No one likes to talk about money. It seems like this is especially true in the church. Even though Christians know and are expected to give to the church, it is never easy to bring up the subject of giving. It is certainly not easy to bring it up when you need to ask members to increase their giving. However, there are a few things you can keep in mind if your church finds itself in a position where it needs to ask members to increase giving. 

1. Know What You Are Asking For

The first thing you want to keep in mind when asking members to increase giving is to know what you are asking for. Even if you have been the pastor of a church for 30 years and are loved by all who attend the church, your members deserve to know specifically what their money will be used for if you expect them to increase giving. Being specific helps your members to be able to dream with you about whatever the increased giving will be used for. Maybe the church needs a new playground for the growing number of kids attending or maybe the church just has some maintenance needs that are outside the scope of the budget. Whatever the case may be, being specific about the need invites your church to come alongside you and be part of the solution. 

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2. Share Your Mission and Vision

Another good idea when asking members to increase giving is to tie the giving back into the mission of the church. This is similar to letting your church know what the money will be used for, but with the added benefit of showing your congregation how they will be furthering the mission of the church by giving more. If your church has served your community as part of their mission and you notice an uptick in children attending the church to the point that you need a playground or revitalized kids area, then asking the church to increase giving for those things can also be tied back as a way to help ensure the church can better serve the community. People are more likely to give when they feel there is a good need they are meeting. You can help your congregation understand that need by tying it back to the church’s mission.

3. Remove the Guilt

Finally, under no circumstance should you guilt your congregation into giving more. Making your congregation feel guilty about giving not only has the potential to result in decreased giving, it is an abuse of your role as pastor or church leader. At the end of the day, what a member can give is ultimately between them and God. It may be that you have several members who are able to increase their giving. You may also have members who are struggling to give the amount they are already offering. Guilting members into giving more places an undue and unscriptural burden all everyone in the church, but especially those who struggle to give already.