Many pastors have commented to us that they find it difficult to ask their people for money. Frequently such feelings arise from the realization that the pastor's salary and benefits are the bulk of the congregation's budget. Pastors sometimes feel that it is "self-serving" to ask their members to give more when they know they're the primary beneficiaries. These concerns are, of course, legitimate.

The following thoughts are ways to deal with this concern (and others) and yet recognize the need that members have to give. Even if we fail to do the right thing for the right reasons, we still fail to invite people to prayerfully consider their giving.

I offer several axioms:
1. Ask no one to do anything you are unwilling to do yourself. Just as people respect "bosses" who are willing to get their hands dirty, they respect pastors who set an example of a good steward when asking them to give. A few pastors say, "But I give my whole life to Christ!" But I have to respond, "Unless you give your money as well as your service, you have not given your whole life. The money God entrusts to you is also part of your life." Leaders lead. If we expect our people to give sacrificially, we need to set the example. Besides that, in not giving sacrificially of your money, you deny yourself the joy of giving. Experiencing the blessings of giving, makes it easier to recommend giving.

2. Realize that money is minted self. People put in a hard day's work for their money. When they receive their pay, that labor is turned into dollars. Thus the dollars they give are the fruits of their labor. Giving our money, like giving our time and abilities, is really a giving of our selves.

3. When we ask people to give, we're asking them to commit themselves to Christ. In this respect, stewardship and evangelism have much in common. When we invite a person to commit their life to Christ, we ask that they give their whole heart, mind, life, and pocketbook. Mature Christian people first give themselves to the Lord (cf. 2 Cor. 8:5). Their stewardship is merely a response to giving the rest of their lives.

4. Yes, we're also asking people to serve. One sure fire way to serve is to give our time, abilities, and money to fulfill the ministry that Christ mandates of the church. We can't all go to the mission fields in far off lands, but we are there with our contributions. Our money is sort of a proxy. We are missionaries just as surely as if we were commissioned and serving in those far away places. That also includes the fact that they call a pastor to minister on their behalf. The pastor's salary enables their proxy in ministering to others in their congregation and community.

5. But make no mistake, we are asking for money too. We live in an economic world. Money may not make the world go round, but it does enable ministry. And money is for most people a thing of great value (like the pearl of great price). Lest it get control of us, we need to take control of it. One way to keep it from capturing our worship is to give it away joyfully and sacrificially as an act of worship.

6. When we ask, we also have the opportunity to ask specifically. There are many ministries in all of our congregations. It is not inappropriate to lift these up as challenges for expanded mission and ministry. And what of our Synod and Churchwide mission support? Can you think of anything more selfless to ask for?

When a pastor asks people to give, s/he is not asking for a raise. Yes, in some cases our clergy should ask for that too, but not as a part of a sermon or a stewardship program.

Most of all, let's not forget prayer. We need to invite our members to prayerfully consider what God is calling them to give.