Why Passing the Plate Doesn’t Work as Well as it Should
Does your church receive an offering as a part of the weekly worship service? Do you pass a plate and give people the opportunity to give? And do you wish more people participated in that part of the service?
The offering is one of the most important moments in the church service, because it’s the moment that funds all of the other ministry moments in the church. Something that happens quickly radically influences ministry throughout the year.
Instead of rushing through these moments, let’s slow down.
Instead of awkwardly transitioning from a song to a prayer to passing the plate, let’s plan a powerful connecting moment.
It’s time to properly explain the offering, and a Giving Talk is your solution. A Giving Talk is a short (think 2-3 minutes) explanation about what is about to happen and a simple way to ask people to participate.
Don’t just inform the congregation that there’s an offering…ask them to participate!
Here is what you can do in a Giving Talk.
- Tell the congregation what’s about to happen. Slow down and give people time to get ready.
- Tell people why they should participate. Share a story. Read a Scripture. Give a statistic. Say something that connects the dots for people. The offering doesn’t need to be tacked on…it can be a vital part of your worship experience if properly explained.
- Tell people how to participate. Don’t assume people know what to do…give them clear instructions. Explain it like everyone in the room is there for the first time. Do this every time you receive an offering.
Explaining the offering and asking people to participate is a simple action that will really increase participation.