The nation’s largest charities anticipate that giving will decline in 2009 by a median of 9 percent according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy. They further state that the fund-raising outlook for 2010 is not much better. The question I have for you is how will you fare in 2009?

Before we explore more about how you will fare let’s talk about some other interesting findings of The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s study of the biggest 400 charities in America. Only 16 were religious groups. Some religious groups were listed in categories such as social services since that is their primary work. Even though few are primarily religious in nature we can still learn a lot from this report.

Here are some observations that I had after reading the report.

Not all charities saw a decline in their giving.

Some saw a decline in 2008 but are poised to see an increase in 2009.

Others that saw an increase in 2008 are seeing a decline in 2009.

The over all rank or size of a charity made little or no difference in out come.

6 of the 16 listed religious charities saw a decline.

Overall these 16 saw a decline of .6% from ‘08 to ‘07.

Here is what The Chronicle of Philanthropy said these top 400 charities were doing in response to the recession. “The biggest charities are stepping up their efforts to solicit individuals, trying to explain more clearly why they need money, focusing on donors who have stopped giving, experimenting with new methods of online fund raising, and putting more time and effort into securing planned gifts.”

My question is what are you going to do about the possible decline in giving in 2009 and 2010? From the quote above it is apparent that these top charities are not going to just hope things get better. They have devised a plan of action and are working that plan. What are your plans? How will you end these last few months on a positive note? How will you get the new year off to a positive start?

Another question I have for you is this, are you even thinking about this? Sadly I find that too few give any amount of time to their stewardship plans. Those that leave it up to hope are typically the first to experience declines in giving. So, start now, if you have not already, to make sure that you end on the best footing for 2009. Ending well will set you up to start well.

As always if you need help we are here to provide that help for a price you can afford.

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

With the recent third quarter spurt of growth many are proclaiming that the recession is over. While that might be true from a “technical” point, emotionally the mood across America is little changed. The recession continues to depress growth in nearly every quarter of our economy including churches.

A friend asked me the other day what I thought of the mood of the country was with regards to the recession. My answer was one word, fear. While few might admit it in that strong of a word it none the less is the overall mood from Wall Street to Main Street. That fear is finding its way into the board rooms of countless churches across America. If left unchecked it will set the church back for years. In what is our greatest opportunity in years to share hope we in the church are missing the moment.

Peggy Noonan in a column this past weekend in the Wall Street Journal summed it up well. She said, “The biggest threat to America right now is not government spending, huge deficits, foreign ownership of our debt, world terrorism, two wars, potential epidemics or nuts with nukes. The biggest long term threat is that people are becoming and have become disheartened…” She then went on to explain that this mood exists because first, people do not think they can make it better and secondly because the problems seem too big.

Never one to be shy about my opinions let me weigh in on the failures that have put us in this position.

Our political leaders in both parties have failed us. Politics has always been divisive in American life. However if there is one unifying thing, a result of the current political crisis, it is that Americans are becoming one in their distrust of anything from Washington D.C. None of the above is fast becoming the party of choice. A president that was elected with such high hopes now sees his ratings at an all time low, near fifty percent.

Frankly the Democrats who now control all three branches of government can not even agree amongst themselves on how to govern. They can blame the past administration all they want but the truth is they have controlled Congress for nearly four years and the White House for nearly a year. They have showed nothing new to the American public and that public is growing restless. Republicans have fared none better and are simply seen as the party against whatever the Democrats are suggesting. You have to be for something not just against something.

Most Americans, including myself, feel that our politicians are too removed from real life issues. How many of them have actually run a small business? How many of them have had to worry from pay check to pay check about whether they can make ends meet? They seem to have lost any sense of reality of what Americans truly experience in day to day living. We desperately need leadership and it is not coming from Washington D.C.

Our greed was and continues to be our down fall. Let’s stop pointing fingers at the very few on Wall Street that received large bonuses. The rich are not the reason for our down fall. We need to look no further than our own sense of greed to find the culprit. We have chased a lifestyle that was unsustainable and are now surprised that the house of cards collapsed. Rather than take responsibility for our own stupidity in buying too large of a car, too big of a house and too many luxuries we seek to blame someone else. No bank forced you to sign that loan. Americans did it to themselves.

It’s time to stop blaming everyone else and start finding ways to live responsively. Here is the Churches big opportunity and we better not blow it. Teach those in your sphere of influence how to live responsible biblical lives and hope will return. Of all institutions ours should be the leader in this time of discouragement.

From Wall Street to the board rooms of business on Main Street the mood is caution. The result of this mood is that many projects are put on hold as business waits to see what will happen or when a return to normal will occur. Those same men and women then go into their churches board meetings and spread their fear and caution to the leadership of their church. As a result as never before the church is responding not with faith but with fear. We have let the mood of the country set our agenda rather than leading America with Godly vision. All our teaching on living a life of faith has gone out the door as we too often walk by sight rather than faith.

I am certainly not saying we should not consider the times we live in. Nor am I saying we should not listen to the voices of our lay leaders. I am saying it is more important have the mind of God through this time than the mind of man. My belief is that too many are frozen by fear in a time when we desperately need faith.

That faith can be found in a few places. Two years ago I began working with a church in Michigan that had already been feeling the impact of the recession. As they were preparing to build a new sanctuary many in the church questioned the timing of such a bold project. I had the pleasure of interviewing one businessman in the church about this. Here is what he said, “This has been the worst three years of business for me in the last thirty. Yet I think that as people are hurting they will be looking for some place for an answer. We must build this building to be ready to meet that need!”

Wouldn’t you like that kind of guy in your church? Who wouldn’t? I believe he was that kind of guy because his pastor was that kind of leader. What kind of leader are you? Are you the kind that inspires faith and action? Or are you the kind that causes others to shrink back in fear? A lot is riding on your answer to that question. Some see the glass as half empty and others see it as half full. How do you see the glass of this recession? What is your plan of action?

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

Yesterday the Stock Market drop a hundred points. It’s now off its brief climb above 10,000 points. One of the main causes of the decline was the surprising fact that consumer confidence dipped after rising for several months. Just when we thought the end was here many are now expressing doubts about a recovery. As I have written before, when there are doubts on Main Street in consumer confidence you can be guaranteed it will effect your offering plate.

We in the Christian church appear to be little different from the world in that we seem to long for the return of the “good old” days. We are waiting for the return to normal before we move forward. Each day as we hear more depressing and negative economic news we wonder what our next step should be? This recession will recover slowly and continue to impact us for many more months. So the question must be what will you do?

Here are some thoughts…

Have the right perspective. Our hope as believers is not in the economy or in Washington D.C. Our hope is in the risen Lord! This is not the first recession the church has gone through. We made it through those just fine and we will make it through this one. If a recession is the worst hardship we have to bear we are blessed indeed. Around the world other churches are faced with much greater difficulty. Your perspective impacts your attitude and that spreads down line through your leaders and to your people. Now is the greatest time to embrace the hope that we have as believers.

Adapt a plan of action. Too few churches have any plan of action when it comes to stewardship. You can not simply roll with the punches during times like these. It takes smart decisive action. What are you doing to meet this challenge? What plans do you have? How much time are you personally spending on this plan? Too many have no plan at all and are simply hoping things get better. Hope is not a strategy!

Work your plan. Casey Graham in his blog post the other day talked about his time with New Life Church in Little Rock, AR. That church has been listed as one of the fastest growing churches in the country. Casey listed several things they were doing right. The first one was, You never quit talking about money. That might surprise you. My new book on Stewardship Myths has a chapter that deals with the myth that the church talks too much about money. The truth is we do not talk about it enough. What is essential is how you talk about it.

My point here is that you not only have to have a plan you have to work your plan. It can not be a one time thing. It has to be a year round thing. You as the pastor must be in the plan and you have to work the plan. It is just as important to work your plan as it is to have a plan. A hammer in the tool box does you no good if you do not use it.

Frankly no one knows how these next few months will shake out. There is a lot of conjecture about what the donor world will look like after the recession is over. At this point you and I can not wait to find out the answers. Growing churches grow despite the circumstances. Yours can too. Stop putting off acting now to avoid problems tomorrow. Hoping things will get better will not solve your problems that are fast coming your way. Prepare now for the future. The future is now!

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

This recession has given us all a lot of surprises. It has lasted longer than any other since WWII. It has been much deeper than most thought. It seems to have run a course of its own confusing both the experts and the politicians. It has defined political careers while dooming others political aspirations. It has become topic number one around the water cooler and in the parking lots of America.

Americans have reacted in a variety of ways to cope with this recession and all its impact. For instance it was reported yesterday that families cut spending during 2008. The Wall Street Journal in an article quoted figures released by the Labor Department that said, “Overall spending per consumer unit - which includes families, single people or people living together who share expenses - rose just 1.7%, or $848, in 2008.” This was the smallest increase since 2003.

Here are some other interesting tidbits about how Americans spent less and saved more.

Transportation spending, ranging from car purchases to plane tickets, fell 1.8%

Apparel outlays slid 4.3% about $9.7 billion.

Families spent 8.1% more on dining at home. Going out to eat thus suffered with spending in that category rising just $30 a family.

On top of all these figures in another section of the Wall Street Journal they reported consumer credit is contracting at record rates. August is expected to show the seventh month in a row of decline something that has not happened since 1991. Americans are also putting more money into savings than in recent years. Charging less and saving more.

So it appears that Americans are saving money and being more frugal, living within their means. Well as a famous ESPN analyst loves to say, “Not so fast, my friend!” The same article that talked about families cutting spending had this interesting note in the last paragraph. “One mystery in the data was the 5.1% increase in entertainment spending, a category that seemed like it would have drawn fewer dollars as consumers tightened their budgets to compensate for stagnant wages and the threat of job losses. It equates to about $16.5 billion more spent on entertainment in 2008 than in 2007.”

Another crazy statistic is the amount of money we spend on our pets. We spend over $44 BILLION a year on Fido and FeFe. Another sector of that is recession proof is candy sales. It seems that when times are tough we reach for a Snickers. Americans will spend over $30 BILLION on various candy this year.

What does this tell those of us in the church that are trying to keep the offering plate full and our ministries funded? People find ways to purchase what they want. I know that many who are without jobs would not fit into that broad brush stroke assessment. However we need to admit that while we may have cut back in some areas Americans are still spending money.

The real question is how you can get your fair share away from McDonalds and Hollywood. Here are some thoughts:

Good vision trumps bad economy! So craft your message compellingly.

Tell your story continually! How many commercials a day do you think your members hear about McDonalds? I am not advocating wearing them out or wearing them down. I am saying talk about the great things happening at your church. Why? People want to support winners!

Have a plan! I will say it again, churches that do not have a stewardship plan are planning to fail. Churches that do have a stewardship plan will weather this recession better than those without a plan.

Christ UMC in Fairview Heights, IL a suburb of Saint Louis is a client of mine. Their pastor, Shane Bishop, is passionate about reaching people for Jesus and building a great church to disciple them in the faith. Under his leadership they have developed a comprehensive plan of stewardship. The result is that while families cut spending nationally based upon the report given by the Labor Department, Christ UMC saw its giving INCREASE by nearly 50%! One major reason why is that they are attempting great things for the Kingdom. This church is a recession anomaly! Develop your own stewardship plan and your church can be too.

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

I love Mondays! I know that may sound weird but I really do. One reason why I have always loved Mondays is that I have always loved my job. My Director of Marketing, Tom Holloway, told me this morning at the gym a guy told him that he was counting on this being the best Monday of his life. Now that is optimism! At any rate while we might not have that enthusiasm we can see the week as a fresh start. With that in mind I wanted to share some insights for your consideration not just for this week but at the start of this quarter.

Unemployment while slowing continues to be the drag on recovery. The U.S. has shed 7.2 million jobs since the recession began in December of 2007. While historically job recovery always lags behind recession recovery this recession is setting new standards. Everyone agrees that it will take longer to turn around the high rate of joblessness. IHS Global Insight predicts the total number of jobs in the U.S. won’t return to prerecession levels until 2013. This perhaps more than any other factor contributes to the overall unease that grips Americans.

Credit continues to be difficult if not impossible to find. Jobs will recover when business expands. One thing hindering business expansion is that small businesses, which make up most of our economic engine, is having difficulty getting loans for expansion. This same lack of credit is affecting churches who are considering projects. While many are sensing that the time to start that new building is right they none the less can not acquire the financing necessary to move forward. One banker I talked with recently told me he felt that credit would not loosen up until the second quarter of 2010.

Consumer confidence remains wary. Experts are predicting that sales will show a decline in September. The fear is that this will mean a weak holiday sales season coming up. Retailers depend on a strong fourth quarter to show a profit. After last year’s flat sales it was hoped that things would turn around this year. Unless the news improves drastically you can expect people to spend far less than before.

While technically the recession may be over the economy is still fragile. We want a return to normal whatever that is. However what we have seen in this last month is that we have a long way to go. It will take awhile to get out of the hole that was dug. We should not be surprised that there is an ebb and flow to the recovery. Some Mondays are going to bring good news and some are going to bring bad news. The Stock Market will continue to be volatile and confidence will remain weak for some time.

Giving will be impacted by all of the above. Most were surprised that giving to religious causes showed a 1% increase in 2008. We might be in for a slight decline this year. While it is still too early to tell how things will turn out there are some indicators. The Southern Baptist are the best at counting things. One indication of the impact of this recession is seen in their giving reports to the denomination from their 38,000 churches. Baptist Press filed the following last Friday, “The Southern Baptist Convention finished its Oct. 1 - Sept. 30 fiscal year 2.87 percent below budget, while Cooperative Program receipts for the year were down 2.23 percent and combined CP and designated giving for the year was down 3.65 percent, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Morris H. Chapman.”

While you might not be a Southern Baptist it does give us insight into what is happening across the country. When a major denomination like the SBC is struggling you can be sure that many others are too. Twice since 1970 giving to religious causes declined the year AFTER the recession ended. I think we might see that same scenario this year. I would not be surprised if giving dipped slightly for 2009 between 2% to 5%. While some ministries will see a greater decline others will remain steady.

Ok, that is all well and good but what does this mean for you as a Christian leader? What should you be doing to meet this challenge? Here are some thoughts.

Develop a comprehensive stewardship plan. Like a broken record I keep preaching this same verse. Pastors can wax eloquent about their growth plans, their discipleship plan but draw a blank when you ask them about their stewardship plan. As the saying goes if you fail to plan you are planning on failure.

Make wise budgeting decisions. Many churches are in the final stages of budget preparation for the next year. Now more than ever your donors want to know that you “get it” about the recession. Great care needs to be taken to have a budget that is realistic and obtainable.

End the year well. Much like your overall stewardship plan you need a plan of action to end the year well. Banks are looking much more closely at the financial status of churches. Showing continual increases in giving is imperative. It is important that you close out the year well. This not only helps meet current budget needs but also sets you up for a positive start to 2010. It gives you greater ability to acquire financing or to re-finance your existing note.

These are challenging times. That does not mean that you can not continue to do well. We have many clients who had banner years in terms of giving last year and continue to show strong results this year. It does not happen by accident however. With good planning and hard work you can weather the storms of this recession.

If all of this seems too much for you then please consider allowing us to help you. Our strategic planning can make a world of difference towards successfully navigating through these times.

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

The headline read, “Consumer Confidence Unexpectedly Falls in September.” The AP article stated that, “The New York-based Conference Board, a private research group, said that its Consumer Confidence Index dipped to 53.1 in September, down from the revised 54.5 reading in August. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected a reading of 57.” September’s reading reversed a three month climb since confidence hit an historic low in February of 25.3. A reading above 90 means the economy is on solid footing. Above 100 signals strong growth.

The fear of continued job losses seems to be behind the decline. Currently unemployment is nationally at 9.7% and the projections are that it will rise to 9.8% in September. In many areas it is far higher than that. While the recession is showing signs of ending most expect jobs to lag behind any recovery. Thus consumer confidence took a hit in September.

One reason why economist look closely at consumer confidence is that it often either fuels spending or curtails spending. Spending on goods and services for consumers, including housing and health care, accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity by federal measures. Consumer confidence declining now just months from the holiday season could mean another lack luster year for retailers.

The Wall Street Journal on September 29th ran an article about consumer confidence and its impact on the recovery of the economy. The article said, “Under the circumstances, it might take at least a year to get consumer confidence back to prerecessionary levels, suggests Ethan Harris, chief North American economist at BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research. Growth in consumer spending could lag behind the growth in other sectors even longer.” They quoted Mr. Harris further in saying, “The consumer is going to be a constant drag on growth. It argues for a steady headwind to recovery.”

So why would any of this matter to you as a Christian leader? It should matter a great deal! If consumer confidence remains low then the recovery will take longer. Even more important is my contention that as consumer confidence lags on Main street it lags in your offering plate. The first quarter of this year was a huge challenge for many churches due in a large part to the angst felt in our nation. Most churches rely on a strong fourth quarter and end of year donations to pull them through financially. The current consumer confidence numbers do not build confidence for a positive donation climate.

So, what can you expect and what should you do? Here are some observations and some recommendations.

As goes consumer confidence, so goes donor confidence. Expect the last quarter of 2009 to be more of a challenge than ever before. The AP article stated that “Shoppers’ habits have changed,” said Frank Badillo, senior economist at consulting group TNS Retail Forward. “They remain focused on cutting back and trading down to discount retailers and to lower-priced brands. All of those behaviors are going to be enforced over the holidays.” If that is true for shoppers count on it being true for donors.

The biggest group impacted by this lack of confidence is your bottom tiered donors. The largest group of your donors give the least amount. That number might be as large as 80% to 90%. Amazingly they give very little to your ministry. You can expect them to give even less as they cut corners in all areas to keep the Benz and the Beach house or Johnny in Little League. While I would not discount the 20% to 30% they typically donate I do counsel pastors to put their time where it will make the most impact, the few. This is a plan for now. You can continue with your plan to cultivate the next generation of donors but now is the time to act to meet today’s needs.

Devise now a strategy to meet or exceed your budget needs for this last quarter. Now is the time to have a plan for end of year giving for instance. What plans do you have to keep donations strong through the quarter that remains? Ending well will set you up to do well in the coming year. Ending poorly could set you back in countless ways. Plan now for success.

Step up and make a case for your ministry. In the next few months non-profits around the country will inundate your members with appeals. They will employ slick direct mail and online resources telling their story. You must counter that with your own story. Remember, good vision trumps bad economy! If you are hesitant to make the ask for support for your ministry others will step in and take advantage of you. The dollars that could go to your church will go somewhere else.

This has been a tough year for all of us. For our company it has been the most challenging year of our existence. We have determined however that we will continue forward because we truly believe what we are doing can and will make a difference for churches. We press on daily even though sometimes it seems dark.

What has saddened me more than anything is that the confidence level of Christian leaders has been so gloomy and dark. If you the leader lack confidence why are you surprised if your people lack confidence as well? Now is the time to step up and devise a plan of action to lead your church through this time. Early on I adopted the saying that we would work hard and pray harder. That is our attitude. What is yours? Your attitude and confidence sets the tone for your congregation.

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

Coaches game plans are made on Monday’s for a successful Sunday afternoon contest. Amateurs play Monday morning quarterback with perfection. Everyone can play the would have, should have game and be a winner. The real task is deciphering what lies ahead. When it comes to making predictions about the economy and how giving might be impacted as we finish out this year it is even more difficult.

While we have been through several recessions before this current one has more “experts” wondering which way is up and what is next. For every expert that you can quote saying the economy is on a rebound you can find another that disagrees. Our politicians are pointing fingers and posturing for the camera’s instead of providing true leadership. The American public is growing increasingly skeptical of anything that comes out of Washington. The war on terror, if you admit that there is one, slogs on with no end in sight. Yet amidst all this uncertainty and angst life goes on.

How will it impact you and what should you be looking for? Here are some thoughts on Monday morning about what to expect in this next quarter.

The recession is technically over but emotionally it continues. Your people that you lead don’t feel like the recession is over. It will be a long time before they feel confident once again. This lack of confidence is widespread from Main Street to Wall Street. That in and of itself creates a negative climate that hinders a quick recovery. At the same time it gives we in the church further opportunity to show hope through Jesus and Biblical principles.

The economy will rebound slowly. While technically we are in recovery there are still many areas where the rebound is slow. Some areas of the country will be in recession for many more months. Others will rebound more quickly. Nationally it will be a slow climb up from where we were last spring. Expect joblessness to remain high for at least one to two more quarters beyond this quarter.

What this means for you is that those that are not solid disciples consistent in their giving will be slow to return to giving to your ministry. It will be a challenge to move them beyond their fears to again start making contributions. Sadly many nominal Christian, a vast majority of your attendees, see giving to the church as one of the first places they can cut in their budgets. It will take real skill and wisdom to get them to see that doing so only hurts their chances for financial stability.

A new normal is being established. We need to forget about the return to normal. Normal has been redefined. Your expectations, at least for the next few years, needs to be lower. This is not only true in you personal life but in terms of raising funds as well. While some stewardship companies will talk about helping you raise three times your operating budget over three years the facts don’t support that. So, accept that you might pledge less than a few years ago. That does not mean however that you can not move forward with projects or plans for ministry.

What all of the above means is that you will have to be smarter and work harder than before. Don’t expect growth and dollars to easily flow into your ministry. You will need to keep your finger constantly on the pulse of society and your congregation. You can not retreat to your ivory tower to stay. Smart leaders understand the times we live in. Smart leaders don’t simply sit by and let circumstances smack them around. Smart leaders develop a plan of action and act upon their plan. Those with a plan succeed. Those who fail to plan are planning on failure.

Work hard but pray harder! It is not by our might but by the Spirit that we succeed. While the times might be challenging I have yet to see Christians dragged into their cities local stadiums to be chased by lions until they die. We need to stop whining and get up off the floor and get busy about our Father’s work. He has not left us. We have more tools now then our grand fathers or fathers generation did. Nothing will help the church grow more than a revival. While we might decry our loss of spending power it none the less has served to bring many to a point of need. Now we the church need to exercise leadership to meet that need.

While I can not predict the future even of this coming quarter I do know that God remains in control. He will accomplish His plans. If He has given you a vision then He will provide the means to fulfill that vision. Our task is to stay focused upon Him.

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

You remember the old saying, A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush? I use that often when I talk to pastors and church leaders about whether or not to move forward with raising funds for a project. During the last eighteen months I have seen Christian leader after Christian leader delay their project blaming the economy on that delay. While it certainly is important to weigh the impact of this recession too many are delaying moving forward out of either fear or ignorance.

Two years ago I was with a pastor who was thinking about delaying his campaign to raise funds. When I asked him why he said it was because of the economy. He reasoned that if he waited a year longer his members would commit more and give more. He had already announced that his church needed to build and would do so soon. So I asked him if he thought that in the year that he waited for the economy to get better his members would save up money to give to the campaign. He laughed and said of course not, they would spend it. It was a wise observation. The economy only got worse and if he would have delayed he would have lost thousands of dollars to McDonald’s, Disney, Hollywood and his members pets.

As a result of this recession here are some things you ought to consider as you think about the timing of your project and the attempt to raise support to fund it.

Pledging will be less. Don’t believe the sales hype from my industry that their average is one and a half to three times your budget. Frankly no one ever does an honest pledge to budget study of their clients results. Three times budget is always driven by large gifts. The widow has only so much she can give you beyond what she is giving you. The new norm is around one to two times your budget. This has been the case since the spring after the 9/11 attacks. People simply became more conservative in their pledge from that point on. This recession has only made it worse.

Some money is better than no money. This goes back to the old saying about the bird in your hand. While others have waited for the sun to break through the clouds I have clients who have raised thousands of dollars in support of their projects and ministries. While you wait for the big fish to bite you might miss scores of smaller fish that can fuel your hungry ministry needs.

There is a new normal in America. We are all waiting for things to return to normal. What you need to realize is that normal has and is continually being redefined. It is abnormal to expect to pledge more than three times your annual budget. It is normal now to see people pledge less but give beyond that if challenged. These are just a few of the things that have changed and are changing. Do you know how to read the changes that are happening with the people in the pews or chairs in front of you?

While some things have changed others have not. One thing that has not changed is that God’s people properly educated and motivated will support Kingdom causes. They might give online, at a giving kiosk, through social media or the old fashioned way in the offering plate but they will give. We need to always remember that Good vision trumps bad economy!

Historically even during recessions giving to religious causes has continued on. In only two recession years since WWII has giving declined and then the decline was slight. What amazed nearly everyone was that preliminary studies by Giving USA showed religious giving in 2008 increased by 1%!

Where crisis lurks so does opportunity. Not since 9/11 has the church had a better opportunity to provide hope and answers. How you respond to this crisis will set the tone for your ministry for years to come.

Not only does it give you an opportunity with people but it also has practical opportunities. Consider that interest rates are at an all time low. I have a client who built their first worship center in 1980 and paid 18% interest! Right now building costs are running twenty five per cent below last year. So while this recession winds down churches that are wise can actually save money by moving forward now.

While we all might long for the good ol days as the saying goes, it is what it is. That bird in your hand is certainly worth more than you think. Don’t fall prey to what many are doing and wait for a sunnier day only to realize that they lost thousands of ministry dollars in the process. Truly a bird in hand is worth two in a bush.

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

Nearly every economist is saying that the recession might be over. You will remember that it was not until we were well into the current recession that economists finally said we were in a recession. So expect the same thing to happen as we move out of this recession. Somewhere in the near future someone will say, “Oh yeah, the recession ended last summer.”

The question for you as a Christian leader is what does this mean for you? What happens after a recession? What should you expect and what should you be doing? Here are some thoughts.

Recessions begin region by region and sector by sector and end the same way. Just because some bean counter says its over does not mean in your area that it is over. If you live in Dayton or Detroit this recession will last a lot longer. If your region is closely tied to auto’s or housing it will be a long haul back.

We might “technically” be out of the recession but emotionally the recession will last at least another year. For most of 2008 we were told we were not “technically” in a recession. However when it took $60 to fill up my car I knew something wasn’t right! Consumer confidence still lags behind what it once was. There is in our country a feeling of unease. Any gains that the economy makes will be seen as fragile by Main Street Americans. Perception is the cruelist form of reality and the perception will be that the recession lingers on.

Unemployment will continue to stay high for at least another year. Historically employment lags behind a resurgent economy. While job losses seem to be slowing many economists are predicting that we will not see a return to normal employment for many months to come.

Normal has been redefined. Everyone is waiting for things to get back to normal. The question has to be asked, “What is normal?” A 14,000 level stock market was not normal but abnormal. Yet we want our 401K’s to get back to that level. We need to set a new normal given the present economic realities. Waiting for the return of the way things were in 2006 or 2007 might cause you to wait for many years to come.

Giving will remain a challenge into 2010. Most were surprised that giving to religion actually went up by 1% in 2008. I think that what we will see is just like job creation lags behind in a recovery, giving will lag behind. Most recessions have minimal impact on religious giving. However after the recessions of the mid 80’s and early 90’s giving actually declined the next year after the recession. Those were the only two years that happened. My concern is that we may be looking at the same situation this year and in 2010.

As the old saying goes, “Don’t just sit there do something!” Churches that do nothing will find themselves greatly impacted by the recession and it’s aftermath. So what should you do?

Have a plan and work your plan. If you don’t have a stewardship plan you are planning to fail. Stewardship can not be a back burner issue. It can not be something you get around to when everything else is done.

Start now creating your stewardship plan. Too many churches wait too long to implement a plan of action. By starting now you can avoid many of the discomforts that other churches experience as a result of poor planning. As George Allen once said, “The future is now!”

Don’t be afraid to preach and teach stewardship. Churches that teach stewardship weather economic down turns better than those that hardly ever or never talk about the subject. You might think you are making church more appealing to the masses by not talking about giving but in the end you are only endangering your future. It is not that you talk too much about money it’s how you talk about it that matters. The key to a churches financial health is raising up stewards. Don’t shy away from teaching and preaching on this vital subject. After all Jesus talked more about money than any one single issue.

When the history of this recession is written a few years from now it will show that the churches that weathered the storm the best were those that had a plan and worked their plan. You don’t have to suffer through this time. With an awareness of the events around you and good stewardship planning and education you can thrive when others fail.

So, what are you waiting for? Start planning!

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group

My Director of Marketing, Tom Holloway, sent me an email this morning from a church leader that he has been trying to talk to about their project and potential campaign. The note from the leader said, “Tom, spring 2010 may be a possibility, but it’s still too early to make that decision. Call me again in December.” Tom’s note to me said, “This is a church running six services with 2000 people in attendance on Sunday and he wants to wait until December even if they are looking at a spring campaign. They are experienced they know what this takes, what is up with these guys?” My response is that even large churches typically do not understand project development.

So, whether you run one service with 200 or six with 2,000 here are some things you need to consider.

Projects take time so start sooner rather than later. While there is no set length of time due to so many variables the one thing you can count on is that it will take longer than you would like. Projects can take anywhere from twelve to twenty four months from start to finish to execute. The most effective capital stewardship campaigns take anywhere from six to eight months.

Smart churches start early. Foolish church put off until late in the game and typically pay for the indecisiveness.

Project development is both sequential and simultaneous. There are at least three tracks you have to run through. There is the project track itself. Selecting architects, builders, getting permits, etc. There is the financing track. You have to find someone willing to loan you the money to build that project. There is the funding track. The good news is you have a loan. The bad news is you have to pay it back. Thus you need a funding plan, which typically involves a capital stewardship campaign. That is our area of expertise.

The problem with many leaders is that they only approach project development like they approach sermons. Point one is followed by point two and so on. While projects do unfold to some degree in sequence these three steps interlock and must be dealt with simultaneously. For instance your bank might not even talk to you about a loan until AFTER you have held a capital stewardship campaign.

All of these is one reason why now is the time to move forward. Let me give you some other reasons why you should move forward now.

Church building costs are running 25% to 30% LOWER now than this time last year! I know of a church that their project cost has gone down by $4 million. So, starting now, while builders are anxiously looking for work, could save you money in the long run.

Major builders are anticipating a 25% increase in pricing by next spring. Just today I talked to a major firm that told me one of their building partners, one of the largest in the country, is projecting costs to rise by next year. Why? First, there will be a shortage of materials as many business and churches finally begin projects they had delayed. The old law of supply and demand will kick in. Second, there will be a shortage of labor as many businesses have folded. On top of these facts many are predicting inflation to begin to rise as the economy slowly pulls out of this recession.

Finally, can I just ask what you are waiting for? I know, things to return to normal. Well guess what? This might be the new normal. While I am bullish on the economy my position is that we as Christian leaders do not do what we do based upon circumstances. What if it doesn’t get better? Will you continue to wait for the good old days?

How long can you delay that project that is so needed? So, what if you might pledge less than last year. Can I tell you that since 9/11 ALL pledging has been less than before the attacks. This recession will technically end soon. Emotionally it will last for another year. Can you afford to delay that long? Remember, it takes usually twelve to eighteen months from start to finish and sometimes more.

Now is the time to move forward!

Call us we would love to talk to you. Oh, and by the way, we don’t charge to talk.

Mark Brooks
Founder and President
The Charis Group