There is no silver bullet in church ministry. While some books, articles, conferences and consultants may promise otherwise, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to church growth. But there are certain things you can do to position your congregation for greater influence.

If your church doesn’t have a mission statement, for example, it’s time to develop one. And if you don’t speak about giving on a regular basis, you should. These things don’t guarantee success, of course, but they are good starting points.

For best results in each of these areas, find an organic way to tie in giving with your mission statement. After all, when people give, it’s easier to accomplish the mission. And when people understand the mission, they are more willing to give. When giving fuels the mission, your congregation will see their generosity making an eternal difference.

Here are three ways to connect the mission with giving:

Share It

Talk about the church’s mission often. Don’t forget to mention it during the offering time. It’s vital to talk about the reasons to give in the moments when giving is taking place.

Many churches combine announcements and the offering, which is a great way to streamline the weekly schedule. Yet it can also be a time for audience members to check out. Don’t let that happen. Use your announcements to highlight a ministry currently fulfilling your church’s mission. And find a way to remind people giving makes this ministry possible.

For example, perhaps youth camps are coming up. Right before the offering time, talk about how those camps help the church stay on mission. Then explain how congregants can give toward scholarships to help even more kids attend camp. Just like that, you’ve connected the mission with giving.

When giving fuels the mission, your congregation will see how their generosity can make an eternal difference.

Show It

When you talk about the mission, make sure everyone knows where you’re going and why. That means it needs to be achievable. Some mission statements are so audacious they become daunting. For instance, if your mission is to win every soul in your city, you are definitely dreaming big. But you’re also delaying any sense of success.

Instead, let people know how they can accomplish the mission of their church on a repeatable basis. And then connect the dots for your congregation so they can see how their giving is accomplishing the work each week.

If your mission is to connect people to each other and to God, perhaps you can explain how lobby renovations will create a more welcoming environment. You can then attach giving goals to a mission that’s achievable right away.

Another great way to show your church accomplishing its mission is through testimonies of life change. Invite those who have experienced life change through your church’s ministries to share their stories. When others see firsthand the individual power of the mission, they’ll be more willing to give.

Simplify It

Make sure your mission statement is simple. If it’s too long, no one can remember it. If it involves too many moving parts, no one can keep it straight. But when it’s short and to the point, you have something everyone can remember and support.

People like simple ideas. When they catch the vision behind a mission statement, they are more willing to join the cause. And when you show your own enthusiasm for it, they will want to go on that giving journey with you.

Generally speaking, your people are looking for a reason to give rather than an excuse to withhold their money. Lean in to that. Demonstrate a life of discipleship by giving generously and serving strategically.

By giving, your people are empowering their church to reach more and more people for Jesus. And as people come to Jesus, congregants will learn to be generous as part of their discipleship journey. Their generous giving allows your church to stay on mission, and the cycle repeats.

Your influence will only increase as your giving does — as long as you keep the mission in focus.