Attending a different church each week (three different churches last Sunday!) has educated me on the variety of ways churches do worship. One aspect of worship that most churches could greatly improve upon is the offering.
Churches use a variety of methods to receive the tithes and offerings of God’s people. Some place offering boxes near the entrances to the worship center. Those who use this method usually mention the offering boxes at the same time they welcome guests. Typically they ask guests to fill out an information card and place it in the offering box. At this time they remind the congregation that they can deposit their offering in the box as well.
Other churches “pass the plate” or a basket at some time during the worship service, giving the congregation an opportunity to place their offering in the plate as it passes before them. When this is done, it should be mentioned that the offering is a part of worship, and that this is the church’s opportunity to give back to God a part of what He has given to them.
Another method of receiving the offering which is becoming increasingly popular is online giving. Giving via the internet is convenient for those who do not attend church regularly because of work or travel schedules. One downside of online giving is that there are fees attached to credit-card-giving.
Perhaps the most troublesome method of giving I have witnessed is that of giving your offering directly to the church treasurer. Yes, I have been in at least one church that did not want guests to feel obligated to give, and because their church was small, and every attender knew and trusted the church treasurer, they simply gave their offering to him! There are number of problems with that method, not the least of which is the offering is not an obvious act of worship, but rather a way to make sure the church has the funds to “pay the bills.”
Methods of giving aside, my overall impression is that most churches are missing two significant opportunities when they receive the offering. The first missed opportunity is failure to make the offering a part of the worship experience of the giver. Whatever method of receiving the offering you use, there should be something said about the offering being a gift to God, that it is something which pleases God, and investing our treasure in God’s work reveals something of what it is in our hearts (Matthew 6:21). In some way, connect the offering to worship.
Secondly, each week educate the church on how their financial gifts are making a difference in Kingdom work. When the offering is received give the church a specific example of how their gifts are being used to bless God and His Kingdom. For example, last Sunday I was in a church that had just completed Vacation Bible School. The decorations were up, and the children sang two VBS songs to begin the worship service. When the offering was received, this provided an opportunity to thank the congregation for their financial gifts and to tell them that through their faithful giving the church was able to provide VBS, giving facts and figures about the children who attended and the decisions for Christ that were made.
Each week tell the church one story about how their offerings are being used. Tell the story of a missionary the church is supporting through the cooperative program. Thank the church for supporting this missionary through their faithful giving. Bible study literature, Bibles that are given away, scholarships for children’s camp, food for needy families, support for a new church plant – these are just some of the things that can be mentioned week-by-week, helping the church attach Kingdom ministry to their financial giving.
Educating a church about biblical stewardship is a challenge. Most pastors preach too little on matters of giving. I know I did. But we don’t have to preach about financial stewardship to educate the church on the matter. We can do a little each week as we receive the tithes and offerings of God’s people. In this way we can keep it positive as we thank the church for investing in these ministries through their giving.