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Why We Give
At one time, people generously contributed to churches because it was seen as the 'right thing to do.' In fact, 60% of all charitable giving was given to churches. Today, only 32% of charitable gifts go to churches. People have many options, as there are so many worthwhile organizations asking people for gifts (by last count, there are 1.5 million non-profits!). Churches that rely on people to give simply because 'we are the church' are finding rough going.
So why do people give? Increasingly, there are three responses:
Reason #1: People believe in the mission of the institution and how well they are doing. Donors want to see lives changed; they want to know that their organization is making a difference. What would happen if the organization I support suddenly disappeared from the community?
Reason #2: They trust the staff. Giving is about relationships - do you know and trust the people in charge to make good decisions?
Reason #3: Fiscal responsibility - people do not want to support sinking ships. People want their organizations to be fiscally honest with them - they don't want them to 'cry wolf' simply to get funds, and they do not mind if the organization has a surplus; they want to support fiscally strong organizations.
As you know, I have always encouraged you to tithe - to 'give 10% back' and/or to give at least 5% of your tithe to the church to support Christ's mission. Thank you for having confidence in Faith Church to so generously keep Christ's mission alive.
In faith,
Pastor Tim
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