossed over the photograph was the letter c set inside a circle. This universal copyright symbol is a sign that the photo was protected by copyright.  That means it must be paid for in order to be properly used.”

So, here we have a pilfered photo of coins set against the message to give generously. A mixed message about money rife with irony!

One must ask, how come the church sees itself as so poor, or so outside of the rules, that it can justify stealing someone else’s work?

Perhaps you think I am being unduly hard on this poor church.  Maybe.  But if insiders pick up on this, what other mixed messages might guests and visitors be picking up on?

My friend ends this story with a sad admission:  “I was so frustrated by this whole fiasco–especially being ignored when it came to the offering–that I stuck my check back in my purse.  It’s sitting on my counter top right now. I’m going to bring it back to church with me next week.  But if they don’t bring the offering plate by me, I may not give it!”

My friend’s frustration is understandable.  As is the frustration of churches who are operating in the red.  But let’s think about this some more.

STRAIGHT MESSAGING 

Let’s say people give according to the message they receive:  coins. If everyone is giving at the level asked, this congregation could have a misguided sense of what it takes to survive or be generous.  When the call goes out to give more, the regular givers may feel flummoxed.  “We’re already giving!  We need to get some more people in here to help carry this church.”

But why would new people want to attend or support a church that is not self-supporting through its own contributions?  Or has lost its sense of vision?   People know when they are being used.

If  mixed messages are being given about money, where else are these kinds of messages popping up in the life of the church?

I should tell you, this is a true story.  It really happened.  In fact, it not only occurred in my friend’s church, it happens every Sunday in thousands of churches across America.

What might a straight message about money look and sound like?

How about this?  Instead of the call to give coming through a prayer…which can be a form of triangulated or manipulative conversation…someone quite familiar with the vision of the church stands up front and announces the vision.  He or she shares in an inspiring way how it is being lived out, and the difference it is making.  He or she then invites people to give to support this vision.  Ushers, before they disperse, scan the congregation to see where folks are sitting, and go to the people.  A slide or slides celebrating the people and places being positively impacted by the vision is shown. Meanwhile, music that ties in to the vision is played or sung.  People are then thanked for supporting the vision.  Then the money is dedicated to God. Visitors and guests are told what is expected of them during the offering.  If there is a shortfall, the vision and how the budget supports it, is lifted up in the bulletin.  The sermon, too, mentions how the people are living out God’s vision in the world.  And how the ministries of the church do as well.

I think we have not because we give not.  And we give not quite possibly because:

    1. The offering plate passes us by.
    2. We get mixed messages about what we are being asked to give.
    3. We don’t give or get straight talk about the spiritual importance of giving.
    4. We are are not lifting up a vision that inspires people to give generously.

There is plenty of money in the world.  And there are plenty of people who want to be generous with it.

We need to be bold, inspiring, and straight with people about money.  Jesus was.  Mixed messages about money produce mixed results.

If this something you struggle with, it’s time to get over the frustration!  My workshop Mixed Messages about Money helps church leaders just like you:

  • Identify the hidden barriers to asking for and receiving larger offerings.
  • Prevent unintentional communications which can sabotage giving
  • Develop newfound confidence to talk about stewardship in a way that engages, not alienates, listeners
  • Improved ability to tap into congregational generosity that ups giving
  • Discover increased ease in talking about, asking for, and receiving money

Top 3 Ways to Avoid Resurrection

Resurrection is the promise of Easter.   The only trouble is no death, no new life!  I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that new life is what I crave!
So this Holy Week, I thought I’d share with you the top 3 ways to avoid resurrection:

1.  Refusal to let the old die out
I have seen too many ministries propped up or emotionally subsidized because they used to be successful.  Or because they were someone’s pet project.  Yet the current results or enthusiasm no longer warrant the resources to keep them going. They suck time, money and energy out of a church that might otherwise be used more effectively.

Here’s the trick:  get comfortable with emptiness until something new surfaces.

2.  Refusal to change
We’ll experience 20,000 years worth of change in this century alone.  That means the church has to become more agile at embracing change simply to connect with our communities. Don’t mistake “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” with God or faith being static.  Instead consider that Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s ingenuity and creativity!

Go ahead put up a screen, get a Facebook account, create online giving options, and mentor the next generation into leadership!

3.  Refusal to be uncertain    
Jesus faced an unknown future.  Would God let the cup of suffering pass or not?  It took faith not to know. There’s lots of stuff we don’t know now…and can’t know. We’ll never know unless we trust God and life enough to take uncertain steps.

Give up having to be certain.  Step out in faith!   Try something you’re pretty sure might fail…just to see!  Have an adventure.  Build your faith muscle.
“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

If you want to talk about how to embrace  resurrection instead of avoid it, shoot me an email (rebekah@rebekahsimonpeter.com)!
Here’s to new life!
Rebekah

The 5 Warning Signs of Renewal

Has your church been infected?  If so, you’ll need to know the 5 warning signs of congregational renewal.

1)   Prolonged and increasing bouts of new and creative ministries

2)  Excessive enthusiasm among church leaders

3)  Better communication and less conflict

4)  A re-energized focus and renewed sense of spiritual direction

5)  A more powerful connection with God’s mission and purpose

If you see telltale signs of congregational renewal in your congregation, good for you!
If your congregation hasn’t been bitten by the much-anticipated (and not at all deadly) “Renewal Bug” yet, rejoice!
I’d like to share with you ways to create the conditions for renewal to take hold in your congregation!
Join me for a webinar on Wednesday, April 2, Noon-1pm MT for an introduction to Creating a Culture of Renewal, an empowering and comprehensive approach to self-awareness, leadership and ministry!

With measurable results!

Shoot me an email and I’ll send you the login information for the webinar.  Attendees will receive a gift from me.
In the meantime, you can download a brochure and learn more about Creating a Culture of Renewal today!
Blessings,
Rebekah

A Fresh Look at an Ancient Book

True confession:    I didn’t have a very high expectation of Bible studies when I first started going to church as an adult. I was prejudiced against the word “Bible” itself.   I thought the initials BS in the bulletin stood for, well, B.S.  I’m not sure why, but I didn’t expect to learn anything new.  Boy, was I in for a surprise!
Do your people carry the same unconscious prejudice?  The truth is a vibrant study of the Bible can transform a whole congregation.
Here are my top 3 tips to keep Bible study fresh:

  1. Adopt a sense of curiosity.  Especially when reading the parables of Jesus.  They don’t go where his listeners expected them to.  The parable of the Good Samaritan should have had a Priest, a Levite, and an Israelite passing by the wounded man.  Not a Samaritan; not your mortal enemy.  Seriously??
  2. Go slow.  Shoot for quality not quantity.  Be willing to see a new word, notice a twist of phrase, ponder a turn in the story.  I love the story of God calling Samuel.  And the humility of Eli, even in his failings.
  3. Consult a new commentary.  When pastoring an African-American congregation, I got the Original African Heritage Study Bible.  It gave me a whole new perspective on things.  Like how many characters in the Bible are black, how much of the Biblical story is set in Africa, and how completely unbiblical racism is.

Would love to hear how the Bible comes alive for YOU!
Also, if you’re interested in bringing a new depth to your Lent and Advent studies, shoot me an email about teaching Reading the Bible with Jewish Eyes or Christmas through Jewish Eyes at your church.
Here’s to a fresh look at an ancient book!

Resolve to Evolve: Do it Wrong!

This week, I bring you the last tip for people of faith who are resolved to evolve in 2014.  In case you missed the previous ones, Tip #1 was  Get Authentic.   Tip #2 was Get to know Jesus, again.  Tip #3 was Be bold!

Here’s Tip #4:  Do it Wrong!

You heard me right:  Do it wrong.

Here are five reasons why doing it wrong may just be right.
1.  Trying something, even if it’s wrong, may be better than not doing anything at all.  Peter tried to walk on water.  Yes, he got afraid and lost his buoyancy.  But we wouldn’t have the idea of stepping out on faith if it weren’t for him!

2.  You may get something else right.  Some of the best things have come about because somebody did it wrong.  Post It Notes were a result of a glue that was too weak for it’s intended purpose.  The glue got nixed.  But we got Post It Notes!

3.  All the stuff we now think of as “normal” was once unimagined.  Worshiping in cathedrals was the norm in Christian Europe, but house churches were the norm in the American Frontier.  Who knows what the future holds?  Try your  new idea, even if it doesn’t pan out.

4.  The world is changing quickly. As one blogger wrote, “By the time you put in all that work to do it the way they told you it is done, they aren’t doing it that way anymore!”    What if the Israelites had insisted on bringing farming equipment with them out of Egypt and into the desert?  They would’ve missed the beauty of the manna.  And the building of their faith.     Follow the prompting of the Spirit…and do the next right thing. Even if it turns out to be “wrong.”

As you resolve to evolve this year, have the courage to do it wrong!  Who knows?  It might turn out to be just right.
I would love to hear the things you are doing wrong…and right…this year!  Let’s talk.
In the meantime, did you catch the thing/s I did wrong in this note?

Ministry: Comfort and Challenge

What kind of ministries does your church engage in?  Are they inner focused or outer focused?  Are they comfort-oriented or challenge-oriented?
In order to survive and thrive, churches need a balance of ministries that both support the church itself (inner focused) and extend the ministry of the church beyond its own four walls (outer focused).
In addition, they can be geared toward one of two different approaches.  The first approach is a ministry that overcomes challenges by shaping and influencing the larger world (challenge ministry).  The second approach is by offering comfort to and improving the lot in life of those who are facing challenges (comfort ministry).
For instance, operating a food pantry or soup kitchen may be a comfort ministry.  Your church distributes food to those who have lost their jobs, are on the verge of homelessness, struggle with addiction, are chronically mentally ill, or are fleeing violent situations.
A challenge ministry might address root causes of homelessness, addiction, the vulnerability of the mentally ill, domestic violence, war or a floundering economy.
Here’s another example.  Many churches gladly rise to the occasion of comforting those hit by natural disaster—whether flood, hurricane, tornado, mudslide or earthquake.  You may have ministries that create flood buckets, collect first aid supplies, or rebuild homes or churches in the face of these types of disasters.
A challenge ministry would deal with natural disasters at a different level.  It might address the source of natural disasters by cleaning up garbage dumps that clog urban drainage systems or by planting trees in deforested areas thereby preventing mudslides.  It could also address root causes of poverty by challenging corporations that exploit the natural resources of poor peoples.
Finally consider the quintessential prayer ministry.  Perhaps you have a prayer ministry that focuses on supporting and uplifting those facing cancer.  You might also arrange rides for those who need chemotherapy or radiation and make sure there are meals prepared for them upon their arrival home.
On the other hand, your church may create a challenge ministry that seeks to clean up the local toxic waste site, the contents of which are leaching into the ground and contaminating your drinking water thus contributing to cancer.
Now consider the ministries of your church.  How many are comfort ministries?  How many are challenge ministries?  List them.
Likely your church is heavy in one area and light in another.  What types of ministries can be developed to balance that out?  Who might you approach about these ministries?  Think outside the box here!
Challenge ministries are important for they are a reflection of God’s power to right wrongs, and to bring justice to unjust situations.  Churches in decline often find that moving from a focus on comfort to challenge re-invigorates them.  It gets them back into the heart of God’s concern.