Recently, the Rev. Tim Conaway, pastor of First UMC of Glassboro, and the Rev. Dr. Gina Hendrickson, pastor of First UMC of Moorestown, have both noticed a change in their churches’ energy, commitment, and participation. The Holy Spirit is moving—there is a renewed sense of shared purpose in ministry. The catalyst for this shift? Changes to how the churches approach stewardship and cultivating generosity!
For many church leaders funding the budget is not the most exciting part of ministry. Finances are often a source of stress and worry. Talking about money feels awkward. So, how can a church’s invitation to give actually become a source of Spirit-filled inspiration and renewal rather than a “necessary evil”?
The answer lies in shifting the way we think about giving and in making concrete changes to reflect that shift. Henri Nouwen puts it this way:
“When we seek to raise funds we are not saying, ‘Please, could you help us out because lately it’s been hard.’ Rather, we are declaring, ‘We have a vision that is amazing and exciting. We are inviting you to invest yourself through the resources that God has given you – your energy, your prayers, and your money – in this work to which God has called us.’”
At the Stewardship Foundation’s Annual Stewardship & Generosity Summit, Rev. Conaway and Rev. Hendrickson encountered tools that helped them make the shift from “things are hard, to “this is how God is calling us to respond.” They have pivoted from talking about their challenges to focusing their attention on the amazing and exciting work to which God has called them. By investing in relationships, communicating their work with grace and gratitude, and inviting people to engage deeply, both churches have seen profound changes.
Leadership teams at both churches regularly share stories of their ministries’ impact in weekly worship and in quarterly communications, alongside important information like giving statements and the church’s financial goals. The pastors also express their gratitude for pledges and financial gifts with personal, hand-written notes.
Although churches can sometimes be wary of asking too much of people, both Conaway and Hendrickson named the importance of invitation and engagement.
Conaway shared that “people who are engaged in volunteering, small groups and other aspects of ministry attend and give many times more than those who just attend worship,” and so his church sought to develop ministry teams in which people could participate. First UMC of Glassboro has since seen an increase in attendance, pledges and giving. They have identified several areas of ministry expansion and focus to which they believe God has called them and are working through a course called Good Futures Accelerator Program by RootedGood to bring their dreams to life.
Hendrickson shared that during the 2025 stewardship campaign at First UMC of Moorestown, the Generosity Team asked members to “consider increasing their pledge by 20% to meet a Spirit-led budget aligned with our vision and mission,” adding, “Don’t be afraid to ask!” Nearly every pledger and regular giver responded with a 20% increase in giving. The church, which had been facing a significant budget shortfall in 2024, ended the year in the black. Perhaps more strikingly, Hendrickson shares that there has been a noticeable culture shift marked by renewed energy, deeper commitment and a strong sense of shared purpose.
These stories of transformation are truly remarkable, but they need not be isolated. After all, we worship a remarkable God! But change doesn’t come by doing the same thing and expecting different results. By implementing best practices for stewardship and generosity, church leaders can not only increase giving, but they can also open the door to renewed, engaged, Spirit-filled ministry. And there are resources available to help your congregation to do just that.
In August, the Stewardship Foundation of GNJ and Breakthrough will be releasing a stewardship worship series, complete with everything you need to run your church’s stewardship campaign. This year’s series is called “Counterculture”, and it explores the countercultural way that Jesus calls his followers to relate to their resources, financial and otherwise.
Like all Breakthrough series, “Counterculture” includes sermon outlines, worship resources, small group guides, graphics and more. Additionally, it comes with templates for a campaign launch letter, pledge card, church newsletter article, and segmented giving invitations tailored to members’ current giving patterns.
Each piece is designed to help you tell the unique story of your church’s impactful ministry and to invite people to become a part of it with their resources. The series will be released here – where you can currently find a preview.
Then, on Monday, September 8 from 7:00-8:30pm, the Stewardship Foundation of GNJ will be hosting a Zoom webinar on “Keys to Leading a Successful Season of Stewardship & Generosity” with expert consultants from Horizons Stewardship – Scott McKenzie, Erica Allen and Kenneth Stewart. Come learn what works! Register here.