God designed us, not to be hoarders, but conduits through which His generosity flows.

And our giving should start with the church.

Unfortunately, church leaders sometimes make decisions that discourage their members from giving to the church.

Here are five ways to kill giving in your church:

1. Never teach about biblical stewardship. Too often, pastors shy away from sermons that deal with money. Or they do it just one time of year. Weaving teachings of biblical stewardship throughout the year or providing stewardship classes help members consistently consider how they are managing the resources God has given them.

2. Ask your members to give to something different several times a year. Two things could happen. First, you could reinforce the thought that “the church just wants my money.” This happens because when you talk about money, it often involves a request for money. Second, this could get members in the habit of waiting until an ask is presented before they give. A possible solution is to present all causes for giving at one time instead of constantly asking for money.

3. Only have one way your members can give. Different generations prefer different methods of giving. So provide multiple options for giving: plate, online, text, kiosk, etc. For most churches, I at least recommend providing an online giving option.

4. Never explain how the money is used for ministry. Members sometimes feel that they are giving to a black hole. The money is sucked into the church, never to be seen again. Most members don’t understand the impact their giving has on reaching the lost and serving the community. Help them see how God is using their faithfulness to accomplish His mission by regularly sharing stories of impact to the church.

5. Be secretive instead of transparent with the finances of the church. We live in a world where members regularly hear stories and read reports about organizations, including churches, mismanaging money. Develop trust by being as transparent as reasonably possible. The level of transparency may look different for each church but being secretive with the church’s finances is a mistake.

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Written by Art Rainer, member of the Summit Stewardship and Generosity Ministry Leadership Team.