Adequate funds are the fuel for ministry. It’s not about constructing bigger buildings or storing up treasures on earth. It is about positioning your church to be ready when God says, “Go!” Increasing your giving now will give you the resources to grow later.

Every pastor with a heart for more decisions, disciples and dedicated members knows that increased giving is a vital part of that process. But not all pastors are gifted fundraisers. They may worry that they’re stepping on toes or crossing a line by speaking on money too often. Perhaps they feel like a broken record each week when it’s time to pass the offering plate.

How can leaders be better at leading their congregations in giving? In his book Ask, Thank, Tell: Improving Stewardship Ministry in Your Congregation, Charles R. Lane offers those imperatives as three simple steps to help any church go from “in the red” to “ready to go.”

Ask

Your people encounter giving requests all the time — and not just at church. Whether it’s through a mailer from the local mission, their child’s school raising funds for the PTA, or a Girl Scout selling cookies, there is no shortage of requests.

The church should be front and center when it comes to asking for donations from believers. You should never be shy about presenting the needs of your church’s mission and how your members’ resources can help.

It is about positioning your church to be ready when God says, “Go!”

When you ask, you are not shifting a burden from the church budget to a person’s finances. You are giving people an opportunity to grow as disciples of Christ.

Increasing in generosity is a part of becoming spiritual mature. If you never ask people to give, you aren’t encouraging them in this most basic discipline.

Thank

After you’ve asked and received offerings or commitments, thank those who are actively participating.

Expressions of thanks can take many forms. Some churches present a general thank-you at the annual business meeting. Other churches send handwritten notes from the pastor or staff when a person begins giving, makes a giving pledge, or donates a large offering.

There’s no wrong way to thank someone for giving, unless it’s insincere. Think about how you would want to receive thanks, and then follow through.

Tell

Whenever you ask people to respond to a specific need in the church, be clear about the need and how it connects with Kingdom building. Assure them that you will give updates on the program or intended use of their money.

Use personal testimonies, highlight videos or progress reports to tell your congregation how their money is advancing the Kingdom. It’s also a great time to ask again for the next level of vision or a new opportunity.

When you keep them in the right order, the ask-thank-tell steps can increase generosity among your church members, from the newest believer to the most mature Christian.