Leaders are often neglected. By nature, they’re not squeaky wheels -- they’re the grease that keeps the wheels running smoothly.
But we all know that without encouragement and guidance, even leaders can tap out.
So, how are you pouring into your GIVING LEADERS? By this we don’t mean your major givers but those loyal, consistent givers who, without a lot of fanfare, help keep the church’s budget level (and often do 80% of the work, too).
So while you may be focusing on appreciating your major givers, remember that, if nurtured and supported, this group is the most likely to become your next generation of major givers and spiritual leaders, too.
Who Are Your Giving Leaders?
This group of givers tends to be self-motivated. Many of them feel that their generosity and consistency are intrinsic parts of their worship and undeserving of special recognition. But just because they look and seem okay doesn’t mean you should neglect them. You want their participation and growth trends to continue and even increase, and that may require your ministry focus.
Leaders need to be poured into, too. They have marriages that need attention, chaotic schedules with multiple kids, dual careers, debt, and a whole host of other challenges in their lives. They may be single and lonely. They may be struggling with addictions. Remember this: The thing that makes them consistent givers also makes them less likely to show these cracks in their facades.
6 Ways to Pour into Giving Leaders
- Show effusive gratitude for their loyal giving and service, perhaps even sending an annual, handwritten thank you note. (But remember this: While appreciated handwritten notes are appreciated, they don’t start a dialogue…most people don’t reciprocate with a reply. So consider this a start.)
- Consider having a ministry leader call and say, “You are so consistent and involved with the church. We’re so grateful for how you serve, but we just want to make sure you’re being fed. Is anyone ministering into you? How can we be praying for you?”
Use your data to include specifics: “You serve in children’s ministry, tithe regularly, attend women’s events, lead a small group…”
- Host a year-end banquet to honor their contributions, based on all your data around giving, volunteering and leading.
- **Listen when they express concerns or have ideas.** This might be the most important idea on this list. These givers are often intimately involved in ministries and see things from an insider’s perspective (i.e. their kids are in the youth programs and they volunteer as teachers and chaperones).
Being disregarded when A) their kids are involved and B) they invest so much of their time and effort makes them feel devalued and less inclined to continue helping, which can sometimes be the first step in leaving your church.
- Offer ministry resources to bolster their challenging lives, starting with recovery groups, financial training, and marriage and family resources.
- Offer them opportunities to serve and/or lead if they’re not already.
Find out their giftings or areas of passion and together explore ideas where they can make an impact.
Identifying Your Consistent Givers with Vision2 Analytics
Vision2 Analytics offers simple yet robust dashboards to help you easily identify not only consistent givers, but also…
- Lapsed Givers: #1 metric to watch
- Major Givers: Make sure your major donations don’t comprise too high of a percentage your overall gifts, creating instability in the event of loss of a donor.
- New Givers: Never miss the one-time-only opportunity to draw a new giver into the life of the congregation.
- Giving Trends: Visibility into giving history can impact your strategy for future plans.
Most importantly, you can use your giving data to better minister to your members. Discover how to Spot the Hidden Cries for Help in Your Church Giving Data.
Or download our resource A Ministry-First Approach to Generosity: 26 Tactics for Using Giving Data to Better Serve Your Members.
How are you pouring into your giving leaders?
Related: How to Nurture Generosity in the New Digital World.
Gina Calvert: May 9, 2023
