8 Ways to Avoid the Summer Slump and Increase Your Stewardship

In last week’s first part of this blog series, we started a conversation about the dreaded “summer slump” and the myth that it can’t be avoided.

I’m challenging you to be careful about buying into those average ways of thinking. I shared the first 3 ways in which you CAN flatten that summer dip – and make sure it’s a minor one instead of a drastic dropoff.

Here are the next 4 ways to avoid the summer slump and increase your stewardship:

1. Provide multiple ways for people to give
  – Offer giving options outside of the Sunday service:
  a.) Online giving. They can do this even when they’re away.
  b.) Automated giving. They don’t have to worry about missing a week. This encourages greater discipleship. About 40% of offerings at The Journey in NYC come through automated giving.
  
  – Update your offering envelope. Make sure it gives them options to sign up for automated giving.
2. Preach on giving
  – The biggest felt need during the summer is breaking free from debt. The Journey does “debt-free Sundays” in the middle of summer and even helps someone pay down their debt.
  
  – You’re helping your people. Allow God to bless their finances by preaching on what God says about money in the Bible. Don’t feel like you’re begging when you talk about giving. You’re telling them about God-blessing opportunities.
3. Maximize those mid-year giving statements.
  – Send multiple statements. Do this at least quarterly, including one during the summer. At The Journey, our statement summarizes January 1 – June 30 and is sent in the middle of July. This reminds them of how they’re doing at a critical time. They only work once. Avoid promises to change your giving overnight. Instead look for proven, Biblical practices in how you approach stewardship.- Include a personal letter. Share improvements and successes, and explain how their giving has made a difference.- Other ideas for enclosures: An offering envelope that also tells them how to automate, and lists the website address. Include a “bulky mail” item like a mini-flashlight or tin of mints, something that will make them want to open it. We even included a plastic piggy bank once! On the outside of the envelopes, use red letters that say something like “Important – Financial Documents Inside.”

Join me next week when I share the final two ways that you can avoid the summer downturn.

Click here for Part 1 of this series.

Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.