Beyond the Collection Plate

Much has been written about how churches can raise money. Less guidance is available to congregations about what to do with financial resources once they have been gathered in. Even less has been offered by way of a comprehensive view of congregational finances, one that demonstrates how individual attitudes toward giving money, and congregational attitudes toward managing and spending money, are inextricably linked together. In Beyond the Collection Plate, Michael Durall paints a wide-ranging picture of how churches can engender healthy attitudes and practices toward money among their members. How can churches counteract the consumerist mentality in society in ways that lead to simpler living and more sacrificial giving? How can churches tell which stewardship practices and programs are genuinely helpful, and which are seriously outdated? How can churches build a strong bond between the day-to-day lives of parishioners and their charitable giving? What opportunities for better stewardship do the unique natures of each individual congregation present? Written for pastors and other congregational leaders, members of finance and stewardship committees, and everyone involved in the financial life of congregations, Beyond the Collection Plate is an indispensable guide to how money in the church is raised, managed, and spent.