‘Tis the season to conduct your church’s Christmas Offering, and just yesterday I wrapped up the last of this week’s “How to Plan and Conduct a Christmas Offering” Webinars.

Between the hundreds of you who joined me for the webinars this week and the thousands who have downloaded my freshly updated “How to Plan and Conduct a Christmas Offering” E-Book (FREE Download), I’ve gotten lots of great questions that I’ve been trying to answer this week.

Here’s another one:

You recommend focusing the Christmas Offering on three or four causes, but wouldn’t it be more impactful and effective if we focused on one single cause?

This is a common question (and a good one), but it’s actually more effective to have multiple causes.

What I like about raising funds for three items is that it connects with more people.

Let’s say you focus on missions – it’s possible that some folks would connect with that item while others wouldn’t (and thereby not give). But if you did missions and children’s ministry – well, now you get the missions folks and those with a heart for kids.  Three items – same principle.

I wouldn’t do more than three the first time out – definitely missions and then something that focuses on your city or region (Community Service/Feed the Poor maybe) and something internal (pave the parking lot, new sign, etc.).

Don’t spread yourself too thin AND don’t narrow your focus too tightly, and you can see a great result of funding for your church and spiritual growth in the people who call your church home!

P.S. If you’re ready to maximize your church’s stewardship efforts, check out my most comprehensive Stewardship resource, The Stewardship Intensive.

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

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.