Millennials have gotten a tough break. Rumored to be apathetic and selfish by older generations, despite a wealth of studies that prove this to be false, millennials are often singled out as a demographic that are least likely to get involved. The desire to give and get involved is present for many millennials, however, often times the funds to do so may be lacking. Rather than become frustrated at the seeming indifference, take the time to examine how your church is reaching out to its younger members.
Just like in any other instance, the church has a responsibility to teach each member the importance of giving. Included in this duty, it may be necessary to provide tips, tools and tactics for younger members to feel the draw to get involved. Focus on a few of the following areas when reaching out to the millennials in your church to engage them. With the proper knowledge, it may be easier than you think to entice them to give.
Budget
At the end of the year when the holidays are drawing ever nearer, it can be difficult for any giver to be able to contribute a large lump sum to your church. However, by teaching your younger church members the importance of planning to give, they should be able to avoid the giving pinch that happens around the holidays and other times throughout the year. A simple method many utilize to make sure giving holds its rightful place in our minds is the share, spend and save method of budgeting. By teaching young church members to divide their available assets into these three categories, they will be less likely to ‘forget’ to give to the church.
Provide A Reason
Millennials are a group that will not be duped into giving to a cause or situation that they don’t back completely. If the younger members of your church family feel even slightly uncomfortable with the vision of your church, or a particular initiative your church is working to complete, they may be less likely to give. Remaining transparent in your endeavors and discussing any new giving projects openly with your church will help to greatly assuage these fears. Additionally, it may be necessary to focus on the vision your church leadership has for the gifts it receives. Communicating this plan to your church family will help them feel more confident in the gifts they are entrusting to your organization.
Teach Them To Stay Focused
As we mentioned above, the millennial generation likes to get involved in causes that they are passionate about. With an ever-expanding number of organizations to give to and limited resources, this combination can quickly spell disaster for a young church members faithful church giving. If you’ve noticed some of your church family may be giving to other organizations, talk to them about the merits of creating a ‘rainy day’ fund for their gifts. Planning ahead, and separating out the amount they’d like to give to the church can help them remain faithful with their gifts in the long run.
Make It Easy
In this day and age, it’s important to ask yourself one question: ‘How hard am I willing to work to give to an organization?’ If we’re honest with ourselves, the answer is likely to be quite a wake up call to those churches who are relying solely on offering envelopes as their main method of tithe collection. In order to make sure you’re reaching the millennials in your church when they’re most likely to give, it may benefit your church to institute an e-giving program to supplement your endeavors. Harnessing the giving power of the millennial generation need not be a difficult process. Working to educate and inform their giving decisions will go a long way toward making sure that regular tithes are no longer hit or miss from this demographic.
