Talking about money in church can feel about as comfortable as wearing skinny jeans to a potluck dinner. But here’s the deal – if we’re planting churches that will actually thrive beyond the honeymoon phase, we’ve got to get comfortable with the uncomfortable.
I recently heard the story of a church plant when it was just six months old. They had about 85 people, mostly friends who joined to support the church’s vision, a worship band using borrowed equipment, and a meeting space rented on faith. Then, one Sunday, their main outside supporter called to let them know they were cutting their funding—six months earlier than planned.
Cue the panic attack.
Here is their testimony: That crisis became one of the best things ever happened to them. It forced them to build a culture of generosity from the ground up. Here is what I learned from their story and from many others who have navigated this situation successfully.
New Believers, New Givers
Here’s something nobody tells you in seminary – many of your new believers have never even heard of tithing, for real. The concept of giving the first portion of your income to God is as foreign to them as the idea of life without smartphones is to Gen Z.
So, how do we teach stewardship to folks who are still trying to figure out how to pray?
Start with the why, not the what.
Instead of jumping straight to “the Bible says give 10%,” help them understand the heart behind giving. I love asking questions like:
- “What’s the most generous thing anyone’s ever done for you?”
- “How did that make you feel?”
- “How generous do you think God has been with you?”
When people connect giving to gratitude rather than obligation, everything changes. One new believer in our church said, “I always thought churches just wanted my money, but now I see that God wants my heart, and my wallet is just part of that journey.”
Don’t be afraid to share your giving journey – struggles and all. People need to know that generosity is a muscle that grows with exercise, not something you’re magically good at from day one.
Building Sustainable Habits (Not Just Emotional Moments)
We’ve all been to those services where the pastor shares a tear-jerking story, everyone feels the Holy Spirit move, and the offering baskets come back overflowing. That’s awesome! But then what happens next week?
Sustainable giving isn’t built on emotional highs – it’s built on consistent discipleship.
Here’s what’s working for us:
1. Make it easy to give
If your giving process involves more steps than making a TikTok video, you’re doing it wrong. Online giving, text-to-give, automatic withdrawals – whatever tools you use, make them frictionless. When we added text giving, our weekly offering increased by 22% in three months.
2. Celebrate every win
When someone gives for the first time, that’s a spiritual milestone! (And yes, we track that data). We send personalized thank you notes – not automated emails – to first-time givers. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
3. Show the impact
Nothing kills generosity faster than the black hole of church finances. “Where does my money go?” is a legitimate question! We regularly share stories of lives changed, needs met, and ministry expanded – all connecting back to faithful giving.
One young couple told me, “We started giving because we should, but we keep giving because we see what God’s doing with it.”
Breaking the Founding Support Addiction
Let’s be honest – outside funding is like church plant crack. It feels amazing at first, but dependency creeps in faster than you think.
The hard truth? If your church can’t eventually stand on its own financial feet, it’s not a church plant – it’s a missions outpost. Nothing wrong with missions outposts! But if you’re aiming to plant a self-sustaining church, you need a plan to break the founding support addiction.
Here is a practical approach:
Set a clear timeline
Our outside support came with a 24-month countdown clock. We put that date on everything – staff meetings, elder boards, budget planning. Everyone knew Day Zero was coming.
Create a gradual off-ramp
We reduced our dependency by 15% every six months. This forced us to grow our internal giving while we still had some outside support as a safety net.
Have the hard conversations
I’ll never forget sitting down with our worship leader and saying, “Either our internal giving increases by $3,000 monthly in the next quarter, or we have to move you from full-time to part-time.” Those conversations stink, but avoiding them is leadership malpractice.
Financial Independence Day
Y’all, there is nothing – and I mean NOTHING – like the day your church becomes financially self-sufficient. It’s like watching your kid take their first steps.
But independence requires intentionality:
Build your emergency fund first
Before you add staff, before you upgrade equipment, before you take on more space – build three months of operating expenses in savings. This isn’t sexy, but it is spiritual. Financial margin creates ministry possibilities.
Budget based on historical giving, not projected giving
“Faith budgeting” sounds spiritual, but often it’s just poor stewardship wearing a spiritual T-shirt. If your people gave $150K last year, budget based on $150K this year, not the $250K you hope they’ll give. Let the surplus be a blessing, not the expectation.
Develop multiple income streams
I know of a church with a non-profit preschool and thrift store that pays not only their rent but also funds various missions. Another church plant I know started a coffee shop. Creative income streams can provide stability when giving fluctuates.
When Mission Meets Money
Here’s the tension we all feel: ministry needs money, but focusing too much on money can distract from ministry. So how do we balance mission and money?
1. Reframe the conversation
Money isn’t the goal; it’s the fuel. We don’t want people’s giving – we want people’s hearts. Jesus was crystal clear: where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. When people invest financially in the kingdom, their hearts follow.
2. Create a culture of radical generosity
Your church will never outgive its leaders. Period. If you want a generous church, you need generous leaders modeling the way. Our staff and elders all practice percentage-based giving, starting with at least 10%. We can’t expect what we don’t exhibit.
3. Preach the full counsel of God
Jesus talked about money a lot. If we’re avoiding regular teaching on generosity, stewardship, and giving, we’re not being faithful to the text. Don’t apologize for addressing biblical principles about finances.
The Bottom Line
Building a culture of generosity in a young church isn’t about techniques or tactics – it’s about transformation. We’re not after people’s wallets; we’re after their hearts. But let’s not kid ourselves – transformed hearts lead to transformed giving patterns.
When new believers experience the joy of generosity, when church members see kingdom impact from their giving, and when a young church stands financially independent, we’re not just securing our budget – we’re advancing God’s kingdom.
So have the awkward money conversations. Set up the systems. Cast the vision. And watch what God does when His people bring their first fruits, not out of obligation, but out of overflow.
Your church’s financial future isn’t just about spreadsheets and budgets. It’s about disciples who understand that everything they have belongs to God – and they’re just managing it for His glory.
That’s worth investing in.
Readd more blog posts by Jeff Hoglen
