In best practices, which comes first, the church budget or stewardship? Do you build a budget and then give the congregation a goal to reach with their generosity? Or do you see how generous they are, and then build a budget to match those gifts?

Robert Hay Jr., Senior Ministry Relations Officer for the Presbyterian Foundation, says many churches are moving away from the notion of a “pledge campaign” with printed cards in pew racks or in boxes kept at the back of the narthex.

Part of this movement started with the pandemic, but it also reflects the growing generational shifts in church congregations as well as costs – more and more people are comfortable using technology, and printing and mailing costs continue to rise.

“The advice we often give churches is you should build your budget based on historical data of giving. In the past, pledge cards were important, and people filled them out and you could count on them meeting their pledge.

“The trend in recent years, not just in churches but in all areas of non-profit philanthropy, is a reluctance for people to fill out pledge cards especially among the younger generations,” Hay says.

“It doesn’t mean they aren’t giving … they just don’t see the benefit in completing a pledge card. More and more people are both willing and comfortable with online giving or completing an estimate of giving through emails.”

Shifting the language away from “pledge cards” to “estimate of giving” appeals to younger church members, Hay says. Remember, the under-40 generations tend to be quick to use their phones to text small donations to the Red Cross and other non-profits in times of need, but they aren’t big on filling out paperwork!

Hay suggests the annual church budget should be based on the church’s needs and matched to historical trends of stewardship. Church leaders should de-emphasize the pledge goal and instead celebrate the mission and ministry of the church and encourage members to participate.

An example is the traditional missionary work that many churches sponsor; in the PC(USA), these are called mission co-workers because they are invited to work in the countries in which they serve. When mission co-workers are back in the U.S., they share their experiences and the example of their good work encourages people to give to continue that outreach, Hay says.

While Presbyterians are slow to embrace change and still need some sort of pledge campaign to satisfy our need for tradition, churches should also connect with members through as many outlets and platforms as possible – including email, websites, social media, Sunday School, and family events, Hay says.

Post-pandemic, it is essential that churches use an online giving portal on their website. At the same time, churches should continue to make it comfortable and confidential for people to share their generosity.

Simple approaches include installing “drop boxes” for checks and donations in the actual church, cheerfully reminding members about the church’s work through emails, newsletters and social media, and letting them know it helps church leadership to have an “estimate of annual giving” whenever possible.